Alexander the Great and the East
History, Art, Tradition
edited by Krzysztof Nawotka and Agnieszka Wojciechowska
Even if Alexander’s rule in Asia has to be approached primarily through the study of Greek and Latin authors, many papers in this volume try to look beyond Arrian, Plutarch, Curtius, and Diodorus to Greek inscriptions, papyri, Egyptian, Babylonian, medieval Syriac and Arabic evidence. One focus is on Egypt, from the XXX dynasty to the Ptolemaic age. A lasting achievement of the early Macedonian age in Egypt is the lighthouse of Pharos, probably devised under Alexander to serve both as a watchtower of Alexandria and the focal point of the fire telegraph. Another focus of the volume is on Babylonia, with caveats against the over-enthusiastic usage of cuneiform sources for Alexander. This focus then moves further east, showing how much caution is necessary in studying the topography of Alexander’s campaigns in Baktria, the land often misrepresented by ancient and medieval authors. It also deals with representation and literary topoi, having in mind that Alexander was as much a historical as a literary figure. In many respects ancient Alexander historians handled his persona in strong connection with Herodotean topics, while the idealized portrait of Alexander translated, through court poetry, into the language of power of Ptolemy of Egypt. Alexander was adopted to cultural traditions of the East, both through the medium of the Alexander Romance and through his fictitious correspondence with Aristotle, sometimes becoming a figure of a (Muslim) mystic or a chosen (Jewish) king.
Even if Alexander’s rule in Asia has to be approached primarily through the study of Greek and Latin authors, many papers in this volume try to look beyond Arrian, Plutarch, Curtius, and Diodorus to Greek inscriptions, papyri, Egyptian, Babylonian, medieval Syriac and Arabic evidence. One focus is on Egypt, from the XXX dynasty to the Ptolemaic age. A lasting achievement of the early Macedonian age in Egypt is the lighthouse of Pharos, probably devised under Alexander to serve both as a watchtower of Alexandria and the focal point of the fire telegraph. Another focus of the volume is on Babylonia, with caveats against the over-enthusiastic usage of cuneiform sources for Alexander. This focus then moves further east, showing how much caution is necessary in studying the topography of Alexander’s campaigns in Baktria, the land often misrepresented by ancient and medieval authors. It also deals with representation and literary topoi, having in mind that Alexander was as much a historical as a literary figure. In many respects ancient Alexander historians handled his persona in strong connection with Herodotean topics, while the idealized portrait of Alexander translated, through court poetry, into the language of power of Ptolemy of Egypt. Alexander was adopted to cultural traditions of the East, both through the medium of the Alexander Romance and through his fictitious correspondence with Aristotle, sometimes becoming a figure of a (Muslim) mystic or a chosen (Jewish) king.
- Edited by Krzysztof Nawotka
- Edited by Agnieszka Wojciechowska
Other Titles in this Series
Rostovtzeffs Briefwechsel mit deutschsprachigen Altertumswissenschaftlern
Einleitung, Edition und Kommentar
Volume 6
Grossmacht gegen lokale Machthaber
Die Herrschaftspraxis der Seleukiden an den Randern ihres Reiches
Volume 164
Studien zur ionischen Architektur auf der Peloponnes
Von den Anfangen in archaischer Zeit bis zum Ende der hellenistischen Epoche
Vectigalia nervos esse rei publicae
Die indirekten Steuern in der Romischen Kaiserzeit von Augustus bis Diokletian
Volume 26
Antike Wirtschaft und ihre kulturelle Pragung / The Cultural Shaping of the Ancient Economy
Volume 98
Josef Wiesehofer. Iran – Zentralasien – Mittelmeer
Gesammelte Schriften Teil I: Studien zur Geschichte der Achaimeniden
Volume 159
Strafe und Strafrecht in den antiken Welten
Unter Berucksichtigung von Todesstrafe, Hinrichtung und peinlicher Befragung
Volume 51
Hathorsaulen und Hathorpfeiler
Altagyptische Architekturelemente vom Neuen Reich bis zur Spatantike
Volume 8
Rechtssemantik und forensische Rhetorik
Untersuchungen zu Wortschatz, Stil und Grammatik der Sprache koptischer Rechtsurkunden
Volume 20
Gottesdiener und Kamelzuchter
Das Alltags- und Sozialleben der Sobek-Priester im kaiserzeitlichen Fayum
Volume 144
Ships of the Desert and Ships of the Sea
Palmyra in the World Trade of the First Three Centuries CE
Volume 101
Geschichte und Gegenwart
Beitrage zu Cornelius Nepos aus Fachwissenschaft, Fachdidaktik und Unterrichtspraxis. Mit einem Forschungsbericht und einer Arbeitsbibliographie
Volume 91
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