Happy Black Friday—and a Brain-Frying Historical Discovery!
Happy Black Friday—and a Brain-Frying Historical Discovery!
Happy Black Friday, everyone! I hope you're all finding some amazing deals. For me, today has been a whirlwind of writing, research, and a few near-meltdowns.
My goal for today was to finish the first draft of ALEXEIN, Volume 1: The Golden Dawn, check the historical timeline for accuracy, and then relax. But, my intuition told me there were still some lingering uncertainties about Philip II's relationship with Philinna, his wife before Olympias, and I felt I needed to investigate those uncertainties. I started doing some research to clarify the timeline, and oh my gosh, I discovered some hidden dynamics that I hadn't been aware of. My brain is almost completely fried!
I needed a break, so I decided to watch the documentary Alexander: The Great Pharaoh to relax and unwind. And then—BAM!—the documentary made a claim that completely blew my mind. It stated that Philip II had been a merchant and had stayed in Luxor, Egypt… Wait. What? That's impossible! My brain exploded like a supernova!
I immediately returned to my laptop, fired up my research, and delved into historical texts and other reliable sources. And guess what? I found the truth. Some creative liberties had been taken in the documentary.
The documentary Alexander: The Great Pharaoh offers a visually engaging narrative of Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt. However, it introduces a scene depicting Alexander's father, Philip II, as a merchant in Luxor. This scene is not substantiated by credible historical evidence. No reputable historical accounts from the 4th century BC mention Philip II traveling to Egypt.
The claim in the documentary that Philip II stayed in Luxor as a merchant is historically inaccurate. The existing primary sources—texts and artifacts from the period—provide a detailed account of Philip II’s life, extensive military campaigns, and political maneuvering within Greece and the Balkans. Though not entirely complete, these records offer enough information to establish a clear picture of his activities. There is a consistent and substantial lack of mention of a trip to Egypt. His known travels and campaigns focused on the region surrounding Macedon. They extended into mainland Greece, notably focusing on his expansionist activities in Thrace, Thessaly and increasing influence over the Greek political scene.
While not definitive proof of a journey to Egypt, the absence of evidence regarding its non-occurrence should be given significant weight. The thoroughness of existing historical accounts—and our capacity for studying and analyzing such sources—makes it highly unlikely that such a significant journey would have been omitted from the records. The documentary's scene, while visually compelling, is not grounded in established historical fact.
It's plausible the documentary's creators took creative liberties to enhance the narrative, potentially drawing on the later extensive interactions between Macedon and Egypt following Alexander the Great's conquest. Alexander the Great's visit to Egypt was pivotal, significantly shaping his image and solidifying his reputation in the region, with implications for the political climate and his legacy. He built the city of Alexandria and was declared a god in Egypt. However, this later historical fact is inappropriately applied to his father in the documentary to enhance the narrative. The documentary's intent to create a narrative for this character may have led to embellishments that needed to be supported by historical accuracy. The documentary has taken the creative liberty to use this scene, which is not confirmed by any reliable historical source.
In conclusion, while the suggestion that Philip II traveled to Egypt is visually compelling and would provide an engaging historical narrative, it lacks any credible evidence from established historical records. The historical record clearly emphasizes Philip II’s focus on the Balkans and mainland Greece, with no reputable sources indicating a journey to Egypt. The scene presented in “Alexander: The Great Pharaoh” is a creative embellishment not supported by historical evidence.
I will share my findings soon. I am so glad I discovered this inaccuracy; otherwise, I would have made a completely unfounded and false claim.
I needed a break, so I decided to watch the documentary Alexander: The Great Pharaoh to relax and unwind. And then—BAM!—the documentary made a claim that completely blew my mind. It stated that Philip II had been a merchant and had stayed in Luxor, Egypt… Wait. What? That's impossible! My brain exploded like a supernova!
I immediately returned to my laptop, fired up my research, and delved into historical texts and other reliable sources. And guess what? I found the truth. Some creative liberties had been taken in the documentary.
Across the Sands of Time: Did Philip II Ever Journey to Egypt?
The historical record does not definitively answer whether Philip II of Macedon ever traveled to Egypt during his lifetime. While accounts of Philip II's extensive travels and military campaigns across Greece and the Balkans are relatively plentiful, there is no reliable evidence in reputable historical sources suggesting he journeyed to Egypt. The documentary Alexander: The Great Pharaoh, while visually captivating, presents a scene depicting Alexander's father as a merchant staying in Luxor, which is not supported by reliable historical evidence and requires careful scrutiny.
The documentary Alexander: The Great Pharaoh offers a visually engaging narrative of Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt. However, it introduces a scene depicting Alexander's father, Philip II, as a merchant in Luxor. This scene is not substantiated by credible historical evidence. No reputable historical accounts from the 4th century BC mention Philip II traveling to Egypt.
The claim in the documentary that Philip II stayed in Luxor as a merchant is historically inaccurate. The existing primary sources—texts and artifacts from the period—provide a detailed account of Philip II’s life, extensive military campaigns, and political maneuvering within Greece and the Balkans. Though not entirely complete, these records offer enough information to establish a clear picture of his activities. There is a consistent and substantial lack of mention of a trip to Egypt. His known travels and campaigns focused on the region surrounding Macedon. They extended into mainland Greece, notably focusing on his expansionist activities in Thrace, Thessaly and increasing influence over the Greek political scene.
While not definitive proof of a journey to Egypt, the absence of evidence regarding its non-occurrence should be given significant weight. The thoroughness of existing historical accounts—and our capacity for studying and analyzing such sources—makes it highly unlikely that such a significant journey would have been omitted from the records. The documentary's scene, while visually compelling, is not grounded in established historical fact.
It's plausible the documentary's creators took creative liberties to enhance the narrative, potentially drawing on the later extensive interactions between Macedon and Egypt following Alexander the Great's conquest. Alexander the Great's visit to Egypt was pivotal, significantly shaping his image and solidifying his reputation in the region, with implications for the political climate and his legacy. He built the city of Alexandria and was declared a god in Egypt. However, this later historical fact is inappropriately applied to his father in the documentary to enhance the narrative. The documentary's intent to create a narrative for this character may have led to embellishments that needed to be supported by historical accuracy. The documentary has taken the creative liberty to use this scene, which is not confirmed by any reliable historical source.
In conclusion, while the suggestion that Philip II traveled to Egypt is visually compelling and would provide an engaging historical narrative, it lacks any credible evidence from established historical records. The historical record clearly emphasizes Philip II’s focus on the Balkans and mainland Greece, with no reputable sources indicating a journey to Egypt. The scene presented in “Alexander: The Great Pharaoh” is a creative embellishment not supported by historical evidence.
I will share my findings soon. I am so glad I discovered this inaccuracy; otherwise, I would have made a completely unfounded and false claim.
#PhilipII #Macedon #Egypt #AlexanderTheGreat #HistoricalAccuracy #Documentary #AncientHistory #4thCenturyBC #Greece #HistoricalFiction #Luxor
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