Decapitation in Sources on Alexander the Great

This book explores the characterisation of violent deaths during the reign of Alexander the Great, challenging the tacit acceptance of ancient sources and arguing for a close and critical reading. It highlights the different cultural considerations surrounding decapitation in Greek and Roman cultures and how biases could have shaped certain episodes. The book is valuable for scholars of Alexander the Great, Classicists, philologists, and anthropologists, as it sheds light on cultural symbolism of violent death, power, imperial domination, and the confrontation between opposite cultural appreciations of a practice.

Format: Hardback
Length: 129 pages
Publication date: 17 December 2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive exploration delves into the intriguing realm of decapitation cases documented during the reign of Alexander the Great. Despite the vast abundance of literature dedicated to the remarkable career of Alexander the Great, this groundbreaking study stands as the inaugural exploration into the characterization of violent deaths during his frenetic reign. A significant historiographical gap has existed, resulting in an unwitting and uncritical acceptance of the details provided by ancient sources. Consequently, this book aims to shed light on how cultural expectations, literary models, and ideological taboos shaped these accounts, while also advocating for a rigorous and critical examination of the sources. Given the distinct cultural perspectives surrounding decapitation in Greek and Roman cultures, this book showcases how these biases could have influenced the portrayal of specific episodes, depending on the ultimate writer.

As a result, this book holds immense appeal for scholars specializing in the life and achievements of Alexander the Great, as well as for Classicists, philologists, and anthropologists alike. It serves as a valuable case study, shedding light on cultural expressions of violent death, power dynamics, imperial dominance, and the complex interplay between contrasting cultural appreciations of a practice.

Weight: 322g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031191732
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023