A joint biography that investigates how, during their lifetimes, Philip and Alexander of Macedon transformed a weak kingdom in northern Greece into a globe-spanning empire, and in so doing changed the course of human history.

'A thrilling read' Tom Holland 'History-writing at its best' Barry Strauss By the end of his short life, Alexander the Great had redrawn the map of the ancient world to create an empire that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indian subcontinent. But his success was not just the product of his own genius and restless energy, it was built on decades of effort by his father. History has portrayed Philip II of Macedon as a one-eyed old man whose assassination allowed Alexander to accede to power. But there was far more to him than this. Through decades of hard fighting and clever diplomacy, Philip unified his country and conquered Greece. His son inherited all of this at the perfect moment for him to win yet greater glory. The work of a master historian, Philip and Alexander describes how Philip and Alexander of Macedon transformed a weak kingdom in northern Greece into a globe-spanning empire and – in so doing – changed the course of history.

"Belongs on the (sturdy) shelf of any reader interested in military, political, or social history" - Minerva Magazine

"By pairing the two giants of Macedonia, Goldsworthy helps the reader understand Alexander's life all the better, and sheds light on the achievements and character of Philip" - Aspects of History

"A gripping history that combined deep scholarship with readability... This is an epic history. Very much in the vein of the Tom Holland histories of empire, enjoyable and informative but also gripping'" - NB Magazine

"Contributes significantly to making these scholarly developments accessible to a very wide audience, through engaging narratives which capture the political complexity of the Greek world both before and after Alexander. The major innovation of Goldsworthy's vivid Philip and Alexander is to pair Alexander's biography with that of his father, Philip II" - TLS

"Adrian Goldsworthy takes a fresh approach to the well-worn tale, dealing with the gaps in our knowledge with candour and resisting the urge to fill them with speculation" - Military History Monthly