What did the Greek cities of Asia Minor think of Alexander the Great?

Through the eyes of a vineyard owner from Miletus, explore the uncertain world between Persia and Greece, where identity was more complicated than history often suggests. This immersive historical podcast examines loyalty, empire, and why many ordinary Greeks saw Alexander not as a liberator or conqueror, but as another unknown king.

Narrator: Nikandros, a Greek vineyard owner from Miletus

Setting: Western Asia Minor, shortly after Granicus, 334 BCE

1. Historical Sources

a. Ancient Sources

• Herodotus (background on Greek cities under Persian rule)
• Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander
• Diodorus Siculus
• Plutarch

b. Modern Sources

• Peter Green, Alexander of Macedon
• Adrian Goldsworthy, Philip and Alexander
• Philip Freeman, Alexander the Great
• Robin Lane Fox, Alexander the Great

2. Author's Note

a. Historical:

• Greek cities of Asia Minor had lived under Persian rule for roughly two centuries.
• These cities retained Greek language, religion, and culture while being politically part of the Persian Empire.
• Reactions to Alexander varied greatly from city to city.
• After Granicus, many communities were uncertain whether Alexander represented liberation, conquest, or simply another ruler.

b. Reconstructed:

• Nikandros and his family.
• The vineyard.
• Conversations and tavern scenes.
• Personal reflections.
• Specific reactions to the news.

This episode is intended to challenge the modern assumption that all Greeks naturally supported Alexander. For many Greek-speaking inhabitants of Asia Minor, Persia was not a foreign power but the political reality under which their families had lived for generations.