Rachel Kousser on Alexander the Great

In this episode, we interview Dr. Rachel Kousser on her book Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great. Rachel offers both old and new perspectives on Alexander and his conquests, and helps us see into the religious worldview that both surrounded and motivated him. In addition to some thoughts on the understanding and writing of history, itself – she addresses the question of whether Alexander was truly great. 

Some books by Dr. Kousser: 

Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great 

The Afterlives of Greek Sculpture: Interaction, Transformation, and Destruction 

Hellenistic and Roman Ideal Sculpture: The Allure of the Classical 

The Illiad by Homer  

The Landmark Arrian: The Campaigns of Alexander (also here) 

From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire by Pierre Briant 

credit for music clip: Atmospherios