Harper's Round Table, August 6, 1895

In the glittering courts of Babylon, an infant is placed beneath a radiant canopy as the assembled armies of East and West perform a dazzling tribute. Though merely a year old, he bears the name and the weight of a world empire once ruled by Alexander the Great. The crowd’s cheers echo through marble halls, while the newborn king, blissfully unaware, clutches at the air amidst the fanfare. The scene captures a moment where glory and vulnerability coexist on the Empire’s grand stage.

Behind the ceremony, the queen Roxana vows that her son will inherit the throne, and the veteran Companions echo her claim, setting a fragile line of succession in motion. Yet the generals, each craving power, soon turn against one another, while the indomitable grandmother Olympias gathers forces to protect her grandson. Among them, the ambitious Cassander schemes to seize control, igniting a dangerous game of alliances and betrayals. The opening of the tale invites listeners to witness how a child’s destiny becomes the fulcrum of a sprawling conflict.