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Making of Alexander's Myth and the Politico-Cultural Situation in the Eastern Mediterranean World

Research Project

Project/Area Number 16520453
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field History of Europe and America
Research InstitutionTeikyo University

Principal Investigator

MORITANI Kimitoshi  Teikyo University, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Assistant Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (60183662)

Project Period (FY) 2004 – 2006
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2006)
Budget Amount *help
¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
Fiscal Year 2004: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
KeywordsAlexander the Great / Macedon / Achaemenid Persia / Ancient Greece / Hellenism / Plutarch / フェニキア / 東方遠征 / シリア / エジプト / ファラオ / バビロン / マルドゥク神 / オリエント / 王権の正統性 / 古代マケドニア王国 / ゴルディオンの結び目 / 古代ギリシア史 / 歴史家カリステネス / フリュギア / ミダス王
Research Abstract

The research result is a new translation of Plutarch Biography of Alexander the Great.
The reasons of the selecting of this work are following
(1) This was written 4 centuries after the death of Alexander, so utilizes many works of the lost historians.
(2) It describes not only the important events but also abundantly the daily and personal behaviors and saying of Alexander.
(3) It records the different and even contradictory traditions on the same events with the names of authors on each side.
(4) Plutarch' own comments often reflect the values and Alexander's images among the Romans in the early Imperial Age.
In such a way Plutarch Alexander is an important source for tracing the making and development of Alexander's myth from his reign and through the Hellenistic age to the Imperia Rome.
The main features of this work are following.
(1) The works utilized by Plutarch widely range from history, geography, religion and the sensational stories. Above all on Orient, he appears to assemble all the knowledge which the Romans then had.
(2) He estimates Alexander as an excellent King and General, almost revival of a Hero. He tends to excessively idealize Alexander's personality as in the case of his attitude toward to the Persian royal women. While he tires to apologize the king's faults such as the murder of companion.
(3) He describes the expedition in religious context with oracles and divine protection, so he tries to justify the behaviors of Alexander under the name of Gods. On the other hand he takes a critical stance against Alexander's regarding himself as son of God, which reflects the cool mind of the Romans toward deification of the human being.

Report

(4 results)
  • 2006 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 2005 Annual Research Report
  • 2004 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (5 results)

All 2007 2004

All Journal Article (3 results) Book (2 results)

  • [Journal Article] Conquest and Myth of Alexander the Great2007

    • Author(s)
      Kimitoshi Moritani
    • Journal Title

      Kodansha Publisher Jan

      Pages: 382-382

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2006 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] アレクサンドロス大王とオリエント : バビロンを中心に2004

    • Author(s)
      森谷公俊
    • Journal Title

      別冊『環』 8

      Pages: 226-235

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2006 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Journal Article] Alexander the Great and Orient ; A Case Study on Babylon2004

    • Author(s)
      Kimitoshi Moritani
    • Journal Title

      Kan-Extra 8

      Pages: 226-235

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2006 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Book] アレクサンドロスの征服と神話(興亡の世界史01巻)2007

    • Author(s)
      森谷公俊
    • Total Pages
      382
    • Publisher
      講談社
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2006 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Book] アレクサンドロスの征服と神話 (興亡の世界史01巻)2007

    • Author(s)
      森谷公俊
    • Total Pages
      382
    • Publisher
      講談社
    • Related Report
      2006 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2004-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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