The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great: Lessons for the Information Age

Michael P. Ferguson · Ian Worthington

Nov 2023 · Taylor & Francis

About this ebook

Placing Alexander the Great’s leadership, command skills, and grand strategy within the context of twenty-first century military challenges, and thus showing continuities in leadership and warfare since his time, this volume demonstrates how and why Alexander is relevant to the modern world by emphasizing the need for human leadership in our digital era.

Not only does this volume explore Alexander’s rich military history, but also it provides a robust exploration of the twenty-first century security environment. Theorists and policy-makers will gain insight into how Alexander’s story informs our thinking about peace, war, and strategy, while practitioners and educators will encounter ways to improve their approaches to leader development and building curricula. Ferguson and Worthington set forth these lessons in a thematic framework that organises Alexander’s reign into distinct parts, together with chapters discussing the lessons and warnings he brings to the modern world. Twenty-fifth National Security Advisor to the President of the United States, Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, provides a thoughtful conclusion to this fascinating volume. Alexander’s timeless campaigns remain as germane to this age as any other and demonstrate the critical importance of dynamic leadership and historical studies in an era increasingly dominated by the culture of technology.

The Military Legacy of Alexander the Great is expertly written for students and scholars in a variety of disciplines, including Classics, Ancient History, Modern History, Peace Studies, and Military Studies. It is also of great interest to senior defence leaders, military academies, leadership- and management-focused academic programmes, intelligence organizations, and senior service colleges. The volume is also suitable for the general reader interested in warfare, military history, and history more broadly.

About the author

Michael P. Ferguson (M.S.) is a U.S. Army Officer and Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His decades of military experience include combat tours to Iraq and Afghanistan and postings throughout Europe and Africa. He has authored dozens of journal articles and is an opinion contributor at The Hill.

Ian Worthington (FSA, FRHistS) is Professor of Ancient History at Macquarie University, Australia. He has written numerous books, including The Last Kings of Macedonia and the Triumph of Rome; Athens after Empire: A History from Alexander the Great to the Emperor Hadrian; and By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire.