Deification

[dean]

Deification.Feeling inspired today- so here we go...
Why did Alexander request Greece to recognise him as a god towards the end of his life?
Could it be that as pharaoh and above all his mystical experience in Siwah he came to demand such similar recognition from Greece or is it moreover proof of his growing megalomanic condition during this phase?Or on the other hand could this request for apotheosis be, as Isocrates pointed out to Philip, that after conquering Asia the only thing left for a king would be to become a god?
Regards,
Dean.

[panos]

DeanATG did the same campaign as Dionisus before him. Dionisus was deified so accordingly ATG should.We shouldn't forget that the passion for "hysterophymia" (the reputation of a person after his death) at these times was a very strong incentive.Panos

[Tre]

I would view the reports of Alexander requesting to be worshipped as a God with a very jaundiced eye. That would not have been done - it was an affront to the Gods and Alexander was especially careful to dot his i's and cross his t's when it came to religious matters. However, the remark that an Athenian made 'well if he wants to be a god, let him be a god,' is entirely possible, but did not have to come with a request to do so. Flattery was a usful buffer against a King who could make or break you.

[dean]

Hello,Yes- I completely agree- I think that Alexander strived hard to secure his "immortality". He carved his name into eternity with a very "sharp" knife.Tre- thanx for the reply.I honestly believed that it was a kinda official request-for deification- in fact I believed I had read that Demades had convinced the likes of Demosthenes to back down and that it was wise to comply. I think that Athens even sent an embassage to Alexander which was more like a pilgrimage to a god than anything else.
But I must check on my source.Best regards,
Dean.

[marcus]

Unfortunately, I don't have any resources to hand, but my understanding is that there is nothing to suggest that Alexander ever actually requested that he be worshipped as a god by the Greek cities.On the other hand, the "if he wants to be a god, let him be a god" comment is not, in my view, flattery. It has always read to me as a very cynical response to the suggestion that Alexander be given divine honours - a sort of "if that's what he wants, let him have it... who cares?".All the bestMarcus

[yiannis]

I also think that that was the meaning of "if he wants to be God, let him be one".
On the other hand, in ancient Greece, heroes were considered demi-gods. Look at Theseus, Herakles, Castor & Polydeukes etc. and who was a greater hero than Alexander who had conquered the mighty Persian empire?
If ones looks at it from this point of view may see some truth in attempted acts of deification but I doubt that this was a generalized trend.