Michael Wood - in the Footsteps of Alexander the Great: A Journey from Greece to Asia

He threw his spear into the sand,
And claimed all Persia for his land
Of Macedon and avenging Greece,
To return to Jason the Golden Fleece. --William Pinn

My Adventure

A fortnight ago I was invading the shelves at the public library, and managed to capture and enslave In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great by Michael Wood. I have always had a yearning to conquer the pages of ancient history books, and now that I have read this book, I feel that my empire of ancient knowledge has increased.

About the Author

Born in Manchester, Michael Wood was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Oriel College, Oxford, where he went on to do research in Anglo-Saxon history. He has worked as a broadcaster, journalist, and film-maker. He also authored In Search of the Dark Ages, In Search of the Trojan War, and The Smile of Murugan: a South Indian Journey. Legacy and Saddam's Killing Fields are included in over 50 documentary films to his name.

The Book

The book is based on the PBS series In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great, hosted by Michael Wood. It has 256 pages, breathtaking color and black and white photographs. It has a hardbound glossy cover and was published by BBC books.

Xerxe's Invasion

Persian King of Kings,
Before Alexander's Time,
His ships smashed asunder,
Against Greek stones of lime. -William Pinn

The first chapter discusses the invasion of Greece by the Persian Emperor Xerxes, The invasion occurred more than a century before Alexander's birth date of 356 BC. Xerxes navy and army were defeated by the Greeks; however, the Greeks held a grudge and yearned for revenge against the Persian Empire.

The Persians had destroyed and desecrated many holy Greek shrines and temples during the invasion. When Alexander came of age, he sought to fulfill the Greeks' lust for revenge. And so his conquest of Asia began.

Alexander's Early Years

Under Aristotle's wing,
He gained knowledge of the world,
Building arms of wisdom,
Till his fury unfurled. -William Pinn

When Alexander was a young lad of thirteen, his father, Phillip, sent him to Mieza to study under perhaps the greatest philosopher of all time, Aristotle of Stagira. Aristotle inspired Alexander's life-long love of philosophy.

Alexander looked upon Aristotle as a father figure. Aristotle even gave Alexander his copy of the Iliad (Homer's account of the Trojan War). Alexander carried this book with him throughout his conquest of Asia.

Alexander's Sex Life

Stateira, Barsine and of course Roxanne,
He loved three women,
And perhaps a man. -William Pinn

Alexander's sex life is shrouded in speculation. He had relationships and sexual encounters with Barsine and Roxanne. It is not clear whether he had relations with the Persian Emperor's captive wife Stateira. Nor is it clear whether he had a homosexual relationship with his life-long friend Hephaistion.

What Kind of Man Was Alexander?

Five foot two,
Hard bitten and tough,
Scars on his front side,
He liked it rough. -William Pinn

The Issus mosaic now in Naples museum gives the only true rendering of Alexander's appearance. He had reddish skin, brown unkempt hair, bulbous eyes, and a long prominent nose. Many statutes of Alexander were idealistic images created more than a century after he died. The artists of course had no photos to work with, and simply used their imagination.

Legend has it that Alexander never turned his back in battle. As a result, he had scars on his front side, but not his backside.

Alexander Becomes King

King Phillip fell dead,
On theatre steps,
A new King arose,
And no one had wept. -William Pinn

At the age of 20, Alexander became King of Macedon after his father Phillip was murdered at the Aegeae theatre. There were rumors and speculation that Alexander and his mother, Olympias plotted Phillip's assassination.

Invasion of Asia.

Some cities fell easily,
Some cities fell hard,
Alexander advanced
Without retreating a yard. --William Pinn

Alexander's invasion route included the cities of Sestos, Troy, Sardis, Ephesus, Miletus, Mylasa, Telmessos, Side, Celaenae, and Gordion. He successfully conquered all of these cities which made up the Persian Empire.

It was the Greek custom to kill all of the men and to enslave the women and children.

Legend has it that Alexander encountered the Gordion knot. He was told that the man who unties the knot, shall rule all of Asia. Alexander, being the shrewd man he was, asked if there were any conditions attached to the untying of the knot. He was told there were none.

Alexander whacked the knot with his sword! The knot unraveled in reaction to the blow. Asia now belonged to Alexander!

My Thoughts

The magnificent color photos and prose of Michael Wood inspired me to write several poems, which I have interspersed in this review. The chapters give a glorified and realistic account of a man who was the greatest conqueror, or mass murderer of his age.

The text was easy to comprehend and made me feel as though I traveled back in time to witness the heroics and carnage that existed during that barbaric age.

Alexander the Great? Or, Alexander the mass murderer?

Take the journey yourself, and decide.