Book Review: Before & After Alexander

Before & After Alexander is a work of history that challenges the traditional, highly romanticized "great man" myth of Alexander the Great.  Yes, it’s true.  Columbia University professor Richard A. Billows attempts a take down of the world’s greatest general, all by analyzing the geopolitics of the ancient world before his birth and after his sudden death. Notably, he mostly skips the period of Alexander’s time as general of the armies of Macedon.

Buy it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/43MlHtX

But let’s dig in a bit.  Alexander can basically be split into two parts, with a short part that acts as a pivot in the middle.  The first part is all about the formation of Macedon prior to Alexander’s time as king, and primarily during the period when Alexander’s father Philip built Macedon into a regional power.

In fact, there is a great deal of information on the development of Macedon from a historical perspective, including political, cultural and military aspects up to the time of Philip. And it’s actually really interesting and quite well done. I learned a great deal about how Philip reorganized the army and built the Macedonian phalanx, as well as how Macedonian society had to change in order to accommodate Philip’s ‘new model army’.

The middle pivot discusses Alexander’s time leading Philip’s army while conquering Persian and into the Indian subcontinent. For the most part, Billows argues that Alexander relied on Philip’s generals and army and that Alexander was narcissistic, rash and marginal as a leader.  Billows does give Alexander some credit for getting the Macedonians across a river prior to the Battle of Hydaspes.

And the last main section of the book is about the period after Alexander’s death. This is the period when Alexander’s general’s fought for control of the empire built by Philip and Alexander, but also the period where they built the lands with flourishing Hellenic culture.  It was Alexander’s successors that actually built cities like Alexandria and extend Greek culture outwards.

Generally, I thought the book was quite good. I did have an issue with the section on Alexander’s time as general, since I thought the argument here was weak and one-sided. There is no taking down Alexander by viewing him at his best, but the quite opposite. Billows continually straw mans Alexander, even pushing sarcasm at times.

Still, I think Alexander is well worth reading. The first part of the book on the formation of Macedon is fascinating.  And generally, its always good to read books that challenge our assumptions and make us think. That is what reading history is all about. Being challenged and having preconceived notions pushed and prodded.

Buy it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/43MlHtX

Interested in learning more about Alexander? Check out my review of Alexander at the End of the World here. 

Publication date: June 2018  | Publisher: Abrams Press   | Page Count:  395

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