News of his death ripples across his empire and the juggling for position starts with people positioning themselves in the best way, through marriage between royal families to outright armed struggle. This volume is the initial one in the series so there are plenty of characters involved so the author handily gives a list of characters at the end of the book. There are over 70 in total so the list is very handy! To The Strongest is a work of fiction based on fact so the vast majority of the characters are real people from antiquity with a few minor characters added by the author to assist the story along.
Ranging from India through Turkey and Macedonia down through Greece to Cyprus and Egypt the struggle goes on.
The one thing that all agree is that Alexander’s body should be taken back to Macedonia for proper burial in his homeland. Perdikkas is one of Alexander’s Generals who sees himself as the proper heir having been handed the ring by Alexander on his deathbed, not many agree with him. However, he undertakes to return Alexander’s body in a purpose built catafalque suitable to Alexander’s status as the greatest man in the empire. One of the main problems is Alexander had an heir, a young man who is a half-wit and also, he left his new wife, Roxanne, pregnant, so if she bears a son then that person will have a claim to the throne. All very complicated and convoluted, a very difficult time to live and a very easy time to stop living.
As I said there are over 70 characters in the book but not all of them make it to the end, violence, intrigue, war, murder all play their part in reducing the number of claimants to the throne quite substantially and quickly. The story is complex and vicious. Pacts are made, and broken, treachery is the coin of the day.
Ranging from India through Turkey and Macedonia down through Greece to Cyprus and Egypt the struggle goes on.
The one thing that all agree is that Alexander’s body should be taken back to Macedonia for proper burial in his homeland. Perdikkas is one of Alexander’s Generals who sees himself as the proper heir having been handed the ring by Alexander on his deathbed, not many agree with him. However, he undertakes to return Alexander’s body in a purpose built catafalque suitable to Alexander’s status as the greatest man in the empire. One of the main problems is Alexander had an heir, a young man who is a half-wit and also, he left his new wife, Roxanne, pregnant, so if she bears a son then that person will have a claim to the throne. All very complicated and convoluted, a very difficult time to live and a very easy time to stop living.
As I said there are over 70 characters in the book but not all of them make it to the end, violence, intrigue, war, murder all play their part in reducing the number of claimants to the throne quite substantially and quickly. The story is complex and vicious. Pacts are made, and broken, treachery is the coin of the day.