Uh, I was hoping we could start there.

Sure.

Um, well, the mythologizing of Alexander began in his own lifetime.

He was a master of, uh, his own marketing.

Um, the idea of going on campaign was relatively new.

Usually, when the Greeks fought, um, they fought relatively close to home, okay? Um, Alexander's father, Philip, uh, had previously done these campaigns and, and was actually away from Pella sometimes for more than a year at a time.

Um, and Alexander knew going into the Persian campaign, which was daddy's idea, uh, that he's gonna be away from home.

Oh, wow.