The Spirit of Laws, by Montesquieu (1748)

Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (18 January 1689 – 10 February 1755), generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French social commentator and political thinker who lived during the Enlightenment. He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, which is taken for granted in modern discussions of government and implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. He was largely responsible for the popularization of the terms feudalism and Byzantine Empire.

De l'Esprit des Lois (The Spirit of the Laws) was originally published anonymously in 1748 and quickly rose to a position of enormous influence. In France, it met with an unfriendly reception from both supporters and opponents of the regime. The Catholic Church banned l'Esprit – along with many of Montesquieu's other works – in 1751 and included it on the Index of Prohibited Books. It received the highest praise from the rest of Europe, especially Britain.

On Alexander's Empire and ethnicity of Diadochi (successors of Alexander's empire), he stated the following:

[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. I, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 156]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. I, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 157]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. I, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 157]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. I, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 158]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. I, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 158]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. I, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. ]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. II, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 39]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. II, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 43]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. II, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 45]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. II, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 47]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. II, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 47]
[MONTESQUIEU, The Spirit of Laws - Vol. II, translated by Thomas Nugent, London 1766, pg. 51]

Discovered by Marsyas Periandrou