Transcript Introduction - jr13classics

Alexander the
Great,
Sources
of information about his life
Introduction
• Alexander is one of the very few figures in history to be given the
title of ‘Great’ – not even Julius Caesar managed this. This is a
tribute not only to his extraordinary conquest of the Persian Empire
but also to an unusual personality.
• Alexander was not just a Greek but a Macedonian too – an
important point to note. There were very deep differences between
the cultures and histories of the two races. He became King of
Macedonia and leader of the Greeks at a very young age of 19 or
20, and before his death (at age 32) he had invaded and conquered
the Persian Empire, travelling as far as the River Indus in India.
• He carried Greek Culture to all parts of this vast Empire by founding
cities in his name. Although his empire disintegrated after his death,
the Greek influence remained.
• However, there are difficulties in trying to find out exactly what
happened and why, when there is so little reliable historical
evidence.
• Alexanders route
Alexander’s travels across the ‘known world’
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Sources
There were many authors who lived at the same time as Alexander,
and wrote a lot of books about him. These are primary sources
because they are eye witness accounts by people who were actually
there at the time.
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These authors were:
Callisthenes – Alexander’s official Greek historian who accompanied him
on his expedition to Persia
Ptolemy – One of Alexander’s chief generals who after Alexander’s death
became King of Egypt
Nearchus – Alexander’s admiral who accompanied the expedition and
sailed around the coast of Persia
Onesicritus – A sailor on the expedition
Aristobulus – A Macedonian soldier and engineer who went with
Alexander
Cleitarchus – A Greek contemporary of Alexander who did not
accompany the expedition
Chares – Alexander’s Greek houseworker in charge of his household
BUT!
None of the books that these people wrote still survive 
However….
• There are 5 writers, who lived centuries after Alexander the
Great, who had read those books. So, they wrote their own
books based on the facts in them.
And it is from these sources, written by the 5 authors, that we
get our information about Alexander from today. The 5 authors
are:
• Curtius Rufus – A Roman writing in the first Century Ad (300
years after Alexander)
• Diodorus - A Roman who lived at the same time as Curtius
Rufus
• Arrian – Roman, Second century AD
• Plutarch – Greek, Second century AD
• Justin – Roman, Third century AD
• Each of these authors quotes one or two of the primary
sources,
• But it is hard to tell who is most reliable, as centuries later
stories can easily have been changed and altered.
Analysing the Sources
• Each writer had different attitudes and bias in their
writing depending on their relationship with
Alexander or attitude towards him. Whether they
were Greek, Macedonian or Roman also influences
their thinking.
‘The Good Tradition’
(Arrian and Plutarch)
they use the primary source
Aristobulus as a main source.
Who is considered more
relaiable.
There are two
groups that
the
sources fit
into
‘The Vulgate’
(Curtius Rufus, Diodorus
and Justin)
They only use Cleitarchus
as their main source and
he is less reliable as he
has 2nd hand information
and focuses on popular
belief
• These two groups of sources often have conflicting
information on the same event in Augustus’ life.
• It is very important to use the secondary
sources in our study of Alexander:
• For exam questions
• For understanding
• Homework on the sources: read Paul
Artus book
p. 8-9. answer questions on p.12
Oral tradition and official documents
(Diaries, letters, Ephemerides, “Last Plans”, etc.)
BC
Nearchus
Callisthenes
Onesicritus
Cleitarchus
300
Aristobulus
Chares
Ptolemy
200
100
DIODORUS SICULUS
0
Pompeius Trogus
CURTIUS
100
PLUTARCH
200
300
AD
ARRIAN
JUSTIN
Oral tradition and official documents
(Diaries, letters, Ephemerides, “Last Plans”, etc.)
BC
Nearchus
Callisthenes
Cleitarchus
300
Death of Alexander
Onesicritus
Aristobulus
Chares
Ptolemy
Alexander’s
admiral
200
Alexander’s
official historian
Naval officer in
Alexander’s fleet
Alexander’s
general
Engineer or
architect
Alexander’s
houseworker
100
DIODORUS SICULUS
0
[World History]
Pompeius Trogus
[World History]
CURTIUS
[History]
100
PLUTARCH
[Biography]
200
300
AD
ARRIAN
[History]
JUSTIN
[Epitome]
Oral tradition and official documents
(Diaries, letters, Ephemerides, “Last Plans”, etc.)
BC
Nearchus
The fragments or
Primary sources or
Callisthenes
Cleitarchus
300
Onesicritus
Aristobulus
Chares
“Alexander-historians”
Ptolemy
200
100
The
DIODORUS SICULUS
0
Pompeius Trogus
“Vulgate”
tradition
CURTIUS
100
PLUTARCH
200
300
AD
ARRIAN
= Primary source of information
= Considerable information
JUSTIN