The Legend of Seleucus

The Legend of Seleucus Kingship, Narrative and Mythmaking in the Ancient World

First paperback edition

Paperback (26 Nov 2020)

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Publisher's Synopsis

In the chaos that followed the death of Alexander the Great his distinguished marshal Seleucus was reduced to a fugitive, with only a horse to his name. But by the time of his own death, Seceucus had reconstructed the bulk of Alexander's empire, built Antioch, and become a king in his turn, one respected for justness in an age of cruelty. The dynasty he founded was to endure for three centuries. Such achievements richly deserved to be projected into legend, and so they were. This legend told of Seleucus' divine siring by Apollo, his escape from Babylon with an enchanted talisman, his foundations of cities along a dragon-river with the help of Zeus' eagles, his surrender of his new wife to his besotted son, and his revenge, as a ghost, upon his assassin. This is the first book in any language devoted to the reconstruction of this fascinating tradition.

Book information

ISBN: 9781316616529
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Pub date:
Edition: First paperback edition
DEWEY: 939.43092
DEWEY edition: 23
Language: English
Number of pages: 400
Weight: 576g
Height: 199mm
Width: 374mm
Spine width: 26mm