Hellenistic Greece Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

avec la participation d'Olivier Chodkiewicz, Agnès Martin Van des Haegen, Jérôme Rambert et quatre étudiants albanais La Mission archéologique et épigraphique française en Albanie a poursuivi ses activités en 1998 suivant les mêmes axes... more

- by Altin Skenderaj and +1
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- Ancient History, Economic History, Archaeology, Classical Archaeology

Healing centres (asklepieia) in ancient Greece (ca. 500-200 BC) were mainly located well outside densely populated areas such as urban centres and major sanctuaries. The question is why this should be the case. Another research question is whether people travelled to these centres because they specialised in healing particular ailments. From the analysis of votive inscriptions and anatomical votive reliefs it may be concluded that Epidaurus specialised in treating blindness and mental problems, drawing patients from all over Greece; Corinth specialised in curing limbs (mainly hands) female breasts and male genitals; and Athens specialised in curing disorders affecting the torso, eyes and legs. Hence, it is seems that people indeed travelled to specific healing centres in hopes of more effective healing, selecting a healing centre specialised in treating the relevant part of the anatomy.

- by Anne-Lieke Brem
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- Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Hellenistic Greece, Classical Greece

The much shorter Archaiologikon Deltion for the single year of 2005 invariably offers far fewer reports on the work of the Archaeological Service than the four-year volume with which we were presented last year. This, in itself, is no bad thing, although the geographical and chronological balance generated by such a large dataset is notable by its absence. This unevenness is, as ever, partially offset by the publication of fieldwork, although certain areas maintain a far more visible archaeological presence than others. This is particularly true for the northeastern Peloponnese, which has, in recent years, been the recipient of an almost unparalleled focus of both research and rescue excavation; a fact reflected in the significant contribution made to this year's report by the edited proceedings of the conference The Corinthia and the Northeast Peloponnese: Topography and History from Prehistoric Times until the End of Antiquity (Kissas and Niemeier 2013). A total of 56 individual papers provide details on sites that range in date from the Neolithic to the Byzantine period. A great strength of this collection lies in the contribution of so many current and former staff of the Archaeological Service, and, of the numerous papers that engage directly or indirectly with the archaeology of the Archaic to Roman period, several are discussed in greater depth in the course of this report. A complementary Hesperia supplement detailing the current state of prehistoric and historic research on the Corinthian Isthmus is due to appear before the end of the year (Gebhard and Gregory forthcoming), as is a study of material from Henry Robinson's 1961–1962 excavation in the North Cemetery (Slane forthcoming). The study of religious practice during the Classical period benefits from the publication of the first volume of material from excavations conducted by the Canadian Institute in Greece between 1994 and 2001 in the Sanctuary of Athena at Stymphalos (Schaus 2014a), while the consolidation of synthetic regional studies and individual site reports within Villae Rusticae: Family and Market-oriented Farms in Greece under Roman Rule (Rizakis and Touratsoglou 2013) will no doubt ensure that it becomes a standard text for the study of the rural economy of Roman Greece (see Stewart, this volume).

- by David Smith
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- Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Funerary Archaeology

El presente artículo ofrece al lector el conocimiento y el análisis de aquellas tradiciones elaboradas por diversos autores griegos sobre la fundación de Roma que, por diferentes motivos que también serán abordados, fueron desestimadas en... more

A brief report of the excavations of the University of Athens at ancient Oiniadai, Aitoloakarnania, Greece.

- by Tania Panagou
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- Greek Archaeology, Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Ancient Greece, Hellenistic Greece

¡ Hola a todos! Aquí seguimos, en la brecha, con vosotros y presentando nuestro séptimo número de la revista. Pues sí, los problemas superados y con muchas ganas de continuar, juntando fi las y cargando sobre el enemigo, todo por el bien... more

- by Arturo Sanchez Sanz
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- Religion, History, Ancient History, Economic History
- by Arturo Sanchez Sanz
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- Religion, History, Ancient History, Military History

La desigual distribución de la riqueza bajo las condiciones actuales del capitalismo es, como bien se sabe, el eje sobre el que Piketty ha centrado su atención; asimismo, forma parte de sus reflexiones el posible rol del estado, a través de los sistemas de tributación, como modo de in-tervenir en la distribución y atenuar el impacto de la desigualdad, incluso de propender a cierta igualación. No son sus respuestas concretas sino los interrogantes y los aspectos conceptuales a veces subyacentes en las respuestas mismas, los que aquí abordamos, en la medida en que nos convocan a reflexionar sobre la especificidad de la Atenas del siglo IV a.C. a partir de cuestiones que no dejan de remitir a la situación presente. Como en muchos otros aspectos de la Grecia antigua, las estimaciones acerca de cuán igualitarias o desiguales fueron las póleis según la distribución de la riqueza han conducido a que, sobre la misma base documental, unos las hayan considerado sociedades relativamente igualitarias, mientras que otros las han percibido como sociedades desiguales. En este contexto, la distribución de la riqueza y la eva-luación del grado de igualdad o desigualdad en la Atenas del siglo IV han encontrado un lugar privilegiado entre los intereses de los especialistas, debido a la conjunción de los datos disponibles sobre población y riqueza y a cierto nivel de consenso dentro de la comunidad académica en cuanto a la posibilidad de usar estos números, más de allá de discusiones sobre la interpretación de ciertos datos. Mi objetivo, tras revisar los datos e interpretaciones plan-teadas, es tratar de ensamblar este conjunto para producir un modelo de distribución de la riqueza entre diferentes sectores de la comunidad de ciudadanos atenienses. A partir de esto, se extrae el coeficiente de Gini con la idea de ponderar, dentro de lo que cabe, el grado de desigualdad que implica determinada disposición de los datos, cuando se asumen ciertos puntos de partida. Mi propia percepción a partir de los diferentes argumentos esgrimidos, conforme a los datos ensamblados, me llevará a proponer un modelo de distribución de la riqueza, con el cual voy a configurar un posible cuadro de distribución de la tierra, el elemento más significativo de la riqueza. Finalmente, planteo diversas cuestiones abiertas al debate conforme a los ejes de este evento. Mi perspectiva es que, a pesar de las importantes disparidades, en términos relativos y comparativos no en términos absolutos, claro está, la sociedad ateniense fue relativamente igualitaria.

- by Julian Gallego
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- Athenian Democracy, Greek Economy, Greek Economic History, Greek Political Economy

Alexander the Great: How reliable are the sources for his life and career?

- by Amber Taylor
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- Hellenistic History, Historiography, Alexander the Great, Ancient Greek History

This course presents a broad survey of historical forces at work over the past 6,000 years, examining the manners in which human societies have organized themselves along categories of race, ethnicity, class, and gender to meet the challenges of the increasing human population and its demands on natural resources: thus, it examines continuity and change in societies over time, in different places, and among various peoples.

- by Nikolaus L Overtoom
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- Ancient Egyptian Religion, History, Ancient History, European History

Abstract
This article examines the longstanding rivalry of Rome and Parthia, which began as an unintended consequence of Crassus’ decisive defeat at Carrhae in 53 BCE. It synthesizes the accounts and opinions of numerous Graeco-Roman writers from the Augustan Age to late antiquity in order to help illustrate the new and interconnected post-Carrhae world and its legacy. The rivalry of the Romans and Parthians became a primary focus of their foreign policies and drastically expanded their perceptions of the world in which they interacted. Even after the fall of the Parthians to the rebellious Sassanid Persians in the 220s CE, the Romans continued to find their three-century-long rivalry with the Parthians of interest and relevant to the changing world of late antiquity.

- by Nikolaus L Overtoom
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- History, Ancient History, European History, Military History

This paper dates to my Spring semester at Oxford University in 2019. Due to Alexander's military prowess, intelligence and ability to rule effectively, I believe that he did not himself believe he was a god, but did accept worship as one because it provided him with validity and easy rulership over the East. These beginning conclusions are stated in the final paragraph, but as I have mused over this question further, I believe that more clues and perhaps definitive answers lie within the life of Olympias and her influence over her son. I intend to revisit this topic once I have read the book Olympias by Elizabeth Carney.

