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Forging Kingdoms

E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
464 Seiten
Englisch
Corvuserschienen am02.11.2023Main
'This may be the greatest tale of the ancient world. Hugely enjoyable' CONN IGGULDEN 'Excellent . . . scintillating' THE TIMES Forging Kingdoms is the fifth book in a huge, brutal and bloodthirsty series about the fight to regain Alexander the Great's empire after his untimely death. From the shattered empire, five kingdoms are emerging. Seleukos, triumphant in the capture of Babylon, now faces the challenge of holding onto his hard-won prize. One-eyed Antigonos and his son are newly reconciled and both hungry for revenge. But Antigonos has foes of his own. Driven by vengeance, widowed Artonis sides with Ptolemy, planning to thwart the one-eyed brute. The key to their success is Herakles, the sixteen-year-old illegitimate son of Alexander. To see him crowned, they will not only need an army but also to eliminate Kassandros, a powerful rival with his own designs on the throne of Macedon. Meanwhile in the north, Lysimachus broods. As loyalties shift like sand and political ambitions run rife, the stage is set for the greatest war in the ancient world. Who will win the fight for the greatest Kingdom in the ancient world? Let the games begin . . .

Robert Fabbri read Drama and Theatre at London University and has worked in film and TV for twenty-five years. As an assistant director he has worked on productions such as Hornblower, Hellraiser, Patriot Games and Billy Elliot. His life-long passion for ancient history - especially the Roman Empire - inspired the birth of the Vespasian series. He lives in London and Berlin.mehr
Verfügbare Formate
BuchGebunden
EUR25,50
TaschenbuchKartoniert, Paperback
EUR14,50
E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
EUR6,99

Produkt

Klappentext'This may be the greatest tale of the ancient world. Hugely enjoyable' CONN IGGULDEN 'Excellent . . . scintillating' THE TIMES Forging Kingdoms is the fifth book in a huge, brutal and bloodthirsty series about the fight to regain Alexander the Great's empire after his untimely death. From the shattered empire, five kingdoms are emerging. Seleukos, triumphant in the capture of Babylon, now faces the challenge of holding onto his hard-won prize. One-eyed Antigonos and his son are newly reconciled and both hungry for revenge. But Antigonos has foes of his own. Driven by vengeance, widowed Artonis sides with Ptolemy, planning to thwart the one-eyed brute. The key to their success is Herakles, the sixteen-year-old illegitimate son of Alexander. To see him crowned, they will not only need an army but also to eliminate Kassandros, a powerful rival with his own designs on the throne of Macedon. Meanwhile in the north, Lysimachus broods. As loyalties shift like sand and political ambitions run rife, the stage is set for the greatest war in the ancient world. Who will win the fight for the greatest Kingdom in the ancient world? Let the games begin . . .

Robert Fabbri read Drama and Theatre at London University and has worked in film and TV for twenty-five years. As an assistant director he has worked on productions such as Hornblower, Hellraiser, Patriot Games and Billy Elliot. His life-long passion for ancient history - especially the Roman Empire - inspired the birth of the Vespasian series. He lives in London and Berlin.
Details
Weitere ISBN/GTIN9781838956158
ProduktartE-Book
EinbandartE-Book
FormatEPUB
Format HinweisePub Wasserzeichen
FormatE101
Verlag
Erscheinungsjahr2023
Erscheinungsdatum02.11.2023
AuflageMain
ReiheAlexander's Legacy
Reihen-Nr.7
Seiten464 Seiten
SpracheEnglisch
Dateigrösse6739 Kbytes
Artikel-Nr.12647012
Rubriken
Genre9201

Inhalt/Kritik

Leseprobe

DEMETRIOS.
THE BESIEGER.

BEING TAKEN FOR a fool was an affront; being taken for a fool with no military experience was intolerable; Demetrios vowed to set the record straight. Yes, he had been soundly beaten by Ptolemy at the battle of Gaza, losing almost eight thousand infantry, two thousand cavalry and his entire elephant herd to the satrap of Egypt, as well as all his personal baggage. And his shame at his reversal burned within him so that he found it hard to meet the eyes of his officers as they came in, in ones and twos, with stragglers from the defeated army, to his new camp at the Three Paradises hunting lodge, in the hills above Tripolis on the northern Phoenician coast. And yes, he had barely managed to rescue his wife and children from the path of the victorious army, and so he now felt diminished in front of Phila, his spouse of ten years, for he had failed her as a husband and had put their children in jeopardy. Thus he was convinced he was less of a man in her eyes, a feeling compounded by the fact Phila was ten years his senior. He now felt as if he were a small boy in her presence; a small boy who, no matter how hard he tried, failed to give satisfaction.

This could not continue.

But it was one loss, one mistake, one piece of bad luck, which had brought him to this humiliating position and he would reverse it soon - indeed, it had to be soon as, not only did he need to shine in Phila´s eyes but also he would not be able to face his father, Antigonos, when he came south from Phrygia after the snows had melted in the spring, if he had not made up for his mistake.

In the meantime, the manner of Ptolemy´s general Cilles´ advance north with the bulk of the Ptolemaic army´s mercenaries was too provoking to be borne. With little discipline and even less scouting, Cilles was leading more of a victory procession than a military advance to scour the country for a defeated foe. And it was this casual approach that so offended Demetrios: Cilles advancing towards him as if he were a fool of no consequence; a blunderer to be laughed at and not the son of Antigonos, the greatest general of the age who had defeated Eumenes to become the one man able to hold the entire empire. And even more hurt and humiliation did he feel at the memory of Ptolemy´s returning of his personal baggage and slaves, all captured along with his tent, together with lavish gifts, each of which rubbed yet more salt into a very raw wound.

