Alexander the Great in Roman Thought: Hero, Rival, and Legend
How did the Romans see Alexander the Great? Were they influenced? What did they think about his personality? His military accomplishments? His life?
Alexander the Great, one of history's most iconic figures, captured the imagination of civilizations far beyond his lifetime. Born in 356 BCE in Macedonia, Alexander's meteoric rise as a military genius and empire-builder left an indelible mark on the ancient world.
His conquests stretched from Greece to the edges of India, blending cultures and establishing a Hellenistic legacy that influenced art, politics, and philosophy for centuries. Yet, Alexander’s image did not remain static; for the Romans, his legend was not always a source of admiration, as someone would expect.
Revered by some as the epitome of leadership and ambition, and critiqued by others as a cautionary tale of hubris, Alexander’s life offered the Romans a complex mirror through which they reflected on their own imperial destiny. The myths around Alexander, began right after his death.
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