- by Amber Taylor
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- Ancient History, Hellenistic History, Alexander the Great, Ancient Greek History

One might suggest it is a tautology to posit that the corpus of work produced by Greek historians in the fifth and fourth centuries BC as the foundation of later historiographies. However, this paper will advance that this does not necessarily follow unless the Greeks were the first people to engage in the purposeful production of a historical record. Certainly, there were earlier efforts in other cultures to record data for various purposes. 1 Though it might be the case that such records are historic in nature, as well as a source for historical data, such records differ significantly from what the Greeks produced. The distinguishing feature separating Greek historical writing from these earlier efforts is the motivation for their works. The 5 th century B.C. witnessed the emergence of Greek authors who sought to record more than simply useful data for their culture (e.g., temple records), or information useful for reinforcing cultural norms (e.g., the Ancient Near Eastern proverb genre employed in the training and correct of children).

- by Alan Corlew
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- Hellenistic History, Historiography, State Formation, Ancient Historiography
- by Antti Ijäs
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- Ancient Sports/Athletics, Hellenistic Greece

O artigo aqui apresentado tem como objetivo uma análise do Imaginário Romano do Oriente no século I E.C.. Pretende-se fazê-la a partir de trechos retirados do texto anônimo intitulado “O Périplo do Mar Eritreu”, o qual narra portos, cidades e povos descritos pelo autor como parte da jornada realizada através desse universo plural que, em sua época, englobava a Costa Leste da África, a Península Arábica e a Índia.

- by Matheus M Magro
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- Africa, China, Ancient Near East, Imperial Rome

A fully illustrated catalogue of ancient silver vessels and gems, dating to the centuries following Alexander the Great's conquest of Iran and Bactria up to the pre-Islamic era, from The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait. By Martha L. Carter... more

- by Christopher Wright
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- Ancient History, Hellenistic Philosophy, Hellenistic History, Stoicism

ANDRONIKOS, Manolis; Vergina: The royal tombs and the ancient city; Athens, Ekdotike Athenon S. A., 1989, 244 pp., 28 cm. [ISBN 9602131284] Si hay algo que despierta la imaginación de los aficionados a la Historia y, más si cabe, de los profesionales que se dedican a ella, son los grandes descubrimientos arqueológicos. Los más importantes, hasta la fecha, se han realizado hace tanto tiempo que las publicaciones surgidas a su amparo abundan en cantidad y calidad; sin embargo, aún quedan hallazgos que, por la importancia de los personajes asociados a éstos, siguen cautivando a quienes están convencidos de poder desvelar sus secretos al resto de la humanidad. Hasta hace pocos años, uno de ellos era la supuesta tumba de Filipo II, hijo de Amintas, el más importante gobernante macedonio de la Antigüedad tra su propio hijo, Alejandro el Grande. Su supuesta morada fue descubierta por Manolis Andronikos, en 1977, cerca de la antigua capital macedonia de Egas, en la actual pequeña población de Vergina, situada en la región de Imathia, Macedonia Central.

- by Arturo Sanchez Sanz
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- Religion, History, Ancient History, Military History

Junto con Heródoto y Tucídides, Polibio es considerado actualmente uno de los tres grandes historiadores griegos de la Antigüedad. Desde su reaparición en la Italia renacentista sus Historias han sido consideradas por diversos pensadores modernos como una fuente de inspiración para la reflexión política y filosófica, pero también por los historiadores a partir del siglo XIX como un objeto de estudio muy significativo, en especial, por la calidad de su información sobre la expansión romana por el Mediterráneo entre los siglos III-II a.C. En las últimas dos décadas se ha incrementado el interés historiográfico por la obra de este historiador helenístico tardío. Nuevos abordajes teóricos han contribuido, en efecto, a poner en evidencia la centralidad de su forma narrativa y su marco político-cultural en la construcción discursiva de sentidos específicos para su público. En consonancia con investigaciones recientes, este libro apunta a dilucidar algunos de los vínculos existentes entre los objetivos didácticos, de formación de la élite griega y romana, y la dimensión de la memoria, la identidad y la autorrepresentación del propio historiador aqueo como político. En líneas generales, y contra la tesis de una "romanización" de su pensamiento, se busca contribuir a resituar a Polibio dentro del horizonte político-cultural propiamente helenístico.

- by Henning Börm
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- History, Ancient History, Classics, Hellenistic History

a visitor in athens today, in front of the reconstructed Stoa of attalos II, experiences the full effects of pergamene construction as she can nowhere else ( .1). the stoa defines the eastern edge of the athenian agora, provides versatile spaces for archaeological storage and a museum, announces its pergamene style through palm column capitals and other signs, beckons visitors to enter through its wide colonnade, shields them from the extremes of hot and cold weather once inside, and makes them think about the attalids of pergamon all the while. although attalos II obviously could not have predicted the presence of modern archaeologists and tourists in athens, the attalids did indeed plan for their construction to define space and to facilitate the goings-on of daily life at pergamon and elsewhere.

