Tarot of Alexander the Great

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

blashamma	13 Mar 2004
Is there a tarot card set that is bases on the life of Alexander the Great? If there is, I want it, if there isn't then I'm just going to have to make one aren't I? It's just that I admire Alexander, and was thinkinbg about how many of the people and events in his life seemed to match tarot cards and their meanings. So any imformation you can give me on Alexander-based decks would be awesome and well appreciated.

AmounrA	14 Mar 2004
I don't believe there is an Alexander the Great deck. I also have a great respect for him and his beliefs. I think a deck could be based on him, but it would take a lot of study to make it work. One of my favorite 'treasures' is a Greek coin showing Alexander with the horns of a ram. Alexander is often depicted in this way, and it pleases me no end that this is a direct result of Alexanders 'worship' of the Amun. ( Jupiter- Amoun). I wonder what card could be used for his visit to the Oracle of Amoun at Siwa? :-)

Cerulean	14 Mar 2004
First link...great beginning http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/Alexanderama.html 2nd, I saw an outline structure... http://www.1stmuse.com/alex3/alex-text.html As a background, this has some little bits. I didn't see some more details... How did Aristotle as his teacher influence Alexander, growing up with friends like Ptolemy who left many writings and founded one of the Egyptian dynasties after Alexander died, Alexander's military leadership, Alexander's best friend who was slain days before he died... Darius' passing, found by soldier of Alexander's before Darius took his last breath...and Darius speaking and indicating gladness he was not alone in his final moments... I'd check out these books on Amazon.com based on the link below: http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/alexander/7.html Good luck! I used one of the marble details of Alexander for a sun card that I designed--he was said to be very charismatic and handsome.

blashamma	16 Mar 2004
gracius for the links, but I already knew about them. They were my beginning points in my study of Alexader the Great long ago. I know much about Alexander the Great, and already started out mapping out ideas for a tarot set based on his life and the people in it. But I have to finish the one I'm doing now first!! I was just interested, because if there were a set about Alexander, then I wouldn't have to make one for myself. Of course, then it could have been aweful and I'd have to make one anyway. Thanks for your help!

Rusty Neon	16 Mar 2004
In _Pictorial Key to the Tarot_, Waite links the RWS 3 of Wands with Alexander the Great. The card represents "on the one hand, riches, fortune, magnificence; on the other, physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification." "The design gives one suggestion; here is a lord overlooking his dominion and alternatively contemplating a globe; it looks like the malady, the mortification, the sadness of Alexander amidst the grandeur of this world's wealth."

The Tarot of Alexander the Great thread was originally posted on 13 Mar 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.