Historie

Looking back now... I believe the library was the beginning of everything.

The new^[when?] manga series and magnum opus from Hitoshi Iwaaki, maker of Parasyte. Historie is a historical epic that tells the story of Eumenes of Cardia, secretary and servant of Alexander the Great. Just don't check his Wiki entry.

While on the run from the Persian Empire, the Aristotle meets the young Eumenes, a Greek in barbarian garb. The quick-witted Eumenes helps Aristotle escape to Europe from Asia. Both are on their way to Cardia, Eumenes' hometown. There Eumenes sees it under siege by a Macedonian army, and soon his life will take an entirely different path.

Tropes used in Historie include:

• Ancient Greece: Classical Greece, to be exact.
• Artistic License History: The author chose to make Hephaestion a split personality of Alexander's, not his friend or (possible) lover.
  • Many aspects Eumenes' life in the manga vary widely from historical fact.
• Badass Bookworm: Eumenes
• Chessmaster: Eumenes. He thinks up a whole entire defense system for a village protected by a Greek city-state. For bonus points, he also mentally corners the attacking army's commander and reveals his treachery to his family. Oh, and he also prevents the girl who likes him from marrying said commander. YEAH.
  • He then goes on to create the game of chess
• King Incognito: King Philippos of Macedonia
• MacGyvering: Eumenes makes a lot of things with his hands; in the beginning he outfits a boat with paddles made from tree branches that work by pedaling.
• Moses in the Bulrushes: Eumenes is actually a Scythian who was adopted by a slaver and raised as a Greek.
• Royally Screwed-Up: Something's not right about Alexander's family life.
• Shown Their Work: An accurate deciption of Ancient Classical Greece, complete with references to literature, culture, science, geography and warfare. And not to mention how obscure a historical figure Eumenes is.