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5 - Christianising Alexander Traditions in Late Antiquity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 January 2022

By
Christian Thrue Djurslev
Edited by
Richard Stoneman
Richard Stoneman
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
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Summary

This chapter explores Alexander’s legacy in early Christian literature, arguing that the Christians appropriated his figure by means of subtle alterations to existing tales or comparisons of his deeds with Christian content. It focuses on the common ground between Christians and non-Christians, and looks at first, the classicising ‘pagans’ (Celsus, Porphyry, Julian); secondly, the Greek-writing Jewish authors (Philo of Alexandria, Flavius Josephus); and, thirdly, authors of the Christian comparative material. In each case, I show how Christian authors use either established or innovative strategies in deploying Alexander as a rhetorical device to enhance the effect of their argument. I offer several close readings of important if neglected passages to highlight how different the Christians’ presentations of Alexander actually are from the material they are adapting. The chapter suggests the ‘Christianisation’ of Alexander lies primarily in the Christians’ interpretation of his legacy and in their use of comparative material rather than in their development of a wholly new image for Alexander himself.

Keywords

early Christianityimperial literatureJulianexemplum literatureAlexander RomancePhilo and Josephuscultural appropriation
Type
Chapter
Information
A History of Alexander the Great in World Culture , pp. 86 - 108
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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