Alexander the Great: Between History and Legend

The image of Alexander the Great in this book is shaped by historical facts such as his education by Aristotle, his spectacular campaign to conquer the Persian Empire and reach India, and the founding of numerous cities like Alexandria. Legendary elements such as the taming of his horse Bucephalus, the cutting of the Gordian Knot with his sword, and his hailing as the son of a god at the Oracle of Siwa complement the picture of the undefeated general and founder of Hellenism.

The portrayal of the historical figure and the myths in this work is based on a critical analysis of various primary and secondary sources. These sources include the fragmentary accounts of contemporary Alexander historiographers such as Callisthenes, official court records (ephemerides), the writings of the Bematists, and primary literary sources such as the speeches of Attic orators. This is supplemented by an evaluation of ancient authors such as Plutarch, Arrian, and Diodorus Siculus, as well as contemporary epigraphic, numismatic, and archaeological material, in order to differentiate between the deeds of the Macedonian king and the legendary embellishments in the Alexander Romance.

The conquests ushered in the Hellenistic Age, during which Greek culture spread far beyond the Orient. Greek developed into the common language of trade and communication (koine), which, as a cultural link, persisted for centuries beyond the political existence of Alexander's empire in large parts of Asia and Egypt.

The book illuminates the moral ambivalence of Alexander the Great by analyzing the tension between his self-portrayal as a heroic bringer of culture and the historical reality of his ruthless power politics. In doing so, the work avoids simplistic moral certainties and instead addresses the fragile identity and destructive consequences of unfettered freedom.