Alexanders Influence

[AppleThrower]

I'm currently working on a research topic and I was woundering if anybody knew any good sources I could use to help me answer the following question-- --> Centuries after Alexander, Romans such as Julius Ceasar, Ptolemy, and Mark Antony were to conquer the east. To what extent did they take Alexander as their role model? Centuries after Alexander, Romans such as Julius Ceasar, Ptolemy, and Mark Antony were to conquer the east. To what extent did they take Alexander as their role model? Centuries after Alexander, Romans such as Julius Ceasar, Ptolemy, and Mark Antony were to conquer the east. To what extent did they take Alexander as their role model? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Jim Boudreaux]

No matter how many times it is said Ptolemy was not a Roman.

[marcus]

I assume he means Pompey?The first place to look will be histories and biographies of the various characters - in such as Plutarch and Seutonius; and in poetry of the time such as Lucan.If you can, get hold of Claude Mosse "Alexander the Great: Destiny and Myth" which has a very good chapter on Rome and her attitudes. Just as important as how Alexander might have influenced these various individuals, is how others reacted. Particularly in that period of the late Republic Alexander wasn't universally admired, because he was a king - and, obviously, Republicans weren't keen on kings. On the other hand, as a soldier he was much admired - so you get Pompey consciously trying to emulate him, while the 'philosophers' ridiculed him. Things then change to some extent in the Principate, although you still find philosophers such as Seneca with a rather down view of Alexander (but, then, Nero made Seneca commit suicide because of his views).All the bestMarcus

[abm]

http://1stmuse.com/alex3/alexandre_fr.htmlD. Spencer, The Roman Alexander: reading a cultural myth, University of Exeter Press 2002.P. Greenhalgh, Pompey, the Roman Alexander, London 1980.