Philip and Alexander were ones for cherry picking good ideas from around the Med...Because of the high pay Philip offered, good soldiers flocked to the 'most modern' and 'advanced' European Nation, Demaratus of Corinth as an example...It is interesting to note that the old system of Pages began in Ancient Persia as a way of developing 'new' nobility and a way of keeping the old nobility honest by having their sons serve as 'hostages'. Rules were strict, only the King could flog a Page for diobedience. Philip found this 'new idea' and adopted it splindidly into his own 'Macedonian world'...Pages being used down to this very day in Politics and I suspect other ways as well around the present day world. GTP

Good point!

THe podcast on "Victory and Defeat" suggested that perhaps Alexander should not be looked upon as soundly defeating the Persians when he adopted so much of their culture. Who mastered whom?