Role Portraiture: Alexander The Great As A Go(o)d King

Question 1

When did Alexander the Great rule?

Answer 1

336-323

Question 2

What was the image of Alexander and who first created this for him?

Answer 2

Alexander is identified by his crooked neck, gaze to the sky and lion like hair. The artist who first depicted him in this way is Lyssipos.

Question 3

What is the royal tomb at Vergina and what is in there? (6 artefacts)

Answer 3

336, burial of Philip II

• golden quiver
• silverware
• golden larnax
• solid gold
• full suit of armour
• golden oak leaf crown

Question 4

What are the two main depictions of Alexander? Give examples.

Answer 4

Alexander the military genius
-330-300, battle against Darius mosaic
-Neildow Alexander, 330 BC, Alexander throws down a spear when he reaches Asia
Alexander as divine
-325 shrine of bark, Monthu introduces Alexander to Amun-Re
-330, Alexander holding a thunderbolt on a red cornelian limestone

Question 5

What are the associations between Alexander and Persia?

Answer 5

4th century king Abdolnymous coffin, Alexander seen fighting the Persians
7th century neo-Assyrian wall panel, the king of assyrians is hunting lions as Alexander does with the Persians on the other side of the coffin of Abdolonymous.

Question 6

Who tries to gain authority through their association with Alexander?

Answer 6

Craterus - lion mosaic
Pyrrhus statue - 290
Seleukos statue, 358-281
Lysimakos coin, 280, rams horns as a sign of divinity
Ptolemy, cult created in 243
Kleopatra with cornucopia, 51-31

Question 7

Academic arguments

Answer 7

Vickers
-portrait gem of Alexander is considered the standard image
Chugg
-Alexander’s tomb found in Egypt (?)
Killerich
-facial reconstruction of Phillip II suggests all portraiture depictions were wildly inaccurate