Mature Heracles and Youthful Kings: Theocritus 17 and Hellenistic Iconography

Abstract

In the ‘genealogical’ passage of the ‘Encomium’ of Ptolemy Philadelphus Theocritus several times calls upon Heracles as the ancestor of both the Argead and Lagid dynasties, and surprisingly for his time recalls the mature image of the hero when portraying him. The present paper attempts at the interpretation of this passage in the context of the representations of Heracles in the art of the 4th century BC and the early Hellenistic age, and the assimilation of Alexander with his mythical ancestor.

Keywords

• Alexander the Great
• Heracles
• Theocritus