Alexander the Great: Empire on Fire

Imagine you’ve never been in a fight in your life... and now the first soldiers you face belong to Alexander the Great.

This is the experience of Somtutefnakht, an Egyptian priest whose remarkable eyewitness account offers an extraordinary glimpse of what it was like to be on the receiving end of Alexander’s conquests.

He’s one of the voices we meet in this special interview with Professor Edmund Richardson, author of Alexander: God, King, Man, winner of the 2026 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction.

Richardson draws on sources in twelve ancient languages. Some are newly translated texts written by people living through Alexander’s conquests, who had no idea how the story would end.

In our conversation, we:

• Get 2,500-year-old death threats from Darius I, Great King of Persia.
• Discover an ancient rubbish dump containing fragments of lost works, including a little-known account of Philip II’s assassination.
• Reconstruct Alexander’s Gedrosian desert nightmare with computer modelling.
• Ask whether the famous Gordian knot prophecy was invented to support Alexander’s campaign.
• Hear the ancient Babylonian prophecy foretelling Darius III’s victory against Alexander at Gaugamela.

I’ve woven readings from the book into the interview, so you can hear something of Richardson’s writing as well as his conversation. The desert crossing is particularly hard to shake.

Find the book, episode transcript and further resources at:
https://alexanderthegreatpodcast.com

And if you enjoy it, please leave a rating or review. I make the podcast entirely by myself, and supporting me in this way helps me keep bringing delightful guests like Edmund Richardson into your headphones.

Alexander the Great's mother, Olympias, is often portrayed as a wicked witch. She roasts babies alive, poisons her son's rivals, and has sex with snakes. She hates her husband, Philip II, turned Alexander against him, and probably had a hand in his untimely death... But what if all of this is wrong?!

What if Olympias was actually the ideal wife? What if she was just giving a respectful burial to a dead royal Macedonian baby? What if she was just trying to cure a young boy of illness in her family circle? What if she was engaging in perfectly legitimate religious rites of the day that involved sacred healing snakes? ...as Alexander did after her.

Has Olympias been misunderstood? Find out the answer to all these questions and more in episode 2.2: Olympias - The Making of a Monster.

Alexander is dead! Or so the Thebans think. It’s 335 BCE, and the ancient superpower of Thebes seizes its chance to cast off Macedonian rule after hearing Alexander has been killed in battle. There’s just one problem. He isn’t dead. Find out what happens in Dr Fay Edwards' telling of one of the darkest moments of Alexander's early reign.

Show notes & transcript: www.alexanderthegreatpodcast.com

Royal succession in the kingdom of ancient Macedon was anything but straightforward. This episode reveals how 7 rival claimants to the throne who existed on Philip II's death, gave way to Alexander's accession. From Olympias' alleged murders through to the claims of cousins, infants and half-brothers, you'll discover why becoming king required far more than being the eldest son. A gripping introduction to the ruthless politics that launched Alexander's extraordinary reign.

Was Alexander the Great's father killed by an ex-lover with a personal grudge? ...Or was there a conspiracy to murder the king using the ex-lover as a pawn?

That's the question of this episode.

And Professor Ian Worthington's answer is clear: Yes, there was a conspiracy. And who were the conspirators? Alexander and his mother Olympias.

Why does he think this? Listen to the episode to find out!

Want to let me know your thoughts? You can find me on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @alexanderthegreatpodcast or visit the website www.alexanderthegreatpodcast.com

In episode 1, we heard that King Philip II was killed by his male lover... so what were the norms surrounding same sex relationships in the ancient world? Is it right to call Philip gay or bi-sexual? And were there any famous same sex couples in ancient Greece?

Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this fascinating discussion with expert, Dr Andrew Lear.

Alexander the Great's father is murdered... at his daughter's wedding... by his ex male lover. Welcome to the soap opera that is Alexander's life and reign.

FREE download: The 5 Most Infamous Murders of Alexander the Great.

Confused?! Get oriented with: Alexander the Great: Ultimate Starter Pack.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, we explore the dramatic assassination of King Philip II of Macedon in 336 BCE - one of the most pivotal moments in ancient history, which sets the stage for the rise of his son, Alexander the Great.

Drawing on ancient sources, including Plutarch, Diodorus, and Justin, we examine the motives of Pausanias, who kills Philip at the wedding of his own daughter, Cleopatra (not that Cleopatra), to her uncle, Alexander I of Epirus.

We look at simmering tensions in Philip’s court, including his decision to take a fully Macedonian 7th wife, her uncle Attalus’ inflammatory remarks about a ‘legitimate heir,’ and the fall-out between Philip and Alexander after the ‘Pixodarus affair.’

Question is: Was this a personal act of revenge or part of a wider conspiracy against Philip? Did Alexander have anything to do with it?

Sound credits:

Peaceful Harp Loop by Joanne_pang Attribution Non-Commercial 0

Fanfare announcement by zagi2 Attribution Non-Commercial 0

Dagger sound by Artninja Attribution 4

Male Death Cry by F.M.Audio Attribution 4

Described as 'arguably the most exciting story in all of history' by The Rest is History podcast, Alexander the Great's life is a tale of action, intrigue and scandal.

The show will feature immersive narratives, expert interviews and deep dives on every aspect of Alexander's life and reign from 336 BCE - when he took the throne - through to his death at age 32.

Join us for a show full of blood, battles and betrayal.

E1 out now!