Alexander: Myth and Divinity Flashcards
What is apotheosis?
A special act of honour reserved for dead heroes, often depicted on stone reliefs,
What is proskynesis?
A Persian act of homeage performed to a ‘Great King’ by his subjects. In Persian circles, it probably meant and denoted respect before a social superior. However, to the Greeks it was only performed before a god. It was considered humiliating and a debasing practice to the Greeks.
Who does Alexander attribute his heroic ancestry?
He is a descendant of Zeus on his father’s side.
Describe the views of Anaxarchus and Callisthenes.
Anaxarchus believed that the Macedonians should pay homage to Alexander. Arrian 4.9: ‘All acts of a ‘Great King’ should be considered just, first by himself, then by the rest of us’.
Callisthenes (Rufus 8.5): ‘A fruit cannot be both long-lived and early to ripen. You are not giving the king divine honours but depriving him of them. For a man to be believed god takes time…never attends him in life.’
Says that a banquet or two does not make a man a god.
Arrian 4.11: ‘I hold Alexander fit for any mark of honour that a man may earn; but do not forget that there is a difference between honouring a man and worshipping a god’.
How was the cult of Zeus Philippios practiced?
Lesbos erected statues of Philp, while the Ephesians consecrated a statue in the Temple of Artemis.
Was there a religious rivalry between Philip and Alexander?
Yes- Philip had set a precedent that Alexander would want to surpass. Philip continued to be ‘worshiped’ after his death. Alexander had to aim at becoming a demi-god.
Philip amongst the 12 Olympians?
Diodoros: ‘because of the extent of his kingdom he made himself a throned companion of the 12 gods’.
No, he didn’t demand divine recognition. Discuss.
Badian argues that there are few, insigificant, and isolated incidents. Much of what happened was merely conversation and speculation surrounding his divinity rather than solid examples. Prostration at court was not forced on the Greeks but was a natural prerequisite of the Persian religion.
Yes, he did demand divine recognition. Discuss.
Q.C.Rufus (8.5): ‘He began to consider how he could appropriate divine honours to himself. He wished to be believed, not just the son of Jupiter, but to control the minds of men as well as their tongues and he gave orders for the Macedonians to follow Persian custom in doing homage to him by prostrating themselves on the ground’.
Why did he not get the support of the Persians as a ‘great king’?
He did not qualify for kingship to the orientals by birth or ancestry and was not prepared to submit to the taboos.
How did the Greeks refer to him? Why would they not go further?
Greeks referred to him as ‘the Son of Ammon’, but the Macedonians remained stubbornly aloof.
How did the visit to Siwah (331) change him?
He now began to seek recognition, especially because of the string of victories from 334-331 that had destroyed the resilience of Darius.
‘you will rule the world’ - comment.
After being named the ‘Son of Ammon’, Plutarch, Diodoros and Rufus all note the prophesised world rule of Alexander. Although this is difficult to agree with, because only Alexander was to see the prophet in confidence.
Is it possible to say that Alexander was involuntarily given divine status?
Yes - Given to him by Eresus and Ephesus. The invasion saw liberation, when in fact, the pro-Macedonian oligarchy had very few differences to that of pro-Persian oligarchy.
For the natives on the interior such a status might have been an essential prerequisite for one who aimed at defeating the ‘great king’ and ruling them. Greek cities who had been ruled by a more than human barbarian for 50 years would find it natural to recognise a descendant of Herakles who had freed them from the barbarians.
Why would Alexander want to be associated with divinity?
Political cohesion - to help and maintain the conquered people unity and loyalty to him
Allowed his later arrogance, despite being the centre of ridicule during the Opis mutiny when he was mocked for his association with Zeus Ammon.
