Are there any surviving portraits of Alexander the Great that were made during his life?
Despite his immense historical significance, there are no known surviving portraits of Alexander the Great that were created during his lifetime. This is unusual, as it was common for ancient Greek and Roman rulers to commission realistic portraits of themselves.
There are a few possible explanations for this lack of portraits. One possibility is that Alexander died young, at the age of 32, and simply did not have time to commission a portrait. Another possibility is that he was not interested in having his likeness recorded, as he was more concerned with his legacy as a military conqueror than his physical appearance.
Whatever the reason, the lack of surviving portraits of Alexander the Great has left us with a limited understanding of his physical appearance. The only reliable source of information we have about his appearance is a description provided by the ancient Greek historian Arrian, who wrote that Alexander was "of medium height, with a fair complexion, and light brown hair."
Related Questions:
- What other ancient Greek rulers are known to have commissioned portraits?
- Why are there so few surviving portraits of Alexander the Great?
- What other sources of information do we have about Alexander the Great's physical appearance?
- How has the lack of surviving portraits affected our understanding of Alexander the Great?
- What do the existing descriptions of Alexander the Great's appearance tell us about his character?
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