Alexander the Great: Hero or Villain?

Classical Society was delighted to welcome Professor Paul Cartledge on Monday 21 September to speak on “Alexander the Great: Hero or Villain?”  We also welcomed pupils from Brentwood, Kelmscott and Woodford County High Schools.

Professor Cartledge is A.G. Leventis Senior Research Fellow at Clare College and A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture Emeritus at the University of Cambridge. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and holds the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour, awarded by the President of the Hellenic Republic to those who have contributed to the promotion of Greece. He was chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks and the Channel 4 series The Spartans, presented by Bettany Hughes.  He has written numerous books about Classical Greece, including Alexander the Great: The Truth Behind the Myth (2013) which received critical acclaim, Tom Holland, author of various classically based novels, said:

This very well attended lecture gave a thought-provoking account of Alexander the Great’s lifetime and campaigns and posed the question of whether he deserved the title “Great”.  Professor Cartledge left the audience to make up their own minds!