Ancient Readings:
Arrian 3.19-4.22
Curtius Rufus 5.8-8.8
Diodorus 17.73-83 (there is a large lacuna here)
Justin 11.15-12.7.3
Plutarch: Alexander 38-56
Modern Readings:
Heckel, W. "The Conspiracy Against Philotas." Phoenix 31 (1977): 9-21
Badian, E. "The Death of Parmenio." TAPA 91 (1960): 324-338.
Carney, E. "The Death of Clitus." GRBS 22 (1981): 149-60.
Brown, T. S. "Callisthenes and Alexander." AJP 70 (1949): 225-248.
Questions:
- How realistic is Darius' murder? What aspects might be propaganda by Alexander, and what might that propaganda be trying to accomplish?
- How valid does Arrian's assessment of Darius at 3.22 seem to be?
- What is the point of the story of Alexander and the Amazon?
- What does the strategy of Bessus seem to be?
- Was Philotas guilty? Why does Alexander want to get rid of him? What does this show about the tensions in the army?
- Why must Parmenio die?
- How does Arrian's treatment of the Philotas and Parmenio deaths differ from Curtius Rufus? What does this show about our historians?
- How does Alexander punish Bessus? Who is this punishment supposed to impress? What is Alexander trying to accomplish?
- How does the revolt of Spitamenes differ from Alexander's previous campaigns? How does he adapt to put it down?
- What does the incident with Cleitus (Kleitos) the Black reveal about the tensions in Alexander's army and officer corps? How does Alexander exploit the murder for his own advantage?
- How do Arrian and Curtius differ in their presentations of the murder of Cleitus?
- What does the main objection of the Greeks and Macedonians towards proskynesis seem to be? Why is Alexander so intent on receiving proskynesis? How do Curtius and Arrian differ in their presentation of this?
- How does Anaxarchus attempt to justify proskynesis? What is Callisthenes' response? What does this show about how the Greeks and Macedonians understood the meaning of divinity?
- At this point, what factions do we see in Alexander's court and high command?