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Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613860602576896 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Babl, Bastienne |
| author2 | De Villiers, Annemarie |
| author_browse | Babl, Bastienne De Villiers, Annemarie |
| author_facet | De Villiers, Annemarie Babl, Bastienne |
| author_sort | Babl, Bastienne |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132056 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:51.481Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132056 Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages Babl, Bastienne De Villiers, Annemarie Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies. Animals Mythology, Classical in literature Literature, Medieval Civilization, Ancient Civilization, Classical Alexander the Great, 356 B.C. - 323 B.C -- Romances. Human-animal relationships -- History -- To 1500- Horses -- History -- To 1500 Knights and Knighthood UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Babl, B. 2025. Reading the Ox-Head: The Reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/492b1fe7-bd5e-430c-ab3d-554fa9659b3b ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The character of Bucephalus, the war-horse of Alexander the Great, has evolved over time and in different cultures. However, scholarship on the legends of Alexander and his reception tend to focus on Alexander himself, with little mention of his steed. This is despite the fact that Bucephalus played an integral role in the formation of Alexander’s identity and story, particularly in the representations of Alexander and his legend in horse-centric cultures like those of the ancient Mediterranean and medieval Europe. By switching one’s focus to the horse in the horse-rider duo, one gains new insight not only into Bucephalus but also into the character of Alexander. This research thus compares the depictions of Bucephalus from the ancient world (356 BCE- 500 CE) and the Late Middle Ages (1300-1500 CE), periods from which most extant works date, according to the categories of physical appearance, behaviour, and surrounding legends, by using both textual and visual sources in the form of ancient historiographies, ancient equestrian artwork, the Greek Alexander Romance, and manuscript illustrations. Both periods’ sets of depictions present Bucephalus as the ideal war-horse according to their respective cultures, with Late Middle Age depictions following a rather anachronistic path, presenting Bucephalus often as a caparisoned destrier performing charges with the lance. It is precisely the differences between the two depictions that are most eye-catching. Late Middle Age depictions present an animal with far more supernatural traits than ancient depictions. This likely developed because of the medieval fascination with exotic and fantastical creatures, best expressed in chivalric romance literature and the proliferation of bestiaries in the 13th century. Nevertheless, it is clear that in both time periods Bucephalus was regarded as an important facet to Alexander’s legend, his courage, loyalty and bond to his rider being praised above all. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die karakter van Bukefalos, Alexander die Grote se strydros, het met die verloop van tyd en in verskillende kulture ontwikkel. Navorsing oor die Alexander-legende en sy resepsie neig egter om op Alexander te fokus en weinig melding van sy perd te maak. Dit is ten spyte van die feit dat Bukefalos ‘n integrale rol in die vorm van Alexander se identiteit en verhaal gespeel het, veral in die uitbeeld van Alexander en sy legende in perd-sentriese kulture soos die´ van die antieke Mediterreense wêreld en Middeleeuse Europa. Deur die fokus in die mens-perd vriendskap na die perd te verskuif, word nuwe insig nie net in Bukefalos nie, maar ook in die karakter van Alexander bekom. Hierdie navorsing vergelyk dus uitbeeldings van Bukefalos uit die antieke tyd (356-500 v.C.) en die Laat Middeleeue (1300-1500 n.C.), tydperke waarvoor ons die meeste behoue werke het, volgens die kategorieë̈ fisiese voorkoms, gedrag en gepaardgaande legendes, deur van teks- sowel as visuele bronne gebruik te maak: historiografie, antieke ruiterkunswerke, die Griekse Alexander Ridderroman en manuskrip illustrasies. Die stel afbeeldings uit beide tydperke beeld Bukefalos as ideale strydros volgens die vereistes van die betrokke kultuur uit, met Laat Middeleeuse afbeeldings wat dikwels anakronisties is en Bukefalos in volle mondering as ‘n Middeleeuse strydros voorstel met lans en al. Dit is juis die verskille tussen die twee stelle afbeeldings wat die oog die meeste vang. Laat Middeleeuse afbeeldings beeld ‘n dier uit wat baie meer bonatuurlike eienskappe toon as in sy antieke uitbeelding. Dit het waarskynlik so ontwikkel weens die Middeleeuse aangetrokkenheid tot eksotiese en denkbeeldige wesens wat in ridderromans en die volop bestiaria in die dertiende eeu ten sterkste na vore kom. Dit is nogtans duidelik dat Bukefalos in beide periodes as ‘n belangrike deel van Alexander se legende beskou is en dat sy dapperheid, lojaliteit en band met sy ruiter veral geloof is. Masters 2025-05-21T10:26:41Z 2025-05-21T10:26:41Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132056 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 163 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Animals Mythology, Classical in literature Literature, Medieval Civilization, Ancient Civilization, Classical Alexander the Great, 356 B.C. - 323 B.C -- Romances. Human-animal relationships -- History -- To 1500- Horses -- History -- To 1500 Knights and Knighthood UCTD Babl, Bastienne Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages |
| title | Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages |
| title_full | Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages |
| title_fullStr | Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages |
| title_short | Reading the ox-head: the reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages |
| title_sort | reading the ox head the reception of bucephalus in the late middle ages |
| topic | Animals Mythology, Classical in literature Literature, Medieval Civilization, Ancient Civilization, Classical Alexander the Great, 356 B.C. - 323 B.C -- Romances. Human-animal relationships -- History -- To 1500- Horses -- History -- To 1500 Knights and Knighthood UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132056 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bablbastienne readingtheoxheadthereceptionofbucephalusinthelatemiddleages |