ABSTRACT
The encounter with the portrait of the enigmatic Macedonian world-conqueror has evidently fascinated viewers both in antiquity and in modern times and shaped their views of desirable expressions of manhood. In the beginning of Chapter 2, the significance of looks and beauty in the cultural imaginary are discussed as a gendered matter. The first subchapter explores how Alexander's ruler cult was the result of a carefully planned policy of using visual arts to present himself as an invincible and divine monarch. The second subchapter focuses on certain features of Alexander's appearance we encounter consistently in the visual sources and in the comments the ancient authors made about these works: (1) his beardless face, (2) his gaze, (3) the poise of his neck and (4) his long hair and leonine mane. In the third subchapter, the Classical and medieval literary texts portraying Alexander as a man of surprisingly small stature, are discussed. Alexander's figure and the idealised image of him embrace male beauty and faultlessly as something desirable for all men gaining for greatness. His appearance symbolised a man who was taking control and using power over others. Thus, it represented the expression of hegemonic masculinity of the dominant groups instead of marginalised.
