Showing Philip and Olympias: A Novel of Ancient Macedon by Peter Messmore

"Philip and Olympias: A Novel of Ancient Macedon:

Philip II of Macedon, husband of Olympias, father of Alexander the Great, was the architect of the world's first nation-state. During his reign he rose from barbaric obscurity to preeminence in the Greek world. Athenians feared and hated him; yet, they eventually came under his domination. He was the only obstacle that stood between imperialistic Persia and the Greek mainland.

Philip and Olympias tells the near three-decade story of how Philip rose to power and changed the course of western civilization.

Coarse and crude, he deserved the title of Macedonian barbarian. Yet this intelligent, courageous, and sexually outrageous conqueror predominated. His third wife, the beautiful and vindictive Olympias, became his only unconquerable enemy.

Here too, are some of history's greatest figures. Alexander is born and comes of age. Philip's antagonist, Demosthenes, devotes his life to halting the demise of Athenian democracy. The not-yet-great philosopher, Aristotle, becomes Alexander's tutor and attempts to bring civilization to the Macedonian royal family."