Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Second of three videos that detail the complex final year of Philip's life. This is my take on the complicated mess.
In this second video, I detail Philip's final months, the whole mess with Pausanias (his actual killer), and the assassination itself. So this is the "what happened" video (and a little of why). In the final video, we'll detail the various suspects and why this or that person might be more or less likely to be guilty.
At 10:11, I accidentally called the elder Pausanias the younger Pausanias (the boy who died). This matters largely as all of this is confusing enough. But yes, just for clarity, Philip punished the older boy, obviously not the one already dead.
Part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=V2eaI5iJ8XQ
Part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=MGv5djh-q-I
Second of three videos that detail the complex final year of Philip's life. This is my take on the complicated mess.
In this second video, I detail Philip's final months, the whole mess with Pausanias (his actual killer), and the assassination itself. So this is the "what happened" video (and a little of why). In the final video, we'll detail the various suspects and why this or that person might be more or less likely to be guilty.
At 10:11, I accidentally called the elder Pausanias the younger Pausanias (the boy who died). This matters largely as all of this is confusing enough. But yes, just for clarity, Philip punished the older boy, obviously not the one already dead.
Part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=V2eaI5iJ8XQ
Part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=MGv5djh-q-I

![Offices at the Macedonian Court
A quick summary of the more important offices in the army/at the court, as these were merged for much of Argead Macedonian history.
Special terms mentioned:
Hetairos/Hetairoi (Companion, noble class, wealthy landowners)
Philos/Philoi (Friend of the king/advisor)
Basilikoi Paides (Kings Boys, or Royal Pages)
Companion Cavalry (high ranking military unit)
Hypaspists (also Pezhetairoi [Philip] and Argyraspids [Silver Shields])
Somatophyax/Somatophylakes (7-man Bodyguard/glorified gofer)
Scholar mentioned:
Waldemar Heckel, has done much on offices in the Macedonian army Offices at the Macedonian Court](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z50qadppleg/mqdefault.jpg)

![Alexander in Roman Memory & Alexander the Tourist with Dr. Jennifer Finn
Dr. Jennifer Finn joins us to talk about her recent book on Alexanders use and presentation by Roman autocrats, as well as her current project on [Royal] tourism in the ancient world, and how ancient rulers used these Grand Tours to demarcate their empires.
In addition, she describes her own journey to not one, but TWO PhDs, one focusing on ancient Greece and Alexander, and the other on the ancient near east. This gives her more languages, and thus, more texts, than traditional Hellenists use. Oh, and shes also a marathon runner and triathlete too.
https://luc.academia.edu/JenniferFinn
Loyola Classics: https://www.luc.edu/classicalstudies/index.shtml
First book: https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781501504969/html
Second book: https://press.umich.edu/Books/C/Contested-Pasts
ANCIENT FIGURES MENTIONED:
Cyrus: also known as Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire (ca. 550 BCE, on his takeover of the Median Empire and then the city of Babylon in 539 BCE). His tomb was located at the first Persian capital, Pasargadae.
Agrippa: the right-hand man and very able naval commander of Augustus (he also married Augustus’ daughter, Julia), he produced a map detailing all of Augustus’ holdings.
Nabonidus: last king of the Neo-Babylonian dynasty (r. 556-539 BCE), also known in scholarship as “the first archaeologist.”
Marduk: the preeminent and patron god of Babylon, he is the subject of the epic Enuma Elish (The Babylonian Epic of Creation).
Diodorus: late first century BCE author of a universal history that covers mythological times to the late Roman Republic. Book 17 is entirely devoted to the reign of Alexander the Great.
Nebuchadnezzar II: king of the Neo-Babylonian dynasty (r. 605-562 BCE), he was well known for revivifying and beautifying the city of Babylon. Alexander in Roman Memory & Alexander the Tourist with Dr. Jennifer Finn](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/btZl4soegik/mqdefault.jpg)

![Did Alexander Think He Was a God?
Netflix subtitled their recent docudrama on Alexander the Great, The Making of a God. Its a misleading title, even if it might have seemed like a sexy ones, or at least provocativeto bring in viewers. But when Alexander called himself the son of Zeus-Ammon, he didnt mean he was some Greek Jesus.
We talk here about how the Greeks understood levels of divinity, from primordial and concept deities, to the Titans and Olympians (most familiar in myths), to Chthonic deities, lesser divinities, and daimones (little divine things). ALL were immortals as opposed mortals (human beings).
But there was also this between category of HEROES like Herakles who received cult (worship), but who also DIED. This provided a kind of on-ramp for real people to put a toe on the cloak of divinity. From colony/city founders (after death) to Brasidas (after death) to Lysander (while alive) to Philip II (ATGs daddy) to Alexander himself. Not to mention the special role [Macedonian] kings had as possessors of royal charisma (which separated kings from mere tyrants).
For longer discussion: How to Become a Hero https://www.tumblr.com/jeannereames/671883872002277376/did-alexander-post-siwah-really-think-himself-a Did Alexander Think He Was a God?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ezV3kg6vJTU/mqdefault.jpg)




