Beyond Alexandria: Literature and Empire in the Seleucid World

Abstract

This thesis aims to provide a better understanding of Seleucid literature, covering the period from Seleucus I to Antiochus III. Despite the historical importance of the Seleucid Empire during this period, little attention has been devoted to its literature. The works of authors affiliated with the Seleucid court have tended to be overshadowed by works coming out of Alexandria, emerging from the court of the Ptolemies, the main rivals of the Seleucids. This thesis makes two key points, both of which challenge the idea that “Alexandrian” literature is coterminous with Hellenistic literature as a whole. First, the thesis sets out to demonstrate that a distinctly Seleucid strand of writing emerged from the Seleucid court, characterised by shared perspectives and thematic concerns. Second, the thesis argues that Seleucid literature was significant on the wider Hellenistic stage. Specifically, it aims to show that the works of Seleucid authors influenced and provided counterpoints to writers based in Alexandria, including key figures such as Eratosthenes and Callimachus. For this reason, the literature of the Seleucids is not only interesting in its own right; it also provides an important entry point for furthering our understanding of Hellenistic literature in general.