Author Bio: Arrain (c. 95-180) notable officer of the Roman army and historian of Alexander the Great’s campaigns. Arrain is known for his accounts of the battles and leadership of Alexander the Great. He is also well known for his descriptions of the people of India and maps of Ancient geography. “The Leadership of Alexander” was written as part of a larger collection called Anabasis.
Speaker: See Above
Date/ Context: This primary document was written while Alexander was conquering India sometime between 326 and 323 BCE. This document was written just before Alexander the Great’s death in 323 BCE. During this time Alexander and his men were seeking to conquer Northwest India thousands of miles away from their homes in Greece. Many historians believe that this conquests rationale was for Alexander the Great to occupy the entire known world.
Summary: This primary document begins with the speaker, Arrain, describing Alexander the Great and his army marching through a desert, which is known to be in present day India. The speaker then goes on to describe how Alexander and his men were parched with thirst. Alexander marches ahead of his men showing his leadership and resolve to move on. Arrain then tells the reader that a small contingent of Alexander’s men found water, put it in a helmet, and gave it to their leader. Alexander in turn then took the helmet and dumped the water into the ground. Arrain then says that this was an act of genius and proof of his unshakeable leadership.
Key Quotation: “Alexander, with a word of thanks for the gift, took the helmet, and, in full view of his troops, poured the water on the ground (133).” “...it was a proof, if anything was, not only of his power of endurance, but also of his genius for leadership (133).”
Well done Sean! You casted a very nice layout of background knowledge and historical context. I think it is also important to note Arrian's own bias and how he transfuses it into the passage. For instance, he uses very strong and opinionated phrases and in the process he projects an image of Alexander's immortality. That said it is beneficial to keep in mind that this illustration could be false because of the author's bias. Otherwise, I think that you did a great job picking out the most important quotes and I can't find anything that you missed! My only complaint is your choice in text color. It was a little hard to read in black. White might have been easier. Besides that you did a very thorough job!!! :)
ReplyDeleteGood! Arrian is noted for his complementary portrayal of Alexander.
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