Alexander the Great was the most successful general of the classical era, perhaps in all of human history. His career was an unbroken run of successes from his first campaign as a cavalry commander at the age of sixteen until his death at the age of thirty-three. By the end of his life he controlled an empire that stretched from the Balkans to northern India, where he was worshipped as a god. David Lonsdale, who has studied Alexander's military techniques for more than ten years, explores in detail how Alexander developed and adapted the war machine created by his father, Philip, and shows how Alexander supplemented Greek infantry tactics with the innovative use of the specialist and elite units. Above all, he explains how Alexander perfected the cavalry charge as a battle-winning maneuver, based on relentless discipline and heroic leadership. Essential reading for those interested in the history of warfare, Alexander the Great, Killer of Men reflects the latest understanding of Alexander's strategy and fighting techniques.
It describes a moment in time when the Macedonian army was the most important institution on earth and its young, terrifying commander was the fixed point around which the history of the world revolved.