Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:01 am
Accursed,
Pothos does bank on the glamour attached with Alexnader's name. On the other hand, the forum puts up with the likes of you and I. I admit there are some disturbing posts dismissing or justifying the sufferings of Iranians, Indians and others. Some go as far as romanticizing the most brutal violence. But let's be fair - that is not the general trend on this forum. I never realized that posting here was a form of forced conscription into Alexander's army but you make a great point!
The Eurocentrism of much of Alexander scholarship is undeniable. In fact much of Classical studies has been Eurocentric since its inception at the height of European nationalism and colonialism. Befitting the zeitgeist, ancient Greeks were bestowed the honour/burden of being the predecessors of 'Western Civilization' since the first excavations. A fervent belief in Greek exceptionalism and isolation was cultivated.
While most people nowadays would scoff at open declarations of these attitudes, disguised vestiges still remain in the foundations of the field. You can see it in the scholars’ reluctance to treat non-Greek or non-Roman sources with any degree of respect. For example, the Zoroastrian accounts of Alexander’s reign are often glossed over (a point that is obviously not lost on you). An esteemed scholar like Robin Lane Fox can get away with simply gushing about the superiority of the Greek race compared to mere Orientals in the last pages of his Alexander biography.
The entire field needs an overhaul, not just the traditions of Alexander studies. To be honest, I don't have much hope for a sudden fundamental shift any time soon. Colonial rhetoric regarding the unique superiority of 'Western civilization' and its innate right to conquer/civilize/rule are back with a vengeance as of late. Notice the appropriation of Greek history into this narrative. Take the story of Thermopylae the way it is represented in the movie '300'. What would it be like to be Iranian and watch something like that? Particularly ironic as Thermopylae was a classic example of the underdog fighting the all powerful empire. One can't really expect a site dedicated to a conqueror (who is considered one of “us”) to swim against this tide. Personally, if I was to hero-worship anyone, it’d be a guy like Spartacus.
Pothos does bank on the glamour attached with Alexnader's name. On the other hand, the forum puts up with the likes of you and I. I admit there are some disturbing posts dismissing or justifying the sufferings of Iranians, Indians and others. Some go as far as romanticizing the most brutal violence. But let's be fair - that is not the general trend on this forum. I never realized that posting here was a form of forced conscription into Alexander's army but you make a great point!
The Eurocentrism of much of Alexander scholarship is undeniable. In fact much of Classical studies has been Eurocentric since its inception at the height of European nationalism and colonialism. Befitting the zeitgeist, ancient Greeks were bestowed the honour/burden of being the predecessors of 'Western Civilization' since the first excavations. A fervent belief in Greek exceptionalism and isolation was cultivated.
While most people nowadays would scoff at open declarations of these attitudes, disguised vestiges still remain in the foundations of the field. You can see it in the scholars’ reluctance to treat non-Greek or non-Roman sources with any degree of respect. For example, the Zoroastrian accounts of Alexander’s reign are often glossed over (a point that is obviously not lost on you). An esteemed scholar like Robin Lane Fox can get away with simply gushing about the superiority of the Greek race compared to mere Orientals in the last pages of his Alexander biography.
The entire field needs an overhaul, not just the traditions of Alexander studies. To be honest, I don't have much hope for a sudden fundamental shift any time soon. Colonial rhetoric regarding the unique superiority of 'Western civilization' and its innate right to conquer/civilize/rule are back with a vengeance as of late. Notice the appropriation of Greek history into this narrative. Take the story of Thermopylae the way it is represented in the movie '300'. What would it be like to be Iranian and watch something like that? Particularly ironic as Thermopylae was a classic example of the underdog fighting the all powerful empire. One can't really expect a site dedicated to a conqueror (who is considered one of “us”) to swim against this tide. Personally, if I was to hero-worship anyone, it’d be a guy like Spartacus.