Alexander III Primary Sources

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Primary sources are a key part in studying the history of a culture. It can tell us many things about what happened during that time and can give us a new perspective as to why thing ran a certain way. Primary sources are not simply written texts though. It can be any document or physical object that was written or credited during the time period under study. This means primary sources can be letters, original photographs, newspapers, slabs of rock with writing on it, speeches, painting, and much more. Primary sources tell the historian studying the culture things that she could not get from secondary sources or even tertiary sources. Primary sources are very important when conducting research and a vital new perspective to the culture.

Another
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He, in fact, is Alexander III’s only sculptor because Alexander believes Lysippos was the sculptor with the talent to depict the ruler properly (1). Alexander III commanded Lysippus to be Alexander III’s personal sculptor because Lysippus was the only one that could reveal Alexander’s character and virtues when molded into bronze (Plutarch 443). “The other [sculptors] wished to imitate the flexing of his neck and liquid softness of his eyes, but were unable to preserve his virile and leonine expression (443).” Lysippus was a valid sculptor for this primary source because he was a famous sculptor first known for his portraits. He was trusted by many credible men such as Alexander the Great and many others. The characteristics displayed in the sculpture of Alexander’s head displays characteristics that were not possible to explain though words. This sculpture captures the value and power Alexander held and represents his courageousness and heroism. These characteristics and virtues are important when describing Alexander the Great and this sculpture expresses them flawlessly. It tells historians the purpose Alexander had while ruling without having to read a word of text.

There can be many suspicions behind this sculpture as well though. For instance, was Lysippus only sculpting Alexander in this way because that was what Alexander demanded? Did Alexander threaten
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From cave art, to painted vases, the original art itself can be a primary source because it is from the time of study and not recreated. A unique primary source could be prehistoric cave paintings from as late as forty thousand years ago. Though these painting often were not titled, it is known when they were made, and therefore, by whom they were made, usually by the first Modern Humans or the latest Neanderthals. The cave art always varied. From humans, to animals, to events which occurred, these modern humans who created these cave paintings were not artistically impaired. The paintings were always well done and usually in detail. It would have been expected for the painting to be simply stick figures of the creatures the intended to make but instead, they had normal body proportions and were doing what the creature would usually do. For example, a cave art painting of a bull had the correct proportions, with detailed horns and etc., and they were usually eating or attacking, which is what bulls actually do. They did not depict the bulls as dancing ballerinas or in some other obscure position which tells historians and anthropologists a lot about the