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Ghost on the Throne

The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire
by James Romm
Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire. Knopf. Oct. 2011. c.368p. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780307271648. $28.95. HIST
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When Alexander the Great died at a relatively young age and faraway from Macedonia, determining his successor threw much of southern Europe, central Asia, and northern Africa into disarray. Romm (classics, Bard Coll.; The Edges of the Earth in Ancient Thought) details the first decade of the wars and intrigues among Alexander's generals and family as they fought to maintain their right to rule the empire. The "ghost" of Alexander was still in control; his physical body was held ransom for political gain, and his spirit was evoked, although his successors lacked his charisma and skill. Given the number of characters and the vast distances involved, this is a complex story to tell; Romm's rhetorical flourishes and chapter labeling help.
VERDICT Similar to Robin Waterfield's recent Dividing the Spoils: The War for Alexander the Great's Empire, this book focuses in much more detail on the first decade after Alexander's death. This should be fascinating to fans and students of Alexander the Great and his legacy.
Reviewed by Margaret Heller, Dominican University Lib., River Forest, IL , Sep 01, 2011
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