The treasures of Alexander the Great [electronic resource] : how one man's wealth shaped the world / Frank L. Holt.
Holt, Frank Lee, author.
2016
DF234.2 .H65 2016eb
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Title The treasures of Alexander the Great [electronic resource] : how one man's wealth shaped the world / Frank L. Holt.
Author Holt, Frank Lee, author.
ISBN 9780190469702 (electronic book)
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199950966
Published New York, NY : Oxford University Press, 2016.
Language English
Description 1 online resource ( xvii, 295 pages) : illustrations.
Item Number 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199950966 doi
Call Number DF234.2 .H65 2016eb
Dewey Decimal Classification 938.07092
Summary War, the most profitable economic activity in the ancient world, transferred wealth violently through the sacking of cities and the selling of survivors into slavery. One of the most notable examples occurred in the late fourth century BC, when Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered the Persian Empire. For all of its savagery, this invasion has often been heralded as a positive economic event for all concerned. Even those harshly critical of the king tend to praise his plundering of Persia as a means of liberating the moribund resources of the East. To test that popular interpretation, this book investigates the kinds and quantities of treasure seized by the Macedonian king, from gold and silver to land and slaves. It reveals what became of the king's spoils of war, and what Alexander's redistribution of these vast resources can tell us about his much-disputed policies and priorities.
Note War, the most profitable economic activity in the ancient world, transferred wealth violently through the sacking of cities and the selling of survivors into slavery. One of the most notable examples occurred in the late fourth century BC, when Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered the Persian Empire. For all of its savagery, this invasion has often been heralded as a positive economic event for all concerned. Even those harshly critical of the king tend to praise his plundering of Persia as a means of liberating the moribund resources of the East. To test that popular interpretation, this book investigates the kinds and quantities of treasure seized by the Macedonian king, from gold and silver to land and slaves. It reveals what became of the king's spoils of war, and what Alexander's redistribution of these vast resources can tell us about his much-disputed policies and priorities.
Bibliography, etc. Note Includes bibliographical references and index.
Access Note Access limited to authorized users.
Source of Description Description based on print version record.
Series Onassis series in Hellenic culture.
Available in Other Form Treasures of Alexander the Great.
Linked Resources Online Access
Record Appears in Online Resources > Ebooks
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Introduction: Imagining the Unimaginable; Sources and Methods; Exploring a Neglected past
2. Poor Alexander?
Humbled Origins
The Making of a Hero
War and Wealth
3. Conquest, Up Close and Costly
Balkan Treasures
Asia Minor
The Middle East and Beyond
4. Reciting the Sword's Prayer
The Lord of All Your Former Possessions
The Sack of Persepolis
A Historic Haul
Rajas, Riches, Resentments
5. A King's Priorities
Personal Gifts and Patronage
Religion and Ceremony
Cities and Other Infrastructure
Armies and Navies
6. (Mis)Management
Lucky Thessalian, Miserable Macedonian
Debt and Despair
Harpalus the Treasurer
Scams and Schemers
With Harpalus or the King?
The Successors
7. Conclusion: The Story of the Moral; A Change of Hearts and Minds; Monetization; Counting Coins; What We Can Say About What We Can See
Appendix 1: Ancient Measures and Modern Conversions
Appendix 2: Summary of Reported Assets
Appendix 3: Summary of Reported Debits
Appendix 4: Where Is It Now?

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