Alexander the Great

“The definitive treatment of Alexander as a figure of myth. . . . Whether it is Hellenistic notions of utopia, or cities of death in the Arabian Nights, or the origins of the manticore in Indian fable, the extraordinary range of Alexander’s afterlife has enabled Stoneman to write a veritable book of wonders.”—Tom Holland, Daily Telegraph “In this fascinating book, Stoneman explores the various legendary aspects of the general. Stoneman suggests that Alexander embodies the aspirations of Everyman.”—The Independent “Stoneman, here solidifying his reputation as the foremost authority on the legend of Alexander, presents us with nothing less than a legendary parallel life of Alexander. . . .A boon for anyone studying Alexander myth or historiography. Much has been written over the last decades on Alexander-as-legend. . . but nowhere have the many strands of the legendary Alexander been woven together so fully. . . .It would be a great shame if any course on Alexander were to be taught without reference to at least some of its insights.”—Sulochana R. Asirvatham, Journal of Historical Biography “Richard Stoneman gave 20 well-spent years to the writing of this masterly book. In it he separates the truths about Alexander from the many myths that have surrounded him.”—Sunday Telegraph “Anyone who undertakes the task of evaluating a body of materials as composite as the Alexander Romance must possess—in addition to a thorough knowledge of the history and historiography of Alexander—a working knowledge of several languages and the history of scholarship on a very complex problem. These are skills that Richard Stoneman possesses in abundance.”—Eugene Borza, Classical Outlook Short-listed for the 2009 Runciman Award, administered by the Anglo-Hellenic League and sponsored by the National Bank of Greece Selected by Choice magazine as an Outstanding Academic Title of 2008 “This is a magisterial book, of quite extraordinary breadth and depth. Stoneman is supremely well qualified to write the definitive work on the Nachleben of Alexander in tradition, legend, and myth.”—John Cherry, Brown University “Alexander the Great enjoyed one of the most spectacularly glorious of human lives. His afterlife, as Richard Stoneman’s masterly new survey amply documents, was every bit as spectacular and glory-bringing. Look on his fame, ye mighty, and despair! Or rather, read this literally marvelous book by one of the world’s leading authorities on the multifarious Alexander-legend. Hero or villain: there is an Alexander here for every conceivable taste.”—Paul Cartledge, Cambridge University “The legend of Alexander the Great extends from Iceland to China, and is reincarnated in Jewish and Christian versions, in Islam and the religions of India. Richard Stoneman traces the many re-tellings, both in literature and in art, situating each in its historical context. His book is a pleasure to read: full of remarkable episodes and insights, immensely learned, clearly and elegantly narrated. If you want to know how the story of Alexander evolved over two millennia and penetrated most of the world’s cultures, this is the book to read.”—David Konstan, Brown University “In this impressive volume the many varicoloured threads of the legend of Sultan Iskander are skilfully woven into a fascinating fabric. Stoneman has successfully faced an awesome challenge in marshalling a huge body of diverse and complex material into an ordered whole, subtly highlighting the factors which have given Alexander’s legend such an enduring and widespread appeal and the ways in which it has been adapted to very different cultures.”—Stephanie West, Oxford University “Richard Stoneman retells in a fascinating way the life of Alexander the Great not from the historical records but from the fictional texts of the Alexander Romance and other legendary sources. The result is an extremely rich and well-documented survey of the various traditions which, at the same time, is also a most enjoyable reading. This highly recommendable book is a masterpiece and will be the new point of reference for all future studies in this field.”—Heinz Hofmann, University of Tuebingen