- by Kris Seaman
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- Classical Archaeology, Classics, Greek History, Art History

Ancient Greek sculpture in the Aegean is indubitably connected with the existence of marble quarries in many islands, but it is also the result of a more complicated socio-cultural phenomenon. The societies in the Early Archaic Aegean integrated influences from Egypt, the Near East, Asia Minor and Crete, combined them with their rituals and burial customs, the rising position of the individual in the world, and they contributed in a decisive way to the birth of monumental Greek sculpture. Although in the following periods (Classical and Hellenistic) the important political and artistic centres were to be found elsewhere, the islands of the Aegean did not cease to benefit from their preferential place, in the heart of the Greek world and on the crossroad of the commercial and artistic exchanges.

- by Athanasios Sideris
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- Archaeology, Classical Archaeology, History of Sculpture, Greek Archaeology

Este libro propone un estudio de la pólis griega indagando los problemas conexos de los orígenes de la ciudad y sus estructuras de funcionamiento, así como los diversos enfoques forjados por los especialistas para dar cuenta de estos aspectos. Se analiza la pólis en el marco general de la historia grecorromana, apelando al modelo de la ciudad antigua, su formación, su funcionamiento político-institucional y sus condiciones agrarias, económicas y sociales. Se estudia asimismo el papel de la aldea, abordando el problema de cuáles son los conceptos más adecuados para interpretar a los labradores helénicos, así como los vínculos entre la aldea y la ciudad y el lugar que la primera pasa a ocupar una vez ocurrido el surgimiento de la pólis. Por último, se indaga la invención de la política y la democracia, dando un encuadre diferente, y a la vez complementario, de la emergencia de la pólis como forma estatal cuyas prácticas se organizan bajo una lógica política.

- by Julian Gallego
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- Ancient History, Greek Literature, Greek History, Ancient Greece (Anthropology)

The letters of the kingss of the Hellenistic period are interesting for
their content and for their language. In both fields they are primary
historical sources. They show the Hellenistic states as they actually
functioned, their administrative and diplomatic dealings wim subjects
and with officials and occasionally with neighbors. They are not the
products of historians writing for posterity and interested according to
their bent in suppressing either the favorable or the unfavorable aspects
of their subject. Their authors were the principals themselves, concerned
of course with presenting thieir actions in a favorable light but occupied
only with the execution of a particular design. They deal with details
and they are avowedly biased, but their bias cannot extend to obscuration
of the transaction. By showing the administration of details, they
make it possible to see behind the generalities of political historians and
to form a conception of the Hvins conditions wimin the Greco-oriental
kingdoms of the heirs of Alexander.

Survey course on Greek art and architecture, Neolithic to Hellenistic

- by Henning Börm and +1
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- History, Ancient History, Classics, Greek History
- by Arturo Sanchez Sanz
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- Religion, History, Ancient History, Cultural History

The finds from Aigai -the city that after a succession of disasters fer into oblivion under the dust of centuries- have not only given back to the royal metropolis its name and identity, they have also enabled us to re-write the history of Macedonia, and more: the discoveries at Aigai document, in the most enthralling way, the ashtonishing evolution of the Macedonians, a conservative tribe with achaic structures which, under the inspired leadership of Philip II and Alexander the Great, became a radical instrument thet change the history of the world. The new ideas and trends that defined thw course of the Hellenistic world over time generated in the environment of Philip II and left priceless traces in thw soil of Aigai.
Thus, the initiative of the John S. Latsis Public Foundation tales on special significance, as this book provides the opportunity -30 years after the fascinating first publication of Manolis Andronicos' discovery of the royal treasures- to present for the first time, to the public and experts alike, all the finds revealed during the enormous task of restoring the palace, to the royal tombs that have come to light just this year (2013). These finds consolidate the picture, confirming the initial identification, while at the same time paving the way for an overall re-assessment of the Macedonians' contribution to Greece and to civilisation.

