1

Conference: Alexander the Great and the East

Wroclaw, 12-14 September 2013
G! "a#ett#
$%n#&ers#t' of (#&erpool)

A(E*A+E, "-E G,EA" AS A -E,.."EA+ /E,S0A+ 10+G

2 -erodot3s and the Alexander -#stor#ans:

- parallels #n the stor'-tell#n45

- 6/ers#an ecor7 and recept#on of Alexander the Great as a -erodotean
/ers#an 1#n45

- h#stor#c#t' or patterns8

2 -erodot3s and the Alexander -#stor#ans: 4eneral s#m#lar#t#es

- both ne4at#&e and pos#t#&e 93d4ments

- -dt: 000: ;<: 3: =>?@ABC DEF GF HIJKLBC, M>DNOPKC QE Q@PJRSKC, MT?BC QE
J>SU? Alexander 000

A(E*A+E, 000 V CW,%S

- /arental a3thor#t'

- Example: Arr: An: 0: 1X: 1Y: after Gran#c3s
a) b3r#al of the fallen !acedon#an sold#ers
b) #mm3n#t' to the#r fam#l#es
c) &#s#t to the #n93red

A(E*A+E, 000 V A,0%S 0

- Enterpr#se

- examples a) Arr: An: 000: 1: Y - 2: 2: the fo3ndat#on of Alexandr#a of E4'pt

b) #od: *Z000: 4: 3-4: the (ast /lans




A(E*A+E, 000 V CA![WSES
A(E*A+E, 000 V *E,SES

- wh#ms#cal att#t3de and \S>P]>L^K $conce#t, h'br#st#c beha&#o3r)

- parallels: a) the s#e4e of "'re
2
b) Gedros#an desert

2 _oc3s on the /arallels:

>) Alexander the Great as the -erodotean /ers#an 1#n4

1: "he 1#n4 and nat3re
2: `a JBLLbF cJd]eDf@dF
3: gN?dC
4: `?ehi
Y: "ra4#c Warner V /ract#cal Ad&#ser: Artaban3s and /armen#o
X: "he 1#n47s steed
j: /op3lat#on-transplants and c#t' fo3ndat#ons

N) Alexander the Great as re&ersal of the -erodotean /ers#an 1#n4

1: "he Great 1#n47 s role and relat#&#sm
2: "he Great 1#n4 and E4'pt V ('b#a
3: "he re&en4e-theme

k) Alexander 000 as a 6new t'pe7 of /ers#an l#n4

"he 6m#ddle wa'7: !ed#an-/ers#an att#re

2 CASE S"%W 1:

Arr: An: Z00: 4: X-;: S3sa mass-wedd#n4:1

$X) ::: Bm knDBd QE cJBdi]KP>F FoDp Sq r@?PdHq: $j) ]?oFBd cSs]KP>F SBAC
FeDh^BdC ch@tuC H>v D@Sw SaF JoSBF xHBF >m k>DByD@F>d H>v J>?@H>]szBFSB
{HnPSK Sq {>eSuC: Bm QE cQ@td|P>FSo S@ >}SwC H>v ch^LKP>F: J?bSBC QE ~
N>PdL@C G?t@F: cF Sq >}Sq kw? JnFSF ck^kFBFSB Bm knDBd: H>v SBTSB, @J@? Sd
LLB, QBt@ QKDBSdHoF S@ H>v hdLsS>d?BF J?t>d Lst>FQ?BF: $;) Bm QE
J>?>L>NoFS@C \JukBF SF >}SBT H>PSBC: J?BAH>C QE teDJnP>dC cJsQH@F
Lst>FQ?BC:

