Alexander

Alexander "Omni" Scented Oil. A sensuous oil used to scent the body. A blend of rich woods, spices, and the aromatic resins he would have used throughout his journey. The bottle and marble jar are cushioned in rich brown velvet inside a beautifully carved wooden box made in India, the eastern border of his kingdom. It can be used as your signature scent, but is can also be used to massage those tired muscles after you've had a long day fighting your own battles. Each boxed set is accompanied by a small booklet about the historic life of Alexander the Great and references to his preference for scent. All stone is natural, so variations in colors and patterns will occur, as you can see in our photos.

In many of the writings of ancient historians, they refer to the personal nature of Alexander, saying "his skin always exuded a sweet smell". As king of the former Persian empire, he reigned in lands rich in spices, resins, and other aromatic materials for perfume making, such as myrrh, frankincense, laurel, labdanum, galbanum, lavender, opoponax, spikenard, benzoin, and sandalwood. When the spoils of war were enjoyed by his companions, it is written that he noticed that "when his friends bathed, they often anointed themselves with myrrh, rather than with plain oil". Historian Plutarch wrote: "After he had chosen his quarters for the night and while he was being refreshed with a bath or rubbed down,....". One can imagine a good massage with scented oils after the day's battles.

For further information on Alexander the Great, the following lists a few sources, however it is by no means an exhaustive list.

The Campaigns of Alexander. Arrian, translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. Barnes & Noble, Inc. arrangement with Penguin Books, Ltd. 1958.

The History of Alexander. Quintus Curtius Rufus, translated by John Yardley with introduction and notes by Waldeman Heckel. Penguin Books, Middlesex, England. 1984.

The Age of Alexander. Nine Greek Lives. Plutarch. Penguin Books Ltd., 1973.

Conquest and Empire. The Reign of Alexander the Great. A.B. Bosworth. Cambridge University Press, 1988.

Alexander the Great., Robin Lane Fox. Penguin Books. E.P. Dutton, 1974. New edition Oct-Nov., 2004.

Note: Robin Lane Fox also served as historical advisor to Oliver Stone in the 2004 production of "ALEXANDER". He also appears briefly in the movie in one of the key battle scenes.

The Genius of Alexander the Great. N.G.L. Hammond. University of North Carolina Press, 1997.

Alexander of Macedon 356-323 B.C. A Historical Biography. Peter Green. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. 1991.

The Nature of Alexander. Mary Renault. Pantheon Books, New York, 1976. This book also includes a very good list of additional source material.

Historical Art

www.Ancient-Empires.com - A company specializing in recreations of museum-quality art, gifts and collectible artistic pieces from great ancient civilizations. Our Perfumes of Antiquity are included in their products. This website is an excellent source for historically-related gifts and collectible items.

Important Historical Background:

The Histories. Herodotus, translated by Aubrey de Selincourt. Penguin Books, London, 1954. Note: This edition includes the chronologies of the Median kings, Persian kings, Egyptian pharaohs, Spartan kings, and Lydian kings. There is also a timeline of selected events from 650-479 B.C.E. in Greece/West, the Near Eastern kingdom, a glossary, and an extensive bibliography.

The Iliad. Homer

Historical Fiction

The Virtues of War-A Novel of Alexander the Great. Steven Pressfield. Doubleday, New York, 2004.

Fire From Heaven. Mary Renault. Penguin Books, Middlesex, England., 1970.

The Persian Boy. Mary Renault. Pantheon Books of Random House, New York, 1972.

Funeral Games. Mary Renault. Pantheon Books, 1981.

The newest scent, ALEXANDER "OMNI", has been created with the same aromatic ingredients as would have been available to Alexander the Great on his long journey to the end of the world he knew. He wanted to rule it as a unified kingdom. And in homage to his philosophy and persuasion, this scent is not just a men's scent, or a woman's scent. It is made for everyone, everywhere, hence the name "Omni". Alexander of Macedon was truly deserving of the name "the Great", as it is agreed by the world that he was the greatest military genius of all time. Alexander of Macedon defeated the king Darius of Persia at the battle of Gaugemela, and went on to found many cities, many called Alexandria, establishing Greek culture far into Asia. His philosophies differed from the traditional Greek teachings that all men who weren't Greeks were "barbarians". As he conquered nation upon nation across Asia, his intent was that all races and cultures should blend together and live in harmony. Alexander himself married women from nations in his vast empire, and adopted various aspects from the cultures he controlled. Far from insistence that Greek traditions were the only way to live, he wanted his people to thrive under his reign, with their own cultures intact. His views were not always popular with his traditional Macedonian generals, but were very forward-thinking for his time. He was a very complex man who could be both tender and extremely generous, highly intelligent and driven by a quest for a glorious life.

The life, accomplishments, and philosophies of Alexander the Great have been a true inspiration to me, and the study of Alexander's life, and way of life, have inspired the creation of this scent. I have named this scent "OMNI"--to be ALL inclusive, tolerant of differences, to be worn by anyone.