Successors to Alexander the Great: Historical Sources in Translation

Successors to Alexander the Great: Historical Sources in Translation Timothy Howe, Charlotte Dunn, David Lunt ISBN: 978-1-119-68828-0December 2025Wiley-Blackwell384 pagesDescription A comprehensive collection of translated sources on the wars and world of Alexander’s successorsSuccessors to Alexander the Great brings together—for the first time in a single collection—the essential translated sources for the tumultuous period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE. Spanning Greek, Latin, Persian Babylonian, Egyptian, and epigraphic materials, this volume provides direct access to a wide range of documents that illuminate the world and the wars of the Diadochi and the complex efforts to reassemble, rule, and redefine the fragments of Alexander’s empire.Organized thematically and geographically, this book allows readers to explore the Successors’ ambitions, alliances, propaganda, and political innovation across a sprawling and multi-ethnic landscape. Contextual commentary throughout helps readers navigate the fragmentary nature of source evidence, the biases of ancient authors, and the evolving concepts of legitimacy and kingship. With its thematic structure and source diversity, the book offers an ideal foundation for historical, literary, and historiographical inquiry into the Hellenistic world.The first unified, carefully curated, deeply contextualized collection of primary sources on the post-Alexander Hellenistic world, Successors to Alexander the Great:Features Greek, Latin, Persian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and epigraphic material spanning multiple traditions and viewpoints Includes bibliographies with each chapter for ease of reference and deeper research engagement Highlights the complexity of succession politics, propaganda, and kingship after Alexander’s death Illuminates lesser-known figures and regions often excluded from traditional Hellenistic narratives Promotes critical thinking and historiographical awareness through exposure to conflicting ancient perspectives Supports interdisciplinary teaching on identity, authority, and empire-building in the ancient world Presenting a single, coherent, and accessible narrative, Successors to Alexander the Great is ideal for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses on Alexander the Great, the Hellenistic world, and ancient Greek history. It supports degree programs in Classics, History, Ancient Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, and related disciplines, and serves as a vital reference for scholars, educators, and researchers.Table of Contents Acknowledgements viiiTranslators’ Note ixTimeline xIntroduction 11 Dramatis Personae 112 Articulations of Royal Power, Identity, and Interpretation Before the Successors 603 Administration and the Army Under Alexander 894 With Alexander: Conquest and Empire 1065 Symbols and Propaganda: Alexander’s Image Among the Successors 1346 The Successors at War 1577 The Regency to the Deaths of Alexander IV and Herakles 1868 The Fight for Macedonia 2149 Fortress Egypt 22910 The Fight for Asia 26411 The Greek Cities and the Successors 30312 Hellenistic Kingship 331Index 345About the Author TIMOTHY HOWE is a Professor of History, Archaeology, and Ancient Studies at St. Olaf College. He has published extensively on Alexander the Great, ancient Mediterranean trade, and terrorism. He is the Senior Editor of The Ancient History Bulletin and co-directs archaeological excavations at Antiochia ad Cragum in Turkey.CHARLOTTE DUNN is a Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Tasmania. Her research focuses on the Hellenistic world, especially the careers and self-representation of the Diadochi. She has published widely on topics like royal identity and coinage in the post­Alexander era and coauthored Demetrius the Besieger, the first full-length study of the Hellenistic king.DAVID LUNT is a Professor of History at Southern Utah University. His research explores sport and cultural identity in the ancient world, particularly in relation to Greek athletics and festivals. He has written a book about the Crown Games of ancient Greece, and has published research treating Alexander’s relationship to athletics. He serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Sport History, the International Journal of the History of Sport, and the Journal of Olympic Studies.Series Blackwell Sourcebooks in Ancient History