Could anyone tell me if there is anything written about at what age Alexander read or had memorized passages from Xenophon (mainly regarding horses)?
I forget whether he was 10 or 12 when he tamed Buchephalus. Trivia, I know, but I like to get things as near-correct as possible when mentioning facts in my novel.
Alexander and Xenophon
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marcus
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Re: Alexander and Xenophon
Hi Ruth,
I'm not aware that there is a specific known age. However, I would hazard a guess that Alexander would have been about to embark on his teenage years, so maybe 9, 10 or 11.It's quite difficult to judge things like that, I find. On the one hand we thing that Xenophon, Homer et al must have been pretty tough going for a young child... but then I remember that I first read the Iliad (in translation, of course) when I was about 10. Of course, until fairly recently there wasn't really such a thing as children's literature, so when a child learned to read in Ancient Greece he/she would have had to read what was available... (I bet the average, literate child in Ancient Greece was a darn sight more literate than the average 'literate' child today - something that our beloved leaders might do well to consider when they next start screwing around with the English education system...)All the bestMarcus
I'm not aware that there is a specific known age. However, I would hazard a guess that Alexander would have been about to embark on his teenage years, so maybe 9, 10 or 11.It's quite difficult to judge things like that, I find. On the one hand we thing that Xenophon, Homer et al must have been pretty tough going for a young child... but then I remember that I first read the Iliad (in translation, of course) when I was about 10. Of course, until fairly recently there wasn't really such a thing as children's literature, so when a child learned to read in Ancient Greece he/she would have had to read what was available... (I bet the average, literate child in Ancient Greece was a darn sight more literate than the average 'literate' child today - something that our beloved leaders might do well to consider when they next start screwing around with the English education system...)All the bestMarcus
Re: Alexander and Xenophon
Hi Ruth -You can always check our timelines (in study). Buce arrived in 342 BC. Alexander was 13 or 14 at that time.Regards -
Nick
Nick
Re: Alexander and Xenophon
Hello Ruth,
I haven't had the other responses to your post so maybe I am adding nothing new.
I thought that he was the same age as Bucephalus-13 or 12 as you say.
Recently I read Xenophon's anabasis and was very bored by it but it is a piece of historical heritage and also of course our hero read it second only the the bible of Alexander- the Iliad.
He also I understand got to know the habits of the persians at night- that they always tied up their horses and were thus unprepared for battle at night.This, I have read, may have inspired him at the battle of Granicus to set off early while the Persians were still unprepared.
Best wishes Dean.
I haven't had the other responses to your post so maybe I am adding nothing new.
I thought that he was the same age as Bucephalus-13 or 12 as you say.
Recently I read Xenophon's anabasis and was very bored by it but it is a piece of historical heritage and also of course our hero read it second only the the bible of Alexander- the Iliad.
He also I understand got to know the habits of the persians at night- that they always tied up their horses and were thus unprepared for battle at night.This, I have read, may have inspired him at the battle of Granicus to set off early while the Persians were still unprepared.
Best wishes Dean.
carpe diem
Re: Alexander and Xenophon
How could you find te anabsis boring. I loved it. I think Ruth is probably more interest in one of Xenophon's other works on cavalry commanding. It was basically a text book for calavry commanders and was used down to Napolean time. I know Arrian makes mention of Alexander talking about Xenophon at Gaugamela comparing it to Cunaxa. But I doubt he actually made such a speech. However I am sure he had read everything he could on Persian tactics and landscape.