Alexander the Great: History and Legend
CCIV 122
Fall 2006 not offered
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Alexander the Great, King of Macedon (356-323 BCE) is one of the most famous, and complex, figures of Greek antiquity. Bringing under his rule virtually all of Greece as well as the continent of Asia from the Aegean coast to the Indus River in modern Pakistan, the power he achieved in his thirteen-year reign was unrivalled, and the world he left behind him was dramatically altered. In the process of creating his vast empire, he fought, bargained, drank and talked with Greeks, Macedonians, Egyptians, Persians, Jews and Indians. In this course we shall read the ancient Greek accounts of his life, death and deification; toward the end of the semester we shall turn our attention to three medieval versions of Alexander's life, part of the tradition known as the eAlexander Romancei, written by a Persian, a Jewish and a French author respectively. In this tradition Alexander explores Africa and visits the very gates of the Garden of Eden, becomes a deep-sea diver and a cosmonaut. We shall consider history, biography, portraiture, myth and fiction as many different modes of recording and thinking about the past, and explore the ways in which Alexander's brief imperial reign affected the lore and memory of numerous non-Greek peoples more than a millennium after it had drawn to a close. No previous knowledge of ancient history is assumed. The course has three main goals: to study in depth the history of Alexander's life and accomplishments; to analyze the generic distinctions between history, biography, myth and fiction and to think about the different needs they serve; and, finally, to develop the ability to read and compare sources with a critical eye. |
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Essential Capabilities:
None |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA CLAS |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Major Requirement for: None |
Major Readings:
Arrian, ANABASIS OF ALEXANDER, INDICA
Plutarch, LIFE OF ALEXANDER
Quintus Curtius Rufus, HISTORY OF ALEXANDER (selections)
Pseudo-Callisthenes, HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
ITINERARY OF ALEXANDER
Iskandarnamah, A PERSIAN MEDIEVAL ALEXANDER ROMANCE
HEBREW VERSION OF THE ALEXANDER ROMANCE
Walter de Chatillon, ALEXANDREIS
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Examinations and Assignments:
Students will be asked to write a number of short (3-5 page) papers throughout the semester, and a longer (6-8 page) paper at the end of the semester. There will be no final exam. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Class attendance, preparedness and active contribution are mandatory. |
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