Alexander the Great

Alexander III 'the Great' changed the course of world history. The course will concentrate on personality of Alexander and the events of his life, both in their own terms and in terms of their wider influence.Examining and assessing the ancient sources for his life, we will trace his career from his birth at Pella in Macedonia (356 BCE) to his death at Babylon (323 BCE). As we travel with him on his victorious journey to what was, from the Greek perspective, the limits of the known inhabited world, we will also explore Alexander's motivation and the reactions to him in literature, religion, mythology, and art.A variety of fascinating issues will be confronted on the way: how reliable is the historical tradition about Alexander? What did he set out to achieve? What did he actually achieve? How did he achieve it? Did he believe in his own divinity? Why is his legend so enduring?The course will be richly illustrated with visual material and handouts of ancient historical material in translation, and will include a visit to the British Museum.