The Genius of Alexander the Great

While the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games have concluded, Nick keeps the Olympic spirit alive in Far Middle episode 169. Nick pays tribute to the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1896 to mark the installment’s sports dedication, noting the 1896 Summer Games were actually held in the spring, and it would be more than a century before the IOC would bring the Olympics back to Greece for the 2004 Summer Games. In true Far Middle connection fashion, Greece then serves as the focus of the episode as Nick presents a unique perspective on Alexander the Great’s life beyond the well-known military achievements. Expanding upon his recent essay, “Making Alexander Great: Five Secret Ingredients,” Nick delves into Alexander's upbringing, highlighting his education under Aristotle, and the complex family dynamics that shaped his character. Nick emphasizes Alexander's exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and oratory skills, which were instrumental in his conquests and maintaining the loyalty of his troops. Nick also examines lesser-known aspects of Alexander's life, such as his ability to dissent from his advisors' opinions and make bold, independent decisions. These underappreciated traits, combined with Alexander’s charismatic leadership, were the “secret ingredients” contributing to Alexander's enduring legacy. In concluding this “great” edition of The Far Middle, Nick makes one final connection to an iconic English heavy metal band, and a long-time favorite of Nick’s, Iron Maiden. Nick calls out the band’s sixth studio album Somewhere in Time, which of course closed with, “Alexander the Great.” For more Far Middle discussions examining both leadership and history, check out episode 126, “The Battle of Hurtgen Forest,” as well as episode 123, “Effective Leadership.”