From Tyrant to Philosopher-King
Subtitle: A Literary History of Alexander the Great in Medieval and Early Modern England
Publisher: Brepols Publishers
Published: 2013
Language: eng
Number of pages: 264
ISBN-13: 9782503545394
Subjects: Alexander, the great, 356 b.c.-323 b.c.; Manuscripts; Great britain, history
Description: Since his death in Babylon in 323 BC, Alexander the Great has inspired an unparalleled legacy founded on both histories and legends. From ancient Alexandria to twentieth-century America, and from politics to popular entertainment, he has remained a source of fascination and debate. Today our conception of Alexander rests upon two Roman inventions of history. The first, that of a bloodthirsty tyrant corrupted by Persian decadence, was recovered in medieval monasteries and thrived for centuries, until the second, which viewed Alexander as an enlightened ruler and the head of a harmonious global empire, flourished in the age of humanism. From this clash of intellectual movements arose our modern debates over Alexander as either a madman or a philosopher-king, the epitome of corruption or of ideal government.