Description

A king enters Egypt. He leaves as something else.

A desert oracle of Ammon, a city called Alexandria, and stories that quickly spiral out of control—until Alexander the Great is no longer just a ruler, but a figure hovering between man and god.

The Greek sources don’t agree. That’s the point.

From Arrian to the Alexander Romance, Egypt becomes the place where history starts slipping into myth—and where Alexander is constantly being rewritten.

Two weekly sessions: one to work through the texts, one to push them further.

Ἀλέξανδρος βασιλεὺς μὲν ἐπὶ Αἰγύπτου προάγων, τρόπον τινα δὲ μετατραπεὶς ἄλλως πως ἀπέβη. φοιτήσας γὰρ πρὸς τὸ τοῦ Ἄμμωνος ἱερὸν, τὴν καλλίστην Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἔκτισεν. πολλῆς δὲ γενομένης καὶ παντοδαπῆς τῆς περὶ αὐτοῦ φήμης, πότερον θεὸς ἢ ἄνθρωπος ἔτι εἴη οὐδεὶς σαφ΄ᾔδει.

οὐδ΄ὁμολογοῦσιν οἱ τὸν βίον αὐτοῦ διηγησάμενοι. ἄλλα μὲν γὰρ Ἀρριανός, ἄλλα δὲ Πλούταρχος, ἄλλα δ΄ὁ Διόδωρος ὁ Σικελιώτης ἀναγράψαντες παραδέδωκαν. τί δ΄ὅστις παραπαίων τὸν Βίον συνέγράψεν, ὃπερ βιβλίον μᾶλλον ἔπος ἔοικε τοῦ Ὁμήρου ἄξιον ἢ ἀληθινῶν διήγημα, καὶ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο κεκόμψευται!

ταῦτα οὖν ἀναγιγνώσκοντας ἐρευνᾶν χρήσει ἡμᾶς, ὅπως ἀποθεωθείη ὁ ἀνήρ.

γενήσεται δὲ δὶς τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἡ διατριβή, τὰ μὲν ἀναγιγνωσκόντων ἡμῶν, τὰ δὲ περὶ τὰ πρότερον εἰρημένα ἅμα ἀσκούντων. 

For Whom Is This Course?

• intermediate to advanced learners of Ancient Greek

Prerequisites

• solid knowledge of Ancient Greek (at least one year of university studies or equivalent)
• prior experience speaking the language is recommended

Language of Instruction

• Ancient Greek

Texts

• The instructor will provide texts every week.

Time & Date

• Tuesdays and Sundays, 17:00-18:00 Central European Time
  April 14 – May 17, 2026 (five weeks in total, twice a week)

Teacher

Roberto Salazar

Roberto Salazar is a seminomadic classicist and polyglot obsessed with speaking Greek, Latin and Arabic and trying to always stick to proper Platonic idiom (and failing, of course). Now an Athenian, a ποτε fellow of the Ecole Normale Supérieure, and often a Cairo resident, he still dreams of Paris while guiding students through the mazes of ancient Knossos and the packed cavea of the theater of Epidaurus.

Registration

To register, please put the class into your digital shopping card and proceed to checkout. Alternatively, you can also send us an email: info@argos-didaskei.com

FAQ

Which pronunciation do you use?

We use the Erasmian pronunciation of Ancient Greek.

How many students are there in each class?

Classes are capped at six students.

Where do classes meet?

We will meet on Zoom or Teams. The teacher will send you the meeting link before the first session.

What happens after my purchase?

After you have paid you will receive a confirmation email. A week before the class starts, the teacher will send you the meeting link as well as other useful information.

Which payment methods do you offer? Can I pay by bank transfer or wire transfer?

We are currently offering the following payment methods: bank transfer (US or SEPA), wire transfer (US), Wise, PayPal, credit card.
If you want to pay via bank transfer or wire transfer, please contact us directly: info@argos-didaskei.com
If you want to pay via PayPal or credit card, just put the class or item into your virtual shopping cart and proceed to check out.

What happens if I need to cancel a class?

You can cancel your registration any time via email. If you cancel before a class has started, you will receive a full refund of the course fee you have paid minus a ten percent administration fee. If you have to cancel a class that has already started, you will receive a partial refund in direct proportion to the number of classes that you have attended minus the ten percent administration fee. For example: If you have to cancel half way in of a course, you will receive a 50% refund minus 10% percent of the originally paid course fee.

I have further questions: Who can I contact?

Feel free to write us an email: info@argos-didaskei.com