The Conquests of Alexander the Great by Waldemar Heckel

Based on previous books written by Waldemar Heckel (see: Macedonian Warrior by Heckel and Jones; Historical Sources in Translation by Heckel and Yardley; and Who’s Who in the Age of Alexander the Great by Waldemar Heckel), I expected to find his same thorough analysis in The Conquest of Alexander the Great (ISBN 978-0-521-60323-2), but I was disappointed.

His knowledge of Alexander and everything related to the great conqueror is beyond doubt, but this book did not reveal much that wasn’t known already. In his Preface, Heckel mentions that his purpose is not to relate Alexander’s campaigns once again but that he aims to highlight the impact of his conquests and the political consequences of his actions. If so, I find the title of this book misleading; it simply doesn’t match his intentions.

For instance, he underscores events or situations which Alexander exploited for propaganda purposes, but I can’t help wondering if this was Alexander’s purpose. Scrutinizing and summarizing each and every gesture, act, battle, response or confrontation of his twelve-years-long battle career in 150 pages inevitably leaves space for more discussions and more theories. Where is the ultimate answer, I wonder.

One word, however, caught my attention and that is “battle fatigue”. It has, by my knowledge, not been mentioned by any historian before, but battle fatigue must have hit Alexander and his troops sooner or later. It is generally wrapped up in the idea that his men wanted to go home, but battle fatigue must have played a deeper role than we would think at first sight.

Waldemar Heckel loves his lists and tables, and this book is no exception. For those wanting to look up certain facts and figures, the book includes a Chronological Table of the Events, a List of the Kings both Achaemenid and Argead, a list of literary sources and, of course, a set of adequate maps. In the Appendixes we find a List of Alexander’s Officers, the Number of Troops, and a note about the Administration of the Empire.

This is certainly not a book for a first time reader of Alexander’s conquests, but it may add to the way we look or want to look at the achievements of this great man.

Also available as e-Book (click here).