Alexander the Great (356 BC - 323 BC)
King Philip and Macedon
Alexander and Aristotle
A worldwide empire
REQUIRED READING
No required reading
RECOMMENDED READING
These three excellent books about Alexander are all in print. The Renault book reads as an essay about Alexander and the literature about him. The Green book is considered the masterpiece of the world's leading expert on Alexander. Renault's book reflects her adoration of Alexander; Green's book is cooler and more academic. The Goldsworthy book is fascinating about Alexander and his father. All are excellent and well worth reading.
MORE RECOMMENDED READING: Historical Fiction
The best introduction to ancient Greece that I know is the historical fiction of Mary Renault:
Mary Renault (4 September 1905–13 December 1983), born Eileen Mary Challans, was an English writer best known for her historical novels set in ancient Greece. In addition to vivid fictional portrayals of Theseus, Socrates, Plato, and Alexander the Great, she wrote a non-fiction biography of Alexander. It is the best short book about him. (The Nature of Alexander)
Historical novels:
The Last of the Wine (1956)—set in Athens during the Peloponnesian War; the narrator is a student of Socrates.
The King Must Die (1958)—the mythical Theseus, up to his father's death
The Bull from the Sea (1962)—the remainder of Theseus' life
The Mask of Apollo (1966)—an actor at the time of Plato and Dionysius the Younger (brief appearance by Alexander near the end of the book)
Fire from Heaven (1969)—Alexander the Great from the age of four up to his father's death
The Persian Boy (1972)—from Bagoas's perspective; Alexander the Great after the conquest of Persia
The Praise Singer (1978)—the poet Simonides of Ceos
Funeral Games (1981)—Alexander's successors