Alexander the Great (MP3 CD) [Unabridged] [MP3 CD]

Arrian (Author), Charlton Griffin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2004

1 MP3-CD, Unabridged, With Music and Sound Effects, Running Time: 12 hours

"Alexander the Great" is the incredible story of the world's greatest conqueror, a man who single handedly changed the course of history...and who was worshipped as a god. There have been many attempts in the 2,300 years since Alexander's death to tell the epic story of this enigmatic soldier.  His deeds read like the stuff of legends. Of all the chroniclers of Alexander, and there have been many famous ones, including Plutarch and Ptolemy, none have given us a clearer and truer account than the one by Arrian. Writing 450 years after Alexander's death, Arrian had the advantage of hindsight and the unique ability to sift through important historical material which is now lost. He was able to judge the motives of many of the detractors of Alexander and to set the record straight in many instances. Alexander's aims have always been a topic of intense debate and this history will tell you what this brilliant tactician was trying to accomplish and why. From his first encounter with the Persians at the Battle of the Granicus to his last battle on the banks of the Indus River, thrill to the extraordinary exploits of Alexander the Great as he turns the ancient world upside down. After his passing, nothing would ever again be the same...

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lucius Flavius Arrianus, or Arrian (circa A.D. 85 to 90 – circa 146) was   born in Nicomedia, a Greek town which at the time was a part of the vast Roman Empire. It is fairly certain that Arrian's ancestors had been citizens for some time because his family was prominent, and he himself seems to have held an important priesthood as a young man. Arrian studied Stoic philosophy with the famous Epictetus and has left us an excellent book on the subject based on his notes. One of his fellow students was the future emperor, Hadrian, whose close friend he remained in later life.   Arrian was a wealthy man with a great sense of responsibility.  He put his considerable abilities to work on behalf of society and served with distinction as a senator and as a military commander.  In fact, he was the first Greek ever to command Roman legions. He later served as governor of Cappadocia. In his spare moments, Arrian wrote many important books, of which his Anabasis of Alexander is by far the most popular.

Charlton Griffin is one of the great readers of our time. His classical theatre training combined with his wonderful, incisive interpretations of great literature make him a unique talent. Mr. Griffin's vocal performance is vibrant, soothing, compelling, and hypnotic. Among other honors, he has twice received the Audie Award for Classic Fiction.

Product Details

• MP3 CD
• Publisher: Audio Connoisseur; Unabridged edition (January 15, 2004)
• ISBN-10: 192971842X
• ISBN-13: 978-1929718429
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,382,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "GREATEST" OF THE "GREAT", February 9, 2006

By 

Michael A Neulander "Political Philosophy" (VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Alexander the Great (Paperback)

Alexander the Great, was born on or around July 20, 356 B.C.E., and is my favorite personality to read about in history. To me he is the whole package general, statesman, conqueror, and philosopher. The smartest man who ever lived, Aristotle, tutored him. Alexander conquered more of the known world than any other figure in history, accomplishing all this before he dies at the ripe old age of 33. Some people called him conqueror and violent overlord. Some other called him civilizer and even God! All of them yet, called him "The Great". He was the first man in modern history that took this name, "The Great"! Even as a young boy, he shows great promise.

Curtius' work is the oldest extant work available and based on eyewitness accounts. He does a better job than most in explaining the battle scenes, and seems to be more balanced in his admiration and criticism of Alexander then any of the other early biographers. I love his Bucephalus Story, and I recount it here so you get a flavor of the promise this young Alexander shows.

The legend begins with Philoneicus, a Thessalian, bringing a wild horse to Philip for him to buy. None of the hands was able to handle it, and Philip grew upset at Philoneicus for bringing such an unstable horse to him. Alexander, however, publicly defied his father and claimed that he could handle the horse. The bet between Philip and Alexander was that if Alexander could ride the horse, Philip would buy it, if not, Alexander would have to pay the price of the horse, which was 13 talents, an enormous sum for a boy of Alexander's age to have.

Alexander apparently noticed that the horse had been shying away from its own shadow, and so he led it gently into the sun, so that its shadow was behind it, all the while stroking it gently and whispering into its ear, (Alexander seems to be the original horse whisperer). Eventually the horse let Alexander mount him, and Alexander was able to show his equestrian skill to his father and all who were watching. The incident so impressed Alexander's father, King Philip that he told the boy "Look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of you, for Macedonia is too little for thee". He named the horse Bucephalus, which means Ox head, and rode it across Asia, founding a city in its honor in India after its death. This story gives you an inkling about the man.

This book is a must read for students of Alexander, I also recommend Plutarch's and Arrian's work. Contemporary writers, J.F. C. Fuller and Tarn. Most of Alexander's greatest military traits are in the area of military logistics and to understand his genius in this area I highly recommend reading, "Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army," by Donald W. Engels.

As a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The life of a conqueror, August 12, 2005

By 

Michael Bond (Shawnee, OK United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Alexander the Great: The Brief Life and Towering Exploits of History's Greatest Conqueror--As Told By His Original Biographers (Paperback)

Born in Macedonia in 356BC Alexander The Great changed the political face of the Middle East to such an extent that the present age is affected. He only lived 32 years but created an Empire that spanned 1000's of miles and included many cultures. He was tutored by Aristotle and raised to be a king. He toppled Darius of Persia, conquered the surrounding areas and invaded India. When he took on a task, he stayed with it with dogged determination. He was a brilliant battlefield tactition and motivator of men.

The story of his life was recorded by the classic biographers, Arrian, Plutarch and Curtius. In this book, Michael Wood presents Alexander's story by compiling the different accounts in chronological order. There is very little additional text, editorial, background, etc. Sometimes, he interjects comments where the original accounts vary (due to the biases of the biograhpers). This is a simple book to read and understand. It is an excellent resource for someone who wants an introduction to Alexander.

The map, list of sources and gloassary of main characters are quite helpful.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dump the movies, read this instead, November 20, 2004

By 

Kirk H Sowell (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Alexander the Great: The Brief Life and Towering Exploits of History's Greatest Conqueror--As Told By His Original Biographers (Paperback)

Or watch the movies and read this as well. This is a great little book that contains excerted translations of the three ancient biographies of Alexander, written by Plutarch, Arrian and Quintus Curtius Rufus, all Roman writers. The book is edited so that it forms a continuous narrative throughout Alexander's life. Aside from archeological finds, these three ancient writers are the sole sources of reliable information on the historical Alexander. The introduction by Wood is useful.

I do have to note that I find it odd that on the Amazon page under "Language Notes" it says "Latin, English," since there is no Latin here. The original texts were in Latin, but they are not reproduced here.