The Christianized pre-Hellenistic Period Associated with the Kingship of Alexander the Great

This exhibition pictorially and interactively reflects the pre-Hellenistic period led by Alexander the Great across vast areas in the fourth century BCE and associates it with a twisted Christian story, "The History of Alexander, Belonging to the Holy Redeemer of the World. A Christian Romance", translated by Sir E. A. Wallis Budge and published in 1896. This story recognizes Alexander as a person of whom Christian God takes great care by blessing his army and giving him many areas from the west to the east, across Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Most of the exhibits do not specify this version of Alexander, but they provide a historical base to inspire the ideas of his romance. A few of them respectively highlight Alexander’s birth, cultural background, royalty, and the relevance with Egypt; while the rest are supplement of knowledge.

The inserted Neatline digital map of the version is the only artifact out of this story in the exhibition. It is a visual abstract about the text’s adaptation of reality out of the wild imagination.  It visually focuses on parts of Alexander’s life journey on Neatline, by highlighting his birth and growing in his hometown Macedonia, as well as a few other historical areas mostly in the west with their landmarks or surroundings written in the story. The assimilation of the Christian realms to pagan physical sites, as well as the interaction between the material and the spiritual spaces in his story are reflected in this map. 

Certain manuscripts have been added to showcase astrology relevant to Alexander’s birth in “Christian Romance” (Budge 445-446) as well as Greek culture. The passed-down stories usually add myths and romance to Alexander’s life. Mostly the versions cover his tight connection with Greece as his growing surroundings, such as the education, military training, and paganism he received. Some of them tend to dramatize certain elements like his birth and growing in a sense of mythology. The Greek version, for instance, gives Alexander an Egyptian king and magician biological father, Nectanebo, while “Christian Romance” still considers Philip to be. Yet, Philip consulted by astrology about some disasters before Alexander was born in “Christian Romance”, so that he was able to delay the birth and change his fate. Additionally, it looks like an example of a conflict that Alexander, favored by God, was associated with astrology which was forbidden in Bible (Deuteronomy 18:10-14 King James Version). It also shows a kind of coexistence between pagan and Christian cultures. The usage of an astrolabe and the sun indicates how materials bridge the human world and spirituality. Phillip’s delay of Alexander’s birth transcended this event to establish a great connection between Alexander and God (Budge 446).

Quite a few jewelleries, coinage, and statues display Alexander’s propaganda image in Greek art. Egypt plays an important role in the romance reflected by the adoption of its art features and its city of Alexandria as a predecessor of Hellenic phenomena. Philip and Aristotle appearing in some manuscripts traces Alexander’s growing in his hometown Macedonia, one of the territories in Greece; the rest referring to his enthrone and his activities in other areas imply that Alexander’s later victory was greatly attributed to his father’s efforts in governing as a foundation for nurturing and protecting in history. “Christian Romance” adds and prioritizes the spiritual realm rather than Philip. Nevertheless, Alexander is still highly valued as one that God favors in the story. Alexander inherited Greek education and reinforced his authority through spreading the Greek culture. His kingship was strengthened with some domestic tradition associating him with deities. In “Christian Romance” his motive of conquering from East to West is Christianized, although some elements may overlap with those of certain other versions, such as building Alexandria, or attacking Abyssinians.