"he wedd#n4s were celebrated accord#n4 to /ers#an c3stom: $j) Cha#rs were
placed for the br#de4rooms #n a row, and, after the dr#nl#n4, the br#des came #n
and sat down, each b' the s#de of her 4room: "he' tool them b' the hand and
l#ssed them5 the l#n4 be4an the ceremon', for the wedd#n4s of all tool place
to4ether: 0f an'th#n4 else, th#s seemed that made Alexander pop3lar and
comradel': $;) "he br#de4rooms, after ha&#n4 rece#&ed the#r br#des, led them
awa' each to h#s own home, and to all Alexander 4a&e dowr':

-dt: Z: 1;-20: ban3et w#th the /ers#an en&o's at Am'ntas7 co3rt:


1
Cfr: /l3t: e Alex: 0: j and Ael: Z-: ;: j:
3
Z: 1;: Bm F rs?P>d Bm J@Dh]sFS@C BSBd J>?w SaF DyFSKF C \J^HBFSB, >S@BF
cL]oFS@C, cC dF SF DyFS@, =>?@^p N>PdLsd kuF S@ H>v gQ?: ~ QE S>TSn S@
cQ^QBe H>v Ph@>C cJv t@^Fd> H>Ls@d, J>?>PH@e>PnD@FBC QE Q@AJFBF
D@k>LBJ?@JEC cQsH@SB SBC rs?P>C hdLBh?oFC: $2) C QE \Ja Q@^JFBe
cksFBFSB, Qd>J^FBFS@C @J>F Bm rs?P>d SnQ@: 6t@AF@ >H@Q|F, DAF FoDBC cPSv
SBAPd rs?PPd, cJ@wF Q@AJFBF J?BSd]|D@]> Dsk>, SoS@ H>v SwC J>LL>HwC H>v SwC
HBe?dQ^>C keF>AH>C cPnk@P]>d J>?sQ?BeC: Py FeF, cJ@^ J@? J?B]yDC DEF
cQst>B D@knLC QE t@dF^z@dC, QdQBAC QE N>PdLsd =>?@^p kuF S@ H>v gQ?, J@B
FoDp Sq D@Ss?p:7 $3) @J@ J?aC S>TS> DyFSKC 6 rs?P>d, FoDBC DEF DAF k@
cPSv B}H BSBC, \LLw H@?^P]>d FQ?>C keF>dHbF: cJ@^S@ QE D@AC coFS@C
Q@PJoS>d J?BP?K^z@S@ SBySF, J>?sPS>d DAF H>v S>TS>:7 @J>C SBP>TS> ~
DyFSKC D@S@JsDJ@SB SwC keF>AH>C: > Q cJ@^S@ H>L@oD@F>d GL]BF, cJ@tuC
\FS^>d zBFSB SBAPd rs?PPd: $4) cF]>TS> Bm rs?P>d QoD@FBd keF>AH>C
@}Do?hBeC L@kBF J?aC DyFSKF hnD@FBd Sa JBdK]EF SBTSB B}QEF @F>d PBhoF:
H?sPPBF kw? @F>d \?u]@F D cL]@AF SwC keF>AH>C cL]ByP>C H>v D
J>?dzBDsF>C \FS^>C z@P]>d \LkKQoF>C Ph^Pd h]>LDbF: $Y) \F>kH>zoD@FBC QE
~ DyFSKC cHsL@e@ J>?^z@dF: J@d]BD@FsF QE SbF keF>dHbF >}S^H> Bm rs?P>d
D>PSbF S@ JSBFSB B> JL@oFC BFDsFBd, H>^ HBy SdC H>v hdLs@dF cJ@d?SB:
Z: 20: C QE ~ DyFSKC ?K^P>C SBySF B|H@@, Lsk@d ~ Lst>FQ?BC J?aC SBC
rs?P>C 6keF>dHbF SBeSsF, t@AFBd, PSd DAF JBLL @}J@S@^K, H>v @ JnPPd
NByL@P]@ D^Pk@P]>d H>v ~HoPPd F >}SsF: $2) SBySBe DEF Js?d >}SBv
\JBPKD>Fs@S@: FTF Qs, P@QaF kw? QK SuC HB^SKC ?K J?BPs?@S>d DAF H>v
H>LbC BFS>C Ds>C ~?b Ds]KC, keF>AH>C S>yS>C, @ DAF h^LBF cPS^, J@S@
LByP>P]>d, LBeP>DsF>C QE J^P J?BPQsH@P]@:7 $3) @J>C S>TS>, PeFsJ>dFBd
kw? GP>F Bm rs?P>d, keF>AH>C DEF ct@L]ByP>C \JsJ@DJ@ cC SF keF>dHK^KF,
>}SaC QE ~ Lst>FQ?BC PBeC SPd keF>dtv \?d]DaF FQ?>C L@dBk@F@^BeC S SbF
keF>dHbF cP]uSd PH@enP>C H>v ck@d?^Qd> QBC $Y) S>TS> @J>C ~
Lst>FQ?BC J>?^z@d rs?P \FQ?v FQ?> >H@QoF> C keF>AH> Sq Lokp: B Qs,
cJ@^S@ PhsF Bm rs?P>d >y@dF cJ@d?bFSB, Qd@?knzBFSB >}SByC:
