What was it like to leave Europe and march into Asia with Alexander the Great? Through the eyes of a young Macedonian soldier, experience the crossing of the Hellespont, the visit to ancient Troy, and the excitement, and fear, of joining history's most ambitious invasion. An immersive historical podcast about courage, uncertainty, and the moment there was no turning back.
Narrator: A 19-year-old Macedonian infantryman in the phalanx
Setting: From Pella to the Hellespont, 334 BCE
Historical Sources
Ancient Sources
- Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander
- Plutarch, Life of Alexander
- Diodorus Siculus, Library of History
Modern Sources
- Adrian Goldsworthy, Philip and Alexander
- Peter Green, Alexander of Macedon
- Philip Freeman, Alexander the Great
- The Landmark Arrian
Author's Note
Historical:
- Alexander's crossing of the Hellespont.
- Visit to Troy.
- Association with Achilles.
- Macedonian army composition.
- Persian preparations at the Granicus.
- The significance of the crossing as the beginning of the invasion.
Reconstructed:
- Narrator.
- Camp conversations.
- Personal reflections.
- Specific observations and emotions.
- Dialogue not preserved by ancient sources.
The narrator represents one of thousands of ordinary Macedonian soldiers who crossed into Asia in 334 BCE, unaware that they were about to participate in one of history's most extraordinary campaigns.