A construção de um modelo de princeps: Quinto Cúrcio e a imagem de Alexandre, o Grande no século I d.C

Abstract

In this dissertation, we propose to analyse the form of the construction of Alexander of Macedon’s image, carried out by the Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus’ “The Histories of Alexander the Great”, established an ideal model of Roman princeps, during the turbulent years of the first century after Christ. Our hypothesis is that the author at the same time he produced a document with the rigor expected from a historian (careful analysis and criticism of his primary sources) also shows impressions and opinion about the exercise of the magistracries in Rome. Being the princeps the first among the citizens, his conduct must be the most virtuous of all and the judiciary exercise must prevail for the mos maiorum preservation, political, legal and administrative ordering of the urbs as well. From the reverence to Alexander’s figure, who had great fascination from Roman Elite, principes and candidates who tried to reproduce his achievements in order to equalise their glory to Phillip’s son who conquered half of the known world before he was 30. We understood that the author, by Alexander’s biography, listed the exempla of virtues and vices in order to define, to Roman’s eyes, the best and the worst practices a ruler can adopt in the power exercise. It is, therefore, the construction of an ideal model of princeps, in order to be used by any occupant or magistracy aspirant. In a way that from the emulation of the Macedonian king , the ruler can act correctly.