Cassius Dio and the Imitatio Alexandri
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20064800 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Frances Pownall (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Pages | 253-278 |
| Publication date | 2022-02-22 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | The Intellectual Climate of Cassius Dio (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Brill (PUBLISHER • NL) |
| DOI | 10.1163/9789004510517_011 |
| OpenAlex | W4221061329 |
| ISBN | 9789004510517 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
Cassius Dio’s narrative of two episodes involving imitations of Alexander the Great (Caracalla’s crossing of the Hellespont and the mysterious appearance of an Alexander-daimon in connection with the accession of Alexander Severus) sheds light on the ways in which he engaged with the contemporary tradition on this larger-than-life historical figure. By unmasking the Severans’ attempts to appropriate Alexander as debased forms of imitatio Alexandri, Dio warns that Alexander is not an appropriate model for imperial rule. Dio’s problematization of Alexander the Great offers a stark contrast to the idealizing portrayal by Greek writers in the Antonine Period such as Plutarch and Arrian
Aesthetics · Ancient history · Art · Literature · Narrative · Problematization · Byzantine Studies and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · History · Organic Chemistry Synthesis Methods · Philosophy
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |