Historia de preliis

The Historia de preliis Alexandri Magni (History of Alexander's Battles), more commonly known as the Historia de preliis (History of Battles), refers to a Latin translation and the main abridgements of a work that was originally as the Nativitas et victoria Alexandri Magni regis. This work was first produced by Leo the Archpriest in the tenth century as a Latin translation of the Greek Alexander Romance of Pseudo-Callisthenes. Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries, the Historia went through three major recensions and it is through these recensions that the text is known today as the original is lost. The three recensions are called I¹, I², and I³ (also called J¹, J², and J³ in some publications). Their influence was enormous on medieval European literature, spawning an immense number of translations into almost every vernacular and subsequently making Alexander a household name in the European Middle Ages.^[1] The Alexander Romance, through the Latin Historia, underwent more translations than any text with the exception of the Gospels.^[2]

The name Historia de preliis is an abbreviation of the name Liber Alexandria Philippi Macedonum qui primus regnavit in Grecia et de proeliis eiusdem. This is the name for the work known from its oldest known manuscript, Bodleian Rawlinson B 149.^[3]

Leo's prologue at the beginning of the text states that when he found the manuscript, he immediately began to work on its translation before bringing it back to Naples.^[4] The prologue also follows up on a debate that went back to among the earliest Christians, concerning the value of pagan literature and knowledge. The prologue takes the argument that not only were the pagans in some respects capable of virtue, but that because they were, the Christian must be evermore a reflection of a virtuous life. Alexander's legendary life represented a form of virtuous military action that the story sought to recount.^[5]

^ Stoneman, Richard (2022). "Introduction: Formation and Diffusion of the Alexander Legend". In Stoneman, Richard (ed.). A history of Alexander the Great in world culture. Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-1-107-16769-8.
^ Hofmann, Heinz, ed. (2004). Latin fiction: the Latin novel in context. London: Routledge. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-415-14722-4.
^ Stoneman, Richard (2011). "Primary Sources from the Classical and Early Medieval Periods". In Zuwiyya, Zachary David (ed.). A companion to Alexander literature in the Middle Ages. Brill's companions to the Christian tradition. Leiden Boston: Brill. p. 18. ISBN 978-90-04-18345-2.
^ Stoneman, Richard (2011). "The Alexander Romance in Italy". In Zuwiyya, Zachary David (ed.). A companion to Alexander literature in the Middle Ages. Brill's companions to the Christian tradition. Leiden Boston: Brill. p. 330. ISBN 978-90-04-18345-2.
^ Zink, Michel (2002). "The Prologue to the Historia de Preliis: A Pagan Model of Spiritual Struggle". In Maddox, Donald; Sturm-Maddox, Sara (eds.). The Medieval French Alexander. Albany: State University of New York Press. pp. 21–27. ISBN 978-0-7914-5443-5.

[:11-1] Stoneman, Richard (2022). "Introduction: Formation and Diffusion of the Alexander Legend". In Stoneman, Richard (ed.). A history of Alexander the Great in world culture. Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-1-107-16769-8.

[2] Hofmann, Heinz, ed. (2004). Latin fiction: the Latin novel in context. London: Routledge. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-415-14722-4.

[3] Stoneman, Richard (2011). "Primary Sources from the Classical and Early Medieval Periods". In Zuwiyya, Zachary David (ed.). A companion to Alexander literature in the Middle Ages. Brill's companions to the Christian tradition. Leiden Boston: Brill. p. 18. ISBN 978-90-04-18345-2.

[4] Stoneman, Richard (2011). "The Alexander Romance in Italy". In Zuwiyya, Zachary David (ed.). A companion to Alexander literature in the Middle Ages. Brill's companions to the Christian tradition. Leiden Boston: Brill. p. 330. ISBN 978-90-04-18345-2.

[5] Zink, Michel (2002). "The Prologue to the Historia de Preliis: A Pagan Model of Spiritual Struggle". In Maddox, Donald; Sturm-Maddox, Sara (eds.). The Medieval French Alexander. Albany: State University of New York Press. pp. 21–27. ISBN 978-0-7914-5443-5.

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