This course is specifically aimed at students who have heard of Alexander but know very little about him.

We will look at his background, his character and his extraordinary achievements. This will be underpinned by an introduction to the main sources for his life and how they leave frustrating gaps which will allow us to discuss our own theories about key aspects of his character. We will focus on his upbringing by his fiery father and manipulative mother, his creation of a vast empire that spanned from Greece to India, his troubled personal life and his relationships with his friends and family as well as his campaigns and conquests.

No prior knowledge of the ancient world is required, and don’t worry – there won’t be any ancient Greek language either.