The Campaigns of Alexander

His passion was for glory only, and in that he was insatiable Although written over four hundred years after Alexanders death, Arrians Campaigns of Alexander is the most reliable account of the man and his achievements we have. Arrians own experience as a military commander gave him unique insights into the life of the worlds greatest conqueror. He tells of Alexanders violent suppression of the Theban rebellion, his total defeat of Persia, and his campaigns through Egypt, India and Babylon ? establishing new cities and destroying others in his path. While Alexander emerges from this record as an unparalleled and charismatic leader, Arrian succeeds brilliantly in creating an objective and fully rounded portrait of a man of boundless ambition, who was exposed to the temptations of power and worshipped as a god in his own lifetime. Aubrey de Selincourts vivid translation is accompanied by J. R. Hamiltons introduction, which discusses Arrians life and times, his synthesis of other classical sources and the composition of Alexanders army. The edition also includes maps, a list for further reading and a detailed index. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.