Philip and Alexander of Macedonia

Guest: Adrian Goldsworthy, Greek and Roman historian, and author of "Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors"

When Philip II came to power, Macedonia had all but fallen apart. The next 23 years were spent conquering, negotiating, marrying, and laying the groundwork for empire. Alexander the Great used the confidence and war techniques he learned from his father to lead Macedonian armies to Greece, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and even India.

 

Thebes, the Forgotten Greek City

Guest: Paul Cartledge, AG Leventis Senior Research Fellow Emeritus of Clare College Cambridge, and author of "Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece"

Frequently overshadowed by its Greek counterparts Athens and Sparta, Thebes too often gets a bad rap. But Thebes was actually pretty important, mythically and historically; it was the birthplace of Hercules, and played a key role in the Peloponnesian War. But it had to be resurrected after it was thoroughly crushed by Alexander the Great.