Alexander's writings?

This moderated forum is for discussion of Alexander the Great. Inappropriate posts will be deleted without warning. Examples of inappropriate posts are:
* The Greek/Macedonian debate
* Blatant requests for pre-written assignments by lazy students - we don't mind the subtle ones ;-)
* Foul or inappropriate language

Moderator: pothos moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
musketeer
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:51 am
Location: Seattle, WA

Alexander's writings?

Post by musketeer »

Hi, I just found this site, and I have just started researching Alexander's life. I know he was tutored by Aristotle, and he has a reputation for being smart and educated, so I'm surprised that I haven't come across any writings by Alexander himself. Have I missed something? Julius Caesar has his writings, and Marcus Aurelius, also.

Thanks for the top 10 books on Alexander, those should be helpful.

- Brian
agesilaos
Strategos (general)
Posts: 2180
Joined: Mon Sep 09, 2002 3:16 pm
Location: LONDON

Re: Alexander's writings?

Post by agesilaos »

No writings by Alexander have survived; there was a corpus, or more of alleged letters some of which appear in the sources, generally Plutarch, but they are of dubious authorship, nothing else is mentioned; Alexander clearly did not have the time for meditating and he had Kallisthenes to write his Commentaries :D
When you think about, it free-choice is the only possible option.
hiphys
Pezhetairos (foot soldier)
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 2:59 am

Re: Alexander's writings?

Post by hiphys »

There is, however, a hint to Alexander as an author in Athenaeus, Deipn.13, 586 d. He wrote:
"The author of Agen, the little satyric drama, whether it be Python of Catana or King Alexander himself, says, etc."
And again Athenaeus, ibid. 13, 595 e: "All this is confirmed by the testimony of the writer who made the little satyric play Agen, which was produced when the Dionysia were celebrated at the Hydaspes river, whether the author was Python of Catana (or Byzantium) or the king himself".(Transl.by C.B.Gulick).
Nowadays the leading students of Alexander don't believe to Athenaeus' allusion of an authorship of this sayric play (only fragments are preserved) by Alexander himself, but, after all, who knows?
User avatar
musketeer
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:51 am
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Alexander's writings?

Post by musketeer »

Interesting. Thanks, fellas : )
Post Reply