Alexander Enters Jerusalem. A.M. 3672.

WAG 7719

Information

This is one of a group of drawings by British artist and book illustrator Edward Francis Burney, depicting scenes from Greek and Roman history and mythology. This story appears in the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus' 'Antiquities of the Jews', written in 93/94 CE. Alexander marches on Jerusalem after being denied the submission of the Jews by the high priest Jaddus. Alexander is greeted by and bows down to Jaddus, telling him that he had appeared to him in a dream several years before, encouraging him to conquer Persia. Josephus' account of Alexander and Jaddus is not considered to be the historical truth, however, Burney seems to be depicting the scene above.