The Ptolemy Painting? Alexander's “right-hand man” and the origins of the Alexander Mosaic
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12372169 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Joshua J Thomas (0000-0001-6353-397X, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 306-321 |
| Publication date | 2021-11-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Roman Archaeology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1047-7594 • E-ISSN: 2331-5709 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s1047759421000532 |
| OpenAlex | W3208020556 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 13 |
This article revisits the origins of the Alexander Mosaic at Pompeii by focusing on the figure standing at Alexander's right hand. The starting point is Andreas Rumpf's suggestion that this “right-hand man” may be the patron of the original painting, who wished to advertise his own role in the represented battle. It is argued that Ptolemy I is perhaps the strongest candidate on historical grounds, and that interesting connections can be drawn between the mosaic and the historian Kleitarchos, who worked at the Ptolemaic court. Circumstantial support for a Ptolemaic connection is supplied by other finds from the House of the Faun, three of which are briefly re-examined
Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Art history · Battle · Circumstantial evidence · Mosaic · Painting · Ptolemy's table of chords · Visual arts · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classics · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History · Philosophy
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |