Alexander’s Claim to Divinity

This essay throws light on the birth and the achievements of the great Alexander that made him lay the claim to divinity.

Running head: ALEXANDERS CLAIM TO DIVINITY
Alexander’s Claim to Divinity
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Question 5
Alexander III of Macedon is referred to as Alexander the Great and he was king of
ancient Greek kingdom of the Macedon. He was member of Argead dynasty who had birth
within Pella in the 356 BC. He succeeded Philip II in the early age of 20 and he spent a great
deal of the ruling years on the military campaigns in the region of Asia along with the north east
Africa. He has great achievements in his name and he was responsible for creating largest empire
within the ancient world. His empire stretched from the region of Greece to that of north-western
India and he is considered to be a great military commander of the world. Alexander is
considered to be a descendent of the great Achilles and he believed that the victory that he had
over King Darius was his ultimate dynasty (Heckel and Yardley 2004). His father was of
Macedonian origin but his mother was Olympias who had royal blood from that of province of
the Epirus. The ancestors of Olympias were descended from that of Molasses who was
responsible for slaying King Priam of the Troy at that of Altar of the Zeus Herkeios
(Worthington 2014). Alexander by dint of his noble birth used to think of himself as having
divine origin that set himself apart from the other rulers. His superhuman achievements along
with approbation of father Zeus made him conceive of himself as having descended from the
divinity. This essay throws light on the birth and the achievements of the great Alexander that
made him lay the claim to divinity.
There are various kinds of versions pertaining to unexplained events that surround the
birth of the young king. On the basis of one legend on day of that of Alexander’s birth, Greek
goddess of hunting Artemis was attending his birth when he temple was being razed to the
ground. The one singular story that bolstered his belief is the story that was recounted to him by
his mother before he was leaving Macedonia for that of Asia (Fredricksmeyer 2003). The mother

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of Alexander told him series of the events that occurred in night before the wedding that made
him believe in his divine birth. His mother recounted that she was asleep in the bedchamber
when there was clap of the thunder that awakened her. There was bolt of lighting that was
supposedly from King Zeus that came into her room and which struck her in the womb. It did not
harm her and it was followed by flash of the lighting. Plutarch wrote in the Greek’s lives that
Olympias told him the story before he embarked on the eastern campaign that made him believe
in the divine origin. It urged Alexander to involve himself in worthy projects that can help in
justifying his noble heritage.
King Philip thought of himself to be the descendent of the son of Zeus called Herculus
who had revelation in regard to his son. It has been stated by Plutarch that after the marriage of
King Philip he had a dream that he was pressing a seal on the womb of his wife and emblem of
that of seal was figure of lion. There are many people who dismisses the dream of Philip but it
had been interpreted by the Aristander of the Telmessus that Olympias was already carrying the
child who would emerge to be a lion-like figure (Carney and Ogden 2010). Temple priests in the
region of Siwa confirmed the suspicion about the divine parentage of Alexander and that Zeus
was the real father of Alexander.
Alexander had beliefs along with the traditions that made him deeply believe in his divine
character. He was a religious individual and he felt that Zeus was father of that of all the
mankind. Alexander believed in the fact that the gods of the Olympus were present in all the
areas and the wishes of the Gods were revealed to the people with the help of the oracles along
with the omens (Heckel and Tritle 2011). This is evident in the respect that Alexander had
relating to oracles at the Delphi along with the Siwa. Alexander used to respect rich history of
Greeks and he used to sleep with copy of Iliad that was under the pillow. He had a firm belief in