$Z: 1;) "he /ers#ans who had been sent as en&o's came to Am'ntas and
demanded earth and water for ar#3s the l#n4: -e read#l' 4a&e to them what
the' asled and #n&#ted them to be h#s 43ests, prepar#n4 a d#nner of 4reat
splendo3r and rece#&#n4 them hosp#tabl': $2) After d#nner, the /ers#ans sa#d to
Am'ntas, as the' sat dr#nl#n4 to4ether, 6!acedon#an, o3r host, #t #s o3r c3stom #n
/ers#a to br#n4 #n also the conc3b#nes and wedded w#&es to s#t b' the men after
the 4#&#n4 of an' 4reat ban3et: We asl 'o3, then, - s#nce 'o3 ha&e rece#&ed 3s
heart#l', are enterta#n#n4 3s nobl', and are 4#&#n4 ar#3s o3r l#n4 earth and
water - to follow o3r c3stom:7 $3) "o th#s Am'ntas repl#ed, 6We ha&e no s3ch
c3stom, /ers#ans: Amon4 3s, men and women s#t apart, b3t s#nce 'o3 are o3r
masters and are mal#n4 th#s re3est, #t shall be as 'o3 des#re:7 W#th that,
Am'ntas sent for the women: %pon be#n4 called, the women entered and sat
down #n a row oppos#te the /ers#ans: $4) "hen the /ers#ans, see#n4 bea3t#f3l
women before them, spole to Am'ntas and sa#d that there was no sense #n what
he had done: 0t wo3ld be better #f the women had ne&er come at all, than that
the' sho3ld come and not s#t bes#de the men, b3t s#t oppos#te them to torment
the#r e'es: $Y) Am'ntas, now feel#n4 compelled to do so, bade the women s#t
bes#de them: When the women had done as the' were b#dden, the /ers#ans,
fl3shed as the' were w#th excess of w#ne, at once la#d hands on the womens
breasts, and one or another tr#ed to l#ss them:
4
Z: 1<: Alexander 0, f#nd#n4 3nbearable to see !acedon#an women harassed b'
the /ers#ans, b#ds h#s father rest: Am'ntas lea&es, b3t be4s h#s son not to tale
#mpr3dent dec#s#ons:
$Z: 20) When Am'ntas made th#s re3est and had 4one h#s wa', Alexander sa#d
to the /ers#ans, 6S#rs, 'o3 ha&e f3ll freedom to deal w#th these women, and ma'
ha&e #nterco3rse w#th all or an' of them: $2) As to that, 'o3 ma' male 'o3r own
dec#s#on, b3t now, s#nce the ho3r of 'o3r rest #s draw#n4 near and 0 see that 'o3
are all completel' dr3nl, allow these women to depart and wash, #f th#s #s 'o3r
des#re: When the' ha&e washed, wa#t for them to come to 'o3 a4a#n:7 $3) When
he had sa#d th#s and the /ers#ans had 4#&en the#r consent, he sent the women o3t
and awa' to the#r apartments: Alexander then tool as man' beardless men as
were the women, dressed them #n the womens clothes, and 4a&e them da44ers:
$Y) -a&#n4 sa#d that, Alexander seated each of h#s !acedon#ans next to a
/ers#an, as tho34h the' were women, and when the /ers#ans be4an to la' hands
on them, the' were l#lled b' the !acedon#ans: $based on En4l: "ransl: Godle' A:
:, 1<20):

