The Alexander Romance in Persia and the East
- 416 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
The Alexander Romance in Persia and the East
About this book
Alexander the Great of Macedon was no stranger to controversy in his own time. Conqueror of the Greek states, of Egypt and of the Persian Empire as well as many of the principalities of the Indus Valley, he nevertheless became revered as well as vilified. Was he a simply a destroyer of the ancient civilizations and religions of these regions, or was he a hero of the Persian dynasties and of Islam? The conflicting views that were taken of him in the Middle East in his own time and the centuries that followed are still reflected in the tensions that exist between east and west today. The story of Alexander became the subject of legend in the medieval west, but was perhaps even more pervasive in the east. The Alexander Romance was translated into Syriac in the sixth century and may have become current in Persia as early as the third century AD. From these beginnings it reached into the Persian national epic, the Shahnameh, into Jewish traditions, and into the Quran and subsequent Arab romance. The papers in this volume all have the aim of deepening our understanding of this complex development. If we can understand better why Alexander is such an important figure in both east and west, we shall be a little closer to understanding what unites two often antipathetic worlds. This volume collects the papers delivered at the conference of the same title held at the University of Exeter from July 26-29 2010. More than half the papers were by invited speakers and were designed to provide a systematic view of the subject; the remainder were selected for their ability to carry research forward in an integrated way.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Introduction
- A Note on Transliteration and Bibliography
- Part 1: Formation of a Tradition
- Persian Aspects of the Romance Tradition
- Mapping the Alexander Romance
- King Midas’ Ears on Alexander’s Head: In Search of the Afro-Asiatic Alexander Cycle
- The Alexander Romance and the Pattern of Hero-Legend
- Part 2: Perspectives
- The Persians in Late Byzantine Alexander Romances: A Portrayal under Turkish Influences
- Adventures of Alexander in Medieval Turkish
- Some Talk of Alexander
- Part 3: Texts
- Alexander the Great in the Shāhnāmeh of Ferdowsī
- The King Explorer: A Cosmographic Approach to the Persian Alexander
- ‘Umāra’s Qiṣṣa al-Iskandar as a Model of the Arabic Alexander Romance
- Al-Tabari’s Tales of Alexander: History and Romance
- Al-Mubaššir ibn Fātik and the α Version of the Alexander Romance
- Aspects of Alexander in Coptic Egypt
- The Islamized Alexander in Chinese Geographies and Encyclopaedias
- Part 4: Themes
- Sekandar, Dragon-Slayer
- Stories of the Persian Bride: Alexander and Roxane
- Alexander the Philosopher in the Greco-Roman, Persian and Arabic Traditions
- In Search of Water of Life: The Alexander Romance and Indian Mythology
- The Kingship of Alexander the Great in the Jewish Versions of the Alexander Narrative
- Alexander in Bavli Tamid:In Search for a Meaning
- Part 5: Images
- The Impact of Alexander the Great in the Art of Central Asia
- Oriental Imagery and Alexander’s Legend in Art: Reconnaissance
- A Flying King
- Index