Hellenistic Lives

Alexander * Demosthenes * Phocion * Eumenes * Demetrius * Pyrrhus * Agis and Cleomenes * Aratus * Philopoemen * FlamininusThis selection of ten Lives traces the history of Hellenistic Greece from the rise of Macedon and Alexander''s conquest of the Persian empire to the arrival of the Romans. Plutarch''s biographies of eminent politicians, rulers, and soldiers combine vivid portraits of their subjects with a wealth of historical information; they constitute a uniquely important source for the period. We see how Greek politics changed as Macedon''s power grew, and we learn of the warlords who followedAlexander. Resistance to Macedon is reflected in the Lives of Demosthenes and Aratus, and that of Agis and Cleomenes, two revolutionary kings of Sparta. The volume concludes with the emergence of Rome in Greek affairs, and the life of Flamininus, the Roman general who defeated Philip V of Macedon.Plutarch''s elegant style combines anecdote and erudition, humour and psychological insight, co