Funeral Games (Masterplots II: British and Commonwealth Fiction Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Mary Renault
- First Published: 1981
- Type of Work: Historical novel
- Time of Work: 323-286
- Setting: Greece, Egypt, and Asia Minor
- Principal Characters: Alexander the Great, Alexander IV, Antigonas, Antipatros, Bagoas, Eurydike, Kassandros, Kleopatra, Meleager, Olympias, Perdikkas, Philip Arridaios, Ptolemy, Roxane, Stateira
- Genres: Long fiction, Historical fiction
- Subjects: Murder or homicide, War, Kings, queens, or royalty, Egypt or Egyptians, Adventure, Government, Military life or service, Soldiers, Greek or Roman times, Greece or Greek people, Hellenism
- Locales: Greece, ancient, Asia Minor, Egypt, ancient
The Novel
Beginning with the year 323 B.C., Funeral Games chronicles the disintegration of Alexander the Great’s empire following his death in Babylon at age thirty-two. Although it is generally believed that he died of a fever, the novel suggests that he was poisoned at the hands of Iollas, the brother of Alexander’s enemy, Kassandros. As he lies dying in the palace at Babylon, he is too ill to name a successor. Before his death, he manages only the ambiguous gesture of giving his ring to Perdikkas, the ranking commander among those on the scene.
The...
[The entire page is 2120 words long]
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