The Field Campaigns of Alexander the Great (ePub)
Imprint: Pen & Sword Military
File Size: 4.7 MB (.epub)
Pages: 192
Illustrations: 34 black and white maps & diagrams
ISBN: 9781844687428
Published: 28th February 2011
This Week's Best Sellers Rank: #11
Alexander the Great is one of the most famous men in history, and many believe he was the greatest military genius of all time (Julius Caesar wept at the feet of his statue in envy of his achievements). Most of his thirteen-year reign as king of Macedon was spent in hard campaigning which conquered half the then-known world, during which he never lost a battle. Besides the famous set-piece battles (Granicus, Issus, Gaugamela, Hydaspes), Alexander's army marched thousands of miles through hostile territory, fighting countless smaller actions and calling for a titanic logistical effort.
There is a copious literature on Alexander the Great, but most are biographies of the man himself, with relatively few recent works analysing his campaigns from a purely military angle. This book combines a narrative of the course of each of Alexander's campaigns, with clear analysis of strategy, tactics, logistics etc. Combined with Stephen English's The Army of Alexander the Great and The Sieges of Alexander the Great it completes a very compelling examination of one of the most successful armies and greatest conquerors ever known.
A superbly written, organized and presented study, "The Field Campaigns of Alexander the Great" will prove a seminal and enduringly appreciated addition to community, college and university library Military History collections in general, and Alexandrian curriculum studies lists in particular.
Midwest Book Review
Read the full review here
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
NetGalley, Paula Cwikla
A fascinating and incredibly readable account of the incredible sweeping field campaigns of one of history's greatest generals and leaders, while I'm sure you know a lot about the man himself, this book goes into detail about his military campaigns and numerous triumphs which usually don't get as much attention.
While some information you will have definitely heard of before, there are some new insights and information found here that makes it a worthy read for any fan of military history, or anyone looking to dip their toes in the water. While the book does give great detail into tactics and strategies it does so in a way that is readable and understandable for even the newest fans of military history.
For the reader who wants to discover Alexander’s great battles this book will probably be too much of a book with a point to make to be a good introduction, but for those who already have some knowledge of the topic it could be an interesting read leading to others in order to make one’s own opinion on the value of Mr English’s views.
United Nations of Roman Vitrix Website www.unrv.com
Read full review on www.UNRV.com
English begins by explaining his methodology and examining the surviving sources. This is a very valuable section of the book, allowing the reader to judge the success of the rest of the text.
History of War Website
The author's main aim is to produce coherent battle narratives that make sense of the often contradictory primary sources. I'm not entirely convinced by all of his conclusion, but in each case English explains his reasoning and includes the relevant primary sources, allowing the reader to come to his own conclusions. Having said hat, most of his suggested solutions make sense, and his arguments are well made. English clearly knows his material very well, giving his arguments and conclusions a great deal of credibility.
This is an excellent conclusion to a very useful series, and helps to explain why Alexander was so successful against so many different opponents.
Already an acknowledged expert on Alexander the Great, this third volume by English looks at the various specific campaigns in a way comparable to studies of English and American Civil War battles and campaigns. It's thorough, very readable, and scholarly.
Books Monthly
About Dr Stephen English
Dr Stephen English attained his PhD in Classics from Durham University, his thesis being on the military career of Alexander the Great. He is the author of The Army of Alexander the Great, The Sieges of Alexander the Great, The Field Campaigns of Alexander the Great and Mercenaries in the Classical World. He lives in County Durham.
Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela
1st October 0331 BC
Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela