·S21 E3

275. Stop Pretending We Know Alexander the Great with Stephen Harrison

February 23

1 hr

Episode Description

A conqueror, a god, or just a man lost in myth?

Alexander the Great: the name conjures images of conquest, charisma, and an empire that stretched from Greece to India. But how much of what we “know” is actually true?

In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by Dr Stephen Harrison, lecturer in Ancient History at Swansea University and author of Alexander: The Lives and Legacies, to rage against the myths that have defined Alexander for over two thousand years.

Stephen dismantles the biggest misconceptions about the Macedonian conqueror — from his supposed divine ambitions and romantic legends to the illusion that historians can truly know what drove him. Together, they explore how unreliable ancient sources, political storytelling, and centuries of retelling have turned Alexander into a mythic figure rather than a historical one.

This isn’t just another tale of military glory — it’s a journey through evidence, propaganda, and how history becomes legend.

🎧 Listen now to discover:

Why we can’t possibly “know” what Alexander thought or felt
How ancient storytellers invented famous scenes like taming Bucephalus
Why his marriage to Roxane wasn’t a love story at all
The truth about Alexander’s relationship with Hephaestion
What his empire reveals about ancient power, identity, and mythmaking

About Dr Stephen Harrison

Dr Stephen Harrison is a lecturer in Ancient History at Swansea University. His research explores the legacy of Alexander the Great and the politics of memory in the ancient world.

📘 Book: Alexander: The Lives and Legacies — available now from Bloomsbury.

👉 Order here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781789149975

📸 Follow Stephen on Instagram: @stephenharrisonhistory

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