And so Demetrios had sent to all the towns holding a garrison loyal to his father, ordering their commanders to leave their posts and report to him with their men at The Three Paradises immediately, for he intended to crush Cilles, capture his troops and push back south to retake all he had lost. Only then would he be able to look his father in the eye and ask forgiveness for the disaster he had presided over at Gaza. Only then would he be able to do justice to himself in his wife´s bed.

Demetrios looked sidelong at Phila, yearning to unpin her high-piled auburn hair and see it fall against the pale skin of her cheeks as her green eyes fixed him with desire, but she kept her gaze firmly forward. He returned his attention to his growing army parading, for Phila´s benefit, under his general Philippos´ command, on manicured parkland, part of the vast area of hunting grounds making up The Three Paradises - each paradise centred around a hunting lodge of palatial proportions - hoping she would be impressed by the force he had gathered together in such a short time.

Surely there are still too few, Husband,´ Phila commented, her tone matter-of-fact. I´m no expert but I would say there are no more than three thousand infantry and around three or four hundred cavalry.´

Demetrios took off his helmet and rubbed a hand through his mane of raven curls; the jaw muscles on either side of his beardless face pulsed as his dark eyes hardened and he glanced back down at his wife and then, again, looked away. I will have to make do with what I have, Phila; pointing out the obvious is neither helpful nor pertinent. The army is what it is and with luck it will continue to grow as more men come in from the more distant garrisons.´

Phila returned her husband´s hard look as barked orders brought the parade crashing to attention; but he would not meet her eye. Swallow your pride and send to your father for reinforcements; don´t compound your mistake by trying to rectify it with inadequate resources.´

The gods protect me from women with opinions; Antipatros should have taught his daughters their place. My father will come south as soon as the passes are open with his army next month.´

Then wait for him.´

Demetrios was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his temper with his wife who had, since they had been forced to flee north from Gaza, made free with her views as to what he should do, as if he knew nothing. Woman, I know Antipatros consulted you and valued your advice from a very young age and I´m aware your first husband, Krateros, was equally receptive to your opinions and so am I - but not in military matters.´

Phila shook her head, lowering it to hide her exasperation; she hardened her tone. Demetrios, this isn´t a military issue, it´s a pride issue. If we were discussing a military campaign, we would both agree that to launch a counterattack with three thousand men against an army which has already defeated you once is foolhardy to say the least. The only reason you´re considering it is because you dread facing your father without at least something to mitigate what happened at Gaza.´

And I need to prove myself to you. He´ll take away my independent command.´

You never had an independent command! He left you with Nearchos, Pythan, Philippos and Andronicus to advise you and to curb your impetuosity. But when they counselled you to fall back in the face of Ptolemy´s advance, as he would never be able to prosecute a winter campaign, you overruled them. Now Pythan´s dead, Andronicus is besieged in Tyros, Nearchos is scrabbling around Syria trying to find troops for you to make the same mistake with again, whilst Philippos drills an army so small I barely noticed it.´

As you barely noticed me last night. Perhaps, but all the while Cilles is mocking me by parading through the country as if I were not in control of it.´

But you´re not, Demetrios. You lost control of Palestine and most of Coele-Syria, with your defeat at Gaza.´

And I will not lose Phoenicia as well,´ Demetrios growled through gritted teeth.

Then pull back, wait for your father´s reinforcements and attack Cilles´ parade in the spring.´

Enough, woman! Don´t push the respect I hold for you any further!´ Demetrios regretted his explosion in an instant; he took a breath to calm himself and tried a more reasoned approach. I´ll not wait until I outnumber Cilles; if I were to do that, people would say I can only win if I have more men than my opponent. I want a better reputation than that so no one will remember Gaza and I´m going to start gaining it now.´ He pointed to the lines of men, their bronze helmets shining dull in winter sun, as they were subjected to the inspection of their officers. With these lads I´m going to defeat Cilles, capture his troops and enrol them into my army within three days.´

Phila looked at her husband as if he were an errant child caught making yet another promise he could not keep; he did not enjoy it. Demetrios, I´ve already lost one husband in battle; don´t make me a widow again and deprive young Antigonos and Stratonice of a father just to satisfy your pride and vanity.´ With a curt nod, Phila walked back to the sumptuous hunting lodge which had been their home since her husband´s humiliation.

Demetrios turned but refrained from shouting another boastful remark after her and then cursed himself. He had been forced to marry Phila when he was sixteen, shortly after Eumenes had made her a widow with Krateros´ death in battle against him. Antigonos and Antipatros had made a pact and sealed it with the marriage of their oldest children. Demetrios still burned with shame as he recalled his father laughing at him, joking that he would not be able to manage a woman so far his senior; but he had, in the main, and she had given him a son and a daughter. Physically it had been good between them. Phila, however, read widely and used her mind, enjoying discussions that were, in general, beyond her young husband´s interest or intellect, for Demetrios was enamoured of war; if he had any interest other than its pursuit it was hunting - indeed he had won the right to recline at the dinner table as a man by killing a wild boar at the age of fourteen - and so his conversation with his wife was limited. But he had always harboured the urge to impress her with what he thought, until Gaza, he excelled in; thus the defeat had been a double calamity for their relationship, as not only in his mind had he failed deeply as a man but also what conversation there had been between them had now dried up. For how could he talk strategy and tactics with her, or boast of his achievements and prowess, when all the while the spectre of his flight as a defeated general hung over them?

But you´ll think differently of me when I come back with Cilles and his...
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Autor

Robert Fabbri read Drama and Theatre at London University and has worked in film and TV for twenty-five years. As an assistant director he has worked on productions such as Hornblower, Hellraiser, Patriot Games and Billy Elliot. His life-long passion for ancient history - especially the Roman Empire - inspired the birth of the Vespasian series. He lives in London and Berlin.

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