Q@AJFBF at Am'ntas7 co3rt belon4#n4 to the trad#t#on that ser&ed as a model for
the acco3nt of the wedd#n4-feast at S3sa8
- /ers#an c3stom $-dt: Z: 1;: 2: DAF FoDBC cPSv SBAPd rs?PPd5 Arr: An: Z00: 4:
X: FoDp Sq r@?PdHq)
- the act of dr#nl#n4 $-dt: Z: 1;: 2: Qd>J^FBFS@C5 Z: 1;: Y: JL@oFC BFDsFBd5
Arr: An: Z00: 4: j: D@Sw SaF JoSBF)
- women7s presence
- Ae4ae: one !acedon#an woman #s placed at the s#de of a /ers#an man V
S3sa: re&ersal #n the narrat#&e: #t #s a /ers#an $or 0ran#an) noble woman
seated close to a !acedon#an man:
- the act of s#tt#n4: pers#stent 3se of the &erb zBD>d V zBD>d and #ts compo3nd
forms $J>?^z, J>?@H>]^zBD>d):
- -erodot3s V /l3tarch: \LkKQoF>C Ph^Pd h]>LDbF

2 CASE S"%W 2:

Arr: An: Z00: 11: ;-<: the .p#s [an3et:

$;) Lst>FQ?BC QE cJv SBySBdC ]eP^>F S@ ]y@d SBAC ]@BAC BC >}Sq FoDBC H>v
]B^FKF QKDBS@Lu cJB^KP@, H>]iD@FoC S@ >}SaC H>v JnFSF H>]KDsFF, \Dh
>}SaF DEF >H@QoFF, cF QE Sq ch@tuC SBySF r@?PbF, cJv QE SBySBdC SbF
LLF c]FbF PBd H>S \t^PdF SdF> LLKF \?@SF J?@PN@eoD@FBd, H>v \Ja SBT
>}SBT H?>Su?BC >}SoC S@ H>v Bm \Dh >}SaF \?eoD@FBd PJ@FQBF SwC >}SwC
PJBFQwC H>S>?BDsFF SbF S@ LLiFF DnFS@F H>v SbF nkF: $<) @@SB QE
Sn S@ LL> H>v Sw \k>]w H>v ~DoFBdnF S@ H>v HBdFF^>F SuC \?uC >H@QoPd
H>v rs?P>dC: @F>d QE H>Ss@d LokBC SBC D@S>PoFS>C SuC ]B^FKC cFF>HdPdL^BeC,
H>v SBySBeC JnFS>C D^>F S@ PJBFQF PJ@AP>d H>v cJ >}S J>dF^P>d:

n the occas#on, Alexander made sacr#f#ces to the 4ods he 3s3all' sacr#f#ced to
accord#n4 to h#s c3stom, and offered a feast: After he sat down, also all the others
sat down, the !acedon#ans aro3nd h#m, the /ers#ans next to them, and then the
other peoples as man' were en9o'#n4 precedence for the#r rep3tat#on or some
5
other &#rt3e: And he and those aro3nd h#m, draw#n4 w#ne from the same &essel,
po3red the same l#bat#ons, be4#nn#n4 w#th the Greel seers and the !a4#: $<) -e
pra'ed for other bless#n4s, and for concord and comm3n#t' of power between
!acedon#ans and /ers#ans: 0t #s sa#d there were n#ne tho3sand 43ests at the
ban3et, and the' all po3red the same l#bat#on and san4 the son4 of &#ctor':

