ABSTRACT
One of the most controversial aspects of Alexander's life is his apparent belief in his own divinity. The figure of the Macedonian king was semi-divine while alive,1 and it is possible that Philip II was deified on his death in 336. As Alexander's reign progressed, he strove to outdo his father's achievements, and deification while alive was clearly one way to do so. Perhaps at first Alexander sought to be recognized as a god in an effort to maintain the conquered peoples' unity and loyalty to him. However, as his megalomania grew in the later part of his reign, he seems to have held the belief that he was divine, dressing in imitation of various deities, having incense burned in honour of him (Source 105), and even thinking that his exploits outstripped those of Dionysus, as one of his motives for invading Arabia reveals (Source 106).
