Scholars have long recognized the relevance to Christianity of the many stories surrounding the life of Alexander the Great, who claimed to be the son of Zeus. But until now, no comprehensive effort has been made to connect the mythic life and career of Alexander to the stories about Jesus and to the earliest theology of the nascent Christian churches. Ory Amitay delves into a wide range of primary texts in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew to trace Alexander as a mythological figure, from his relationship to his ancestor and rival, Herakles, to the idea of his divinity as the son of a god. In compelling detail, Amitay illuminates both Alexander’s links to Herakles and to two important and enduring ideas: that of divine sonship and that of reconciliation among peoples.
Ory Amitay is Lecturer at the University of Haifa.
"Amitay thoroughly and convincingly traces the idea of Alexander the Great as the son of [a] god…. A unique and remarkable book."—Richard Stoneman, author of Alexander the Great: A Life in Legend
"Amitay traces the relationship between Alexander and the Greek hero Herakles, the heroic ancestor of the Argead dynasty. This has never been done before and represents a significant contribution to Alexander scholarship."—Stanley Burstein, author of Readings in Greek History: Sources and Interpretations
262 pp.6 x 9
9780520266360$85.00|£71.00Hardcover
Oct 2010