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the toils of that of forefather Heracles along with the exploit of the ancestor of his mother called
Achilles.
The superhuman achievements of Alexander made him believe that he was descended
from the divine origin. Alexander had inherited an army that was highly disciplined and he was
known as great military commander. It has been brought out by history that he did not lose a
battle. The admirers of Alexander stated that he had the ability of evaluation of enemy that
helped him in making the decision. He was able to display the remarkable talent in the event of
joining his father against Athenians at that of Chaeronea (Murison 20060. He even succeeded in
defeating famed Sacred Band of the Thebes. Alexander marched across the deserts of Asia and
he was able to earn respect of the men. The warriors saw in Alexander a commander who can
withstand all kinds of hardships that raised his stature in the eyes of the followers along with the
warriors (Roisman and Worthington 2010). He used to lead his men from that of front that raised
his stature in front of the people. Aleaxnder had beliefs that provided him with a divine glory and
the superhuman achievements of Alexander accorded him with a kind of divine stature.
The visit of Alexander to Egypt had religious along with the political consequences. It
has been stated that it helped Alexander the man in taking up the role of that of Alexander the
God. It is narrated that after Alexander crossed dessert he was able to receive some kind of
divine assistance. The divine assistance that Alexander received him help in beating the rivals in
the battle and it entrusted him with a divine character. Alexander went to the Libyan desert
inspite of being told about the dangers of crossing Libyan desert. Alexander along with his men
got lost in that of the Libyan desert (Holt 2016). It is stated by legend that there were two ravens
who helped Alexander in being directed to that of safety. On the basis of myth, Alexander was
able to sense ravens that had been sent by that of gods and it acted as a divine intervention for the

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army of Alexander. Aleander had firm belief in the concept of the divinity and he ordered his
men to follow the ravens that can help them in guiding to safety. The ravens were able to lead the
men to that of Siwa. It has been written by Plutarch that the support was received by Alexander
from that of Zeus in the form of the rain that relieved the men of fear of the thirst. Alexander
arrived at a temple where he was greeted by the priest by being called the “son of God” that
confirms his noble stature (Gabriel 2015). The priest helped in confirming the belief of
Alexander who confessed to him that he was indeed son of the Zeus and he was meant to rule
over the entire world. Alexander was hence confirmed that the blood of Zeus ran through that of
his veins and he was the true son of the great Zeus. In the event of him returning to that of
Memphis he made sacrifice to that of Zeus (Ferrill 2018). He received two delegations in
Memphis- one was from Miletus and the other one was from Erythrae. It was told to him by both
that he was indeed the son of Zeus.
Alexander used to hold beliefs that made him believe in that of the divine character. He
was an individual who was deeply religious and he had the belief that Zeus was the father of that
of all the mankind. Alexander used to believe that gods of Olympus resided at all the places and
the wish of that of the Gods was brought out to people by dint of oracles. Alexander had great
achievements that suggested the fact that he was descended from that of divine origin. The army
of Alexander was greatly disciplined and he was lauded as being a great commander who knew
how to make the people follow his orders. He could evaluate the army in the perfect manner that
greatly aided him in making crucial decisions. He showed a great amount of talent when he
joined his father against that of the Athenians. Alexander was lost in Libyan desert and the gods
helped him in finding the way to safety. The great amount of help that Alexander got from the
Gods made him believe that he descended from that of the divinity. The divine interventions

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helped Alexander in achieving the success that helped him in conquering large expanse in the
world.

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References
Carney, E. and Ogden, D. eds., 2010. Philip II and Alexander the Great: Father and Son, Lives
and Afterlives. Oxford University Press.
Ferrill, A., 2018. The origins of war: From the stone age to Alexander the Great. Routledge.
Fredricksmeyer, E., 2003. Chapter Ten: Alexander's Religion and Divinity. In Brill's Companion
to Alexander the Great (pp. 253-278). Brill.
Gabriel, R.A., 2015. The Madness of Alexander the Great: And the Myth of Military Genius. Pen
and Sword.
Heckel, W. and Tritle, L.A. eds., 2011. Alexander the Great: a new history. John Wiley & Sons.
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Blackwell.
Holt, F.L., 2016. The treasures of Alexander the Great: how one man's wealth shaped the world.
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Murison, C.L., 2006. J. Roisman, ed., Brill's Companion to Alexander the Great; Claude Mosse,
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