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History RageWhat do you wish people would just stop believing? Author: Paul Bavill Language: en Genres: Comedy, Comedy Interviews, History Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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275. Stop Pretending We Know Alexander the Great with Stephen Harrison
Episode 3
Sunday, 22 February, 2026
A conqueror, a god, or just a man lost in myth?Alexander the Great: the name conjures images of conquest, charisma, and an empire that stretched from Greece to India. But how much of what we “know” is actually true?In this episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill is joined by Dr Stephen Harrison, lecturer in Ancient History at Swansea University and author of Alexander: The Lives and Legacies, to rage against the myths that have defined Alexander for over two thousand years.Stephen dismantles the biggest misconceptions about the Macedonian conqueror — from his supposed divine ambitions and romantic legends to the illusion that historians can truly know what drove him. Together, they explore how unreliable ancient sources, political storytelling, and centuries of retelling have turned Alexander into a mythic figure rather than a historical one.This isn’t just another tale of military glory — it’s a journey through evidence, propaganda, and how history becomes legend.🎧 Listen now to discover:Why we can’t possibly “know” what Alexander thought or feltHow ancient storytellers invented famous scenes like taming BucephalusWhy his marriage to Roxane wasn’t a love story at allThe truth about Alexander’s relationship with HephaestionWhat his empire reveals about ancient power, identity, and mythmakingAbout Dr Stephen HarrisonDr Stephen Harrison is a lecturer in Ancient History at Swansea University. His research explores the legacy of Alexander the Great and the politics of memory in the ancient world.📘 Book: Alexander: The Lives and Legacies — available now from Bloomsbury. 👉 Order here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781789149975📸 Follow Stephen on Instagram: @stephenharrisonhistorySupport History RageIf you love what we do, help us keep raging against bad history! 🔥 Join our Patreon for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus episodes: patreon.com/historyrage 🍏 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening (£3/month) 📣 Or simply tell a friend and spread the rage!Follow History Rage📱 Twitter / X: @historyrage 📸 Instagram: @historyrage 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/historyrage 🌐 Website: historyrage.com💥 History Rage – where historians demolish myths, one episode at a time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
