Alexander's Portraits
Alexander the Great (*356; r. 336-323): the Macedonian king who defeated his Persian colleague Darius III Codomannus and conquered the Achaemenid Empire. During his campaigns, Alexander visited a.o. Egypt, Babylonia, Persis, Media, Bactria, the Punjab, and the valley of the Indus. In the second half of his reign, he had to find a way to rule his newly conquered countries. Therefore, he made Babylon his capital and introduced the oriental court ceremonial, which caused great tensions with his Macedonian and Greek officers.
Portraits of Alexander the Great
The portrait that is usually considered as the most acurate, is the Azara Herm. It is supposed to be based on a portrait by Lysippus.
The Azara herm |
The Azara herm |
The Azara herm |
The Azara herm |
Lysippus' Portrait
Here are some copies of another bust of Alexander, also identified as the one made by Lysippus.
Pergamon, Portrait of Alexander the Great |
Copy of Lysippus' Alexander |
Lysippus' Alexander |
Giannitsa, Portrait of Alexander the Great |
Coins and Medaillons
Macedonian cavalry attacking an Indian elephant |
Alexander the Great with a lion's skin |
Alexander the Great, coin by Lysimachus |
Coin from Byblos: Heracles-Melqart with the features of Alexander the Great |
Abukir, Medaillon of Alexander with diadem |
Abukir, Medaillon of Alexander, with the abduction Europa on his helmet |
Abukir, Medaillon of Alexander with the zodiac on his shield |
Busts
There are 23 items in Alexander's Portraits - alexanders:
Delos, Portrait of Alexander the Great |
Alexandria, Alexander the Great |
Athens, Acropolis, Portrait of Alexander the Great |
Italica, Alexander the Great |
Rhodes, Portrait of Alexander the Great |
Rhodes, Portrait of Alexander the Great as Helios |
Alexander the Great with an elephant's skin |
Aphrodisias, Shield portrait of Alexander the Great |
Alexander the Great |
Alexander the Great (Stuttgart) |
Alexander the Great |
The Rondanini Alexander |
Free-standing sculpture
Alexandria, Alexander the Great as City Founder |
Alexandria, Alexander the Great (part of a group with Hephaestion) |
Begram, Alexander on horseback |
Cyrene, Trajanic Baths, Alexander the Great |
Alexander (bronze figurine) |
Alexander after Chaeronea ("Rondanini Alexander"). Part of a triumphal statue of king Philip |
The Albani Alexander |
Alexander, Statuette from Lower Egypt |
Alexander the Great |
Athribis, Alexander on horseback with an elephant's skin |
Alexander the Great |
Reliefs and Wall Paintings
Sidon, Royal Tombs, Chamber 3, Alexander sarcophagus (02) Alexander |
Pompeii, House of the Faun, Alexander Mosaic, detail: Alexander himself |
Luxor, Alexander the Great |
Fayaz Tepe, Wall painting of Alexander the Great |