What artwork is mosaic that depicts the battle between the armies of Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia?

The Alexander Mosaic
The Alexander Mosaic is a Roman floor mosaic from the House of the Faun in Pompeii. It was made in 100 BC. It shows a battle between the armies of Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia.

What does the Alexander Mosaic represent?

The mosaic depicts Alexander the Great’s defeat of the Persian king Darius; the detail here illustrates Alexander himself. In its entirety the mosaic measures 5.82 x 3.13m (19ft x 10ft 3in), and is made of around a million tesserae (small mosaic tiles).

How the Alexander Mosaic was used?

The Alexander Mosaic was preserved due to the volcanic ash that collected over the mosaic during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the city of Pompeii in 79 AD. This Roman artwork was found inlaid into the ground of the House of the Faun in between two open peristyles. The mosaic was used to decorate the exedra.

What is the Alexander Mosaic based on?

Philoxenus of Eretria
The Alexander mosaic is thought to be based on a painting which Philoxenus of Eretria created for King Cassander of Macedonia. The painting is described by Pliny the Elder as representing “the battle of Alexander with Darius.” Certain inconsistencies in the mosaic point to its derivation from another source.

How big is the mosaic of Alexander the Great?

Alexander the Great Confronts Darius III at the