-dt: 0*: 1X: "heban ban3et:

SS>kAFBC ~ ?yFFBC \F? KN>ABC J>?>PH@e>PnD@FBC D@knLC cHnL@@ cJv
t@^Fd> >}SoF S@ >?QoFdBF H>v J@FSiHBFS> r@?PsF SBC LBkdDSnSBeC,
HLK]sFS@C QE BSBd @JBFSB: GF QE Sa Q@AJFBF JBd@yD@FBF cF iNPd: SnQ@ QE QK
Sw cJ^LBdJ> HBeBF @?PnFQ?Be \FQ?aC DEF ?BD@F^Be, LBk^DBe QE cC Sw
J?bS> cF ?BD@Fq: hK QE ~ s?P>FQ?BC HLK]uF>d H>v >}SaC Ja SS>k^FBe
cJv Sa Q@AJFBF SBTSB, HLK]uF>d QE H>v KN>^F FQ?>C J@FSiHBFS>, H>^ Ph@F
B} ?vC {H>Ss?BeC HLAF>d, \LLw rs?PKF S@ H>v KN>ABF cF HL^F {HnPS: $2) C
QE \Ja Q@^JFBe GP>F, Qd>JdFoFSF SaF rs?PKF SaF ~DoHLdFBF LLnQ> kLbPP>F
msFS> @?sP]>d >}SaF ~JBQ>JoC cPSd, >}SaC QE JBH?^F>P]>d C @K ?BDsFdBC:
SaF QE @J@AF 6cJ@v FTF ~DBS?nJ@zoC Ss DBd H>v ~DoPJBFQBC cksF@B, DFKDoPeFn
SBd kF|DKC SuC cDuC H>S>LdJsP]>d ]sL :

Atta4#n3s son of /hr'non, a "heban, made 4reat preparat#ons and #n&#ted
!ardon#3s w#th f#ft' who were the most notable of the /ers#ans to be h#s 43ests
at a ban3et: "he' came as the' were b#dden5 the d#nner was held at "hebes:
What follows was told me b' "hersander of .rchomen3s, one of the most
notable men of that place: "hersander too $he sa#d) was #n&#ted to th#s d#nner,
and f#ft' "hebans #n add#t#on: Atta4#n3s made them s#t, not each man b' h#mself,
b3t on each co3ch a /ers#an and a "heban to4ether: $2) +ow as the' were
dr#nl#n4 after d#nner, the /ers#an who sat w#th h#m asled "hersander #n the
Greel ton43e where he was from: "hersander answered that he was from
.rchomen3s: "hen sa#d the /ers#an: 6S#nce 'o3 ha&e eaten at the board w#th me
and dr3nl w#th me afterwards, 0 wo3ld l#le to lea&e a memor#al of m' bel#ef :
$based on En4l: "ransl: Godle' A: :, 1<20):

- "he "heban Q@AJFBF offers a closer #ns#4ht of what a /ers#an ban3et was l#le
$or was s3pposed to be l#le) #n Greel recept#on:
- Qd>J^FBFS@C
- ~DoHLdFBC, ~DBS?nJ@zBC, ~DoPJBFQBC: techn#cal terms of ro'al co3rt et#3ette:
/arallel at .p#s: D^>F S@ PJBFQF, one same l#bat#on:
- -erodotean #ma4e: the /ers#an 6concentr#c bel#ef7:


2 Concl3s#ons

- "he -#stor#es as a so3rce of #nsp#rat#on and a frame of reference for the
Alexander -#stor#ans, who had to descr#be and expla#n Alexander7s As#an
Campa#4n

- Alexander 0007s 643#de-bool7: - 4eo4raph#cal and m#l#tar' #nformat#on5
- em3lat#on and r#&alr':
6