You’ve got mail : epistolography, mapping, and authenticity in early literature of Alexander the Great

Abstract

The Alexander Romance is a conglomerate of many different stories and traditions mingling the historical life of Alexander the Great with fantastic legends. It is not wholly historical, but it is also not wholly legendary; it draws on Alexander's historical battles with Darius and his conquests throughout the East. Because of his characteristic ambition and widespread travels, Alexander was always just out of reach from the public's hands, and it makes sense that such a life would seamlessly mold into such legends. Alexander's life, then, has always been tied up with legend, and it can be difficult to extricate one from the other.