- by Angeliki Kottaridi
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- Ancient History, Archaeology, Art History, Hellenistic History
- by Arturo Sanchez Sanz
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- Religion, History, Ancient History, Sociology

*My honours thesis for undergraduate degree in Classical Archaeology. Originally written in April 2012, re-edited for upload on Academia in April 2017.*
The museum located on the site of the ancient royal tombs at Vergina, currently display inaccurate signs detailing the occupants of the tombs. This paper examines the literary, archaeological, and osteological evidence to argue that the remains found in Tomb I belong to Philip II and (one of) his young wife, while the famous Tomb II belongs to Arrhidaeus and his wife Eurydice. The osteological evidence shows no reliable evidence of trauma, but shows signs of having undergone a dry cremation. Philip II was cremated and buried immediately after his death. Arrhidaeus on the other hand was only cremated and buried months after his death, giving his body time to decompose, hence the dry bone cremation. The evidence is clear in this matter, and the signs at the museum should reflect this.

- by Cindy G Levesque
- •
- Osteology, Ancient Greece (History), Ancient Greece, Human Osteology

Uno dei massimi problemi della filosofia è certamente rappresentato dalla figura dell’uomo nel suo complesso: la sua origine, la sua natura e la sua destinazione. Nel presente lavoro abbiamo voluto prendere in considerazione le risposte date a tali questioni da parte di alcune culture antiche, generalmente considerate pre-filosofiche: la cultura sumerica, assira, babilonese, ebraica (tenendo conto della sola Bibbia ebraica) e greca (pre-platonica). L’ordine di esposizione delle tematiche è il seguente: i) concezioni della morte e del regno dei morti; ii) concezioni relative alla possibilità di raggiungere una qualche forma di immortalità; iii) concezioni della nascita, o creazione, dell’umanità e del suo scopo, o missione.

- by Thomas R Colombo
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- Religion, Ancient Egyptian Religion, Sumerian Religion, Homer
- by Christopher Wright
- •
- Ancient History, Roman History, Marxism, Aristotle

This paper traces the transformation of Spartan βασιλεία from constitutionally-bound office to autocratic rule, focusing on the reception of Hellenistic ideas surrounding βασιλεία by three Spartan kings of the Hellenistic period, Areus I (r. 309-265 BCE), Cleomenes III (r. 235-222 BCE), and Nabis (r. 207-192 BCE). The efforts made by these individual kings to assimilate themselves within the Hellenistic paradigm of monarchy shed light on the impact and reach of these new concepts of kingship and legitimate rule.

- by Alex Walthall
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- Hellenistic History, Sparta, Ancient Greek History, Hellenistic Monarchy

El origen del nombre EBRO, es un extracto del libro HIJOS DE TITANES • EL SECRETO ÍBERO, en el cual Enrique Cabrejas nos relata de modo llano su experiencia personal con un descubrimiento extraordinario. El 21 de Abril de 2012 consiguió lo que parecía imposible: descifrar la escritura ibérica. Un hito sin precedentes en la historia de la escritura, solo al alcance de los grandes y comparable a los realizados por Champollion al descodificar la escritura jeroglífica egipcia o Michael Ventris con la escritura de Creta. Desde este instante la obra de Enrique Cabrejas lo convierte en un referente destacado a nivel mundial en historia y lingüística. Las innumerables pruebas y significados que nos reporta, antes desconocidos, son una referencia obligada para todos aquellos que quieran comprender la historia, la lengua antigua e, incluso, también la moderna de nuestro país, o para quienes en el futuro deseen estudiarla e investigarla en profundidad, más si cabe desde el mundo académico. Hasta la fecha, el significado de esas enigmáticas escrituras no se conocía, aunque desde la comunidad científica se le dio validez a un origen indiscutible celta. Estas páginas nos revelan qué hay de cierto en todo ello. La transcripción, resuelta de numerosos textos íberos y celtíberos nos sorprende con un desenlace tan inesperado como fascinante que va más allá del descifrado de una lengua antigua. Capaz de responder a las preguntas que se han formulado los historiadores, lingüistas, investigadores y expertos durante décadas y nunca supieron ni acertaron responder: ¿Quiénes fueron los íberos y los celtíberos? ¿Cómo se llamaban? ¿De dónde vinieron? ¿Cómo llegaron? ¿Cuáles fueron sus costumbres? ¿Qué escritura es la ibérica? ¿Cuál es la ancestral y extraordinaria cultura que nos legaron?
HIJOS DE TITANES • EL SECRETO ÍBERO nos ilumina y nos abre los ojos, no solo para saber quiénes fuimos sino para conocer quiénes somos. Todo está implícito en su escritura y por primera vez ve la luz a través de esta imprescindible publicación.

- by enrique cabrejas
- •
- History, Cultural History, Geography, Philosophy

By investigating the works of Polybius and Livy, we can discuss an important aspect of the impact of Alexander upon the reputation and image of Rome. Because of the subject of their histories and the political atmosphere in which they were writing - these authors, despite their generally positive opinions of Alexander, ultimately created scenarios where they portrayed the Romans as superior to the Macedonian king. This study has five primary goals: to produce a commentary on the various Alexander passages found in Polybius’ and Livy’s histories; to establish the generally positive opinion of Alexander held by these two writers; to illustrate that a noticeable theme of their works is the ongoing comparison between Alexander and Rome; to demonstrate Polybius’ and Livy’s belief in Roman superiority, even over Alexander; and finally to create an understanding of how this motif influences their greater narratives and alters our appreciation of their works.

- by Nikolaus L Overtoom
- •
- Creative Writing, Religion, History, Ancient History

This article combines historical analysis with international-relations theory to contend that geopolitical developments around the Eastern Mediterranean in the middle third century BCE were indirectly responsible for the emergence of the Parthian state and a new international system of states in the ancient East. Since the death of Alexander the Great, the Seleucid Empire had ruled over much of the East; however, disastrous military conflicts at home and abroad in the West caused a sudden decline of Seleucid power in the 240s-230s BCE. The troubles of the Seleucid state caused what political scientists call a power-transition crisis that damaged Seleucid hegemony over the East when the Seleucid satraps of Parthia and Bactria declared their independence. Moreover, the deleterious civil wars between Seleucid dynasts in the West and the rebellions of eastern satraps encouraged the nomadic Parni tribe from the Central Asian steppe (later known as the Parthians), who had been seeking a new homeland for decades, to invade northeastern Iran and establish a new kingdom. With the Parni’s successful conquest of Parthia and its immediate consequences, a new interstate system of tripolarity between the Seleucid Empire, Bactrian Kingdom, and the newly formed Parthian state emerged in the ancient East.

- by Nikolaus L Overtoom
- •
- Critical Theory, History, Ancient History, Military History

Abstract: This article explores the battle scene on a small bronze plaque recovered during the excavation of the Great Altar of Pergamon, initially published in 1913 and subsequently lost. It argues that the most likely identification of the scene is the Battle of Magnesia, fought in 190 BC. The scene features Attalid cavalry riding to the rescue of distressed Roman legionaries, both fighting in opposition to Antiochus the Great’s heavy phalanx and Gallic cavalry. The heroics of the Attalid cavalry are central to the scene, and likely reflect a courtly narrative that gave Eumenes II and his small contingent outsized credit for the joint victory.

- by Michael J . Taylor
- •
- History, Ancient History, Military History, Art History

Demetrius Poliorcetes spent seven years of his turbulent life as the king of Macedonia and the ruler of a large part of Greece. Two sources by the same author, Plutarh of Chaeronea (the biography of Poliorcestes himself and that of his protégé and nemesis, Pyrrhus of Epirus), credit the king with extensive military preparations that allegedly resulted in the creation of one of the largest military and naval forces in the Ancient history. Supposedly, in the final years of his reign, Poliorcetes commanded power that dwarfed that of Philip II and rivaled the strength of Alexander the Great. Strangely, when the actual conflict finally began, these forces suddenly disappear from the narrative. Modern historians, although generally highly skeptical of military and population figures asserted by ancient authors, showed surprising tendency to believe Plutarch’s claims and to build wider theories around them. Thus, the grand army Poliorcetes allegedly built was heavily used as an argument in the debate surrounding the effects of Alexander’s conquest on Macedonia proper, and the demography of Macedonia in the 3rd century BC. Few scholars made attempts to question these figures, in spite of strong reasons to do so, and in spite of the fact that several ancient sources – including Plutarch’s biographies themselves! – do supply information that directly contradicts these claims. In this paper I claim that the whole story of Poliorcetes’ exceptional military preparations for the alleged reconquest of his father’s Asian Empire, as well as the very size of the supposed army, should be rejected as false, as is already the case with many such episodes in writings of Plutarch.