The Surprising Links Between Alexander the Great and Christianity

Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

a reply to: PanPiper

Wow, you couldn't make this stuff up!

... oh wait, you could.

a reply to: chr0naut

wow, maybe i didnt source it?

... Oh wait, i did..

I wish you guys sometimes, just put a little effort in trying..
Would make my life more fun in the process..

a reply to: chr0naut

The Parallel Lives
by
Plutarch
published in Vol. VII
of the Loeb Classical Library edition,
1919

page. 225-253

link to book - Amazon

Big boy world.. Ill introduce you sometime to it..

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: PanPiper

Wow, you couldn't make this stuff up!

... oh wait, you could.

Could you expand on your indifference instead of making a smarmy comment.
No wonder Natalia Klimczak isn't a member here.

If A member posted such a theory in such detail on ATS would that be your same response?
I would really like to hear your counter argument so that we can learn and discuss the issues and faults that Natalia purposes.

At the end of the day It's all conjecture... A subject you're obviously educated in, or else why you have responded?
I'm sure it wasn't to look stupid on such matters?

Perhaps Natalia may respond, you know like all amicable and such.

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

Hmmm, not sure the word hypothetically actually proves anything, and as the lion has been a symbol of power since before Alexander I'm also not too sure about that his patronage of it as a symbol makes it the only reference point for why cultures decided to use it. Not taking anything away from what he and his army achieved, but I think things can sometimes be stretched a little far based on assumptions and opinions.

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

Hmmm, not sure the word hypothetically actually proves anything, and as the lion has been a symbol of power since before Alexander I'm also not too sure about that his patronage of it as a symbol makes it the only reference point for why cultures decided to use it. Not taking anything away from what he and his army achieved, but I think things can sometimes be stretched a little far based on assumptions and opinions.

I don't know...I'm with you Alexander prob actually designed or chose his own standards....

But the scale at which he has been copied and his name recognition has been nearly unique in all of history. Outside of the Americas, no king or Nobel in all that time, ever m died without hearing of Alexander the Great.

I would be willing to bet, more people have said the name Alexander, referring to him specifically, than any other human being in existence..

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

Hmmm, not sure the word hypothetically actually proves anything, and as the lion has been a symbol of power since before Alexander I'm also not too sure about that his patronage of it as a symbol makes it the only reference point for why cultures decided to use it. Not taking anything away from what he and his army achieved, but I think things can sometimes be stretched a little far based on assumptions and opinions.

I don't know...I'm with you Alexander prob actually designed or chose his own standards....

But the scale at which he has been copied and his name recognition has been nearly unique in all of history. Outside of the Americas, no king or Nobel in all that time, ever m died without hearing of Alexander the Great.

I would be willing to bet, more people have said the name Alexander, referring to him specifically, than any other human being in existence..

There's that story of a 33 year old man who came upon a statue of Alexander.

.

in Gades he saw a statue of Alexander the Great, and lamented that he had as yet performed no memorable act, whereas at his age -33 years old- Alexander had already conquered the whole world.

Source

It was Julius Caesar

Putin probably laments that he hasn't conquered the world like Alexander either, to put it in modern perspective. Alexander's fame will never be matched and gets associated with all kinds of stuff.

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: PanPiper

Wow, you couldn't make this stuff up!

... oh wait, you could.

I thought he was making fun of religion, as in it's made up. I don't think it was a knock on your topic.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

Hmmm, not sure the word hypothetically actually proves anything, and as the lion has been a symbol of power since before Alexander I'm also not too sure about that his patronage of it as a symbol makes it the only reference point for why cultures decided to use it. Not taking anything away from what he and his army achieved, but I think things can sometimes be stretched a little far based on assumptions and opinions.

I don't know...I'm with you Alexander prob actually designed or chose his own standards....

But the scale at which he has been copied and his name recognition has been nearly unique in all of history. Outside of the Americas, no king or Nobel in all that time, ever m died without hearing of Alexander the Great.

I would be willing to bet, more people have said the name Alexander, referring to him specifically, than any other human being in existence..

I didn't suggest he designed his own standards - he may have for all I know but my suggestion was many of the themes used (you mentioned lions) were standard at the time for strength and supremacy and didn't originate with him.

Tinfoil beat me to it with Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ (assuming he existed), Mohammed, etc. Genghis Khan is probably not far behind Alexander either. I think you might be overstating his resonance a little now - a lot of people today if they were aware of him at all would probably only know him through the bloody awful Colin Farrell film.

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

Hmmm, not sure the word hypothetically actually proves anything, and as the lion has been a symbol of power since before Alexander I'm also not too sure about that his patronage of it as a symbol makes it the only reference point for why cultures decided to use it. Not taking anything away from what he and his army achieved, but I think things can sometimes be stretched a little far based on assumptions and opinions.

I don't know...I'm with you Alexander prob actually designed or chose his own standards....

But the scale at which he has been copied and his name recognition has been nearly unique in all of history. Outside of the Americas, no king or Nobel in all that time, ever m died without hearing of Alexander the Great.

I would be willing to bet, more people have said the name Alexander, referring to him specifically, than any other human being in existence..

I didn't suggest he designed his own standards - he may have for all I know but my suggestion was many of the themes used (you mentioned lions) were standard at the time for strength and supremacy and didn't originate with him.

Tinfoil beat me to it with Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ (assuming he existed), Mohammed, etc. Genghis Khan is probably not far behind Alexander either. I think you might be overstating his resonance a little now - a lot of people today if they were aware of him at all would probably only know him through the bloody awful Colin Farrell film.

My bad meant to say "I doubt he designed or chose most of his symbols.."

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: uncommitted

originally posted by: JoshuaCox

originally posted by: PanPiper
Alexander The Great was a man who had a lion on his chest and spoke with dragons of the east..He was a King for the people.. Yet a few knows the link between the start of Christianity and his life..

Alexander the Great died three centuries before Christianity officially appeared, but his cult was so strong that some symbols connected with the ancient Macedonian king were adopted by the new religion. Moreover, one of the most famous churches in Italy contains an adventurous history connected with him. When Christianity started to gain more popularity, bishops expanded their influence very quickly. They tried to destroy ancient cults, but many people kept their faith in the old Gods. Moreover, some of them supposed that the new faith was not really new, but just a different presentation of the old beliefs.

Link

Alexander the Great was such an incredibly inflential figure, his stories and symbols have been adopted by nearly every society.

I'm not sure how Christianity being one of countless organizations that are stealing his symbolism, means he is tied to it....

A fair headline might be..

"Christianity adopted some symbols used by Alexander, just like everyone else."

I think it would be fairer to say that some symbols are almost universal and have been used by various cultures over millennia. Besides, the link provided also pointed out that Jesus is believed to have had the same colour as Alexander - wow, that's a one in a million coincidence surely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kind of shows the speculation that the link appears to believe stands as factual.

I feel ya, though I think it changes the dynamic when some one specifically copies a symbol from a specific source. Hypothetically Alexander chose his symbols because he likes them.

Everyone else chose them specifically because Alexander liked them..

Hmmm, not sure the word hypothetically actually proves anything, and as the lion has been a symbol of power since before Alexander I'm also not too sure about that his patronage of it as a symbol makes it the only reference point for why cultures decided to use it. Not taking anything away from what he and his army achieved, but I think things can sometimes be stretched a little far based on assumptions and opinions.

I don't know...I'm with you Alexander prob actually designed or chose his own standards....

But the scale at which he has been copied and his name recognition has been nearly unique in all of history. Outside of the Americas, no king or Nobel in all that time, ever m died without hearing of Alexander the Great.

I would be willing to bet, more people have said the name Alexander, referring to him specifically, than any other human being in existence..

I didn't suggest he designed his own standards - he may have for all I know but my suggestion was many of the themes used (you mentioned lions) were standard at the time for strength and supremacy and didn't originate with him.

Tinfoil beat me to it with Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ (assuming he existed), Mohammed, etc. Genghis Khan is probably not far behind Alexander either. I think you might be overstating his resonance a little now - a lot of people today if they were aware of him at all would probably only know him through the bloody awful Colin Farrell film.

My bad meant to say "I doubt he designed or chose most of his symbols.."

Julius Ceaser is prob second but I'm betting Jesus is a not real close third...

Alexander has literally been a house hold since he died in 300bc(?). Ceaser has since his death, but that was 250 years of Alexander penis envy later.

Jesus wasn't a house hold name in Europe for nearly a thousand years.

Oooh then there is the people who omitted the competeing religious icons.


(I really jacked up that previous post by not proof reading it... My apologies.

Yes.. very interesting.

The song Alexander the Great by Iron Maiden mentions this..



I don't know about this cheesy video but since complaints were made about the terrible Colin Farrel movie I decided to go with this cartoon AMV instead.

Enjoy a great song.