Alexander the Great is one of the most famous figures from antiquity and his story has been told and retold hundreds of times in the centuries since his death in 323 – but always from the same perspective. The Alexander we encounter is the Alexander of a handful of historians writing at the height of the Roman Empire. So what should we do with Alexander in the 21st Century? In this talk, Harrison proposes a new methodology that allows us to explore different perspectives on Alexander’s reign and consider the ways in which indigenous communities respond to the presence of colonizing powers. Local people did much more than just reacting to Alexander’s arrival and actively sought to gain an advantage from his presence. This had a fundamental impact on his campaign. Thus, Harrison offers the very first attempt to develop a sustained history of Alexander from below.
Featuring: Dr. Stephen Harrison Swansea University
Thursday, May 2 at 5:00 pm
HUMN 135
Free and open to the public
Generously sponsored by the Classics Department, the GCAH Visiting Scholars Program, and the CWCTP
The Center for Western Civilization, Thought and Policy funds research and educational initiatives that contribute to critical reflection on the development of Western civilization. All CU Boulder faculty and students are eligible to apply. If you are interested in applying for a CWCTP faculty grant, deadlines are rolling throughout the year.