Jacob Abbott
Alexander the Great
eBook
( Aug. 22, 2020)
Tutored by Aristotle, compelled to ascend the throne at the age of 20 when his illustrious father was assassinated, driven by a passion for expanding the borders of his tiny kingdom, Alexander of Macedon was one of the most towering figures of ancient history. He is brought to vivid life in this gripping volume by the American children's writer Jacob Abbott.
In his short but eventful life, the young Macedonian king went on to rule over one of the most powerful and largest empires in the ancient world, breaking the hegemony of the powerful Persian dynasty of Darius. Alexander's sudden death in Babylon is one of the enduring mysteries of history. With him ended the glorious empire he had created, which stretched from the Adriatic in Europe to the Indus River on the Indian subcontinent.
Jacob Abbott's book meant for young readers portrays Alexander as a military genius, endowed with remarkable intelligence, physical beauty and courage. Some of the early incidents in his life as when he tames a wild and vicious horse are described in compelling terms. Alexander's youth, his father's insistence on making him a regent for Macedonia when he was just 16 and his experiences on military campaigns with his father in Boeotia, where he displayed remarkable qualities of coolness, courage and wisdom are strikingly portrayed. Philip's separation from his wife, Olympia, Alexander's mother is also described and Abbott traces some of Alexander's less endearing qualities to this imperious queen. His haughtiness, pride and short temper which sometimes led him to be stubborn, envy and resentment of his father's powerful conquests are described as well, giving us an objective and well rounded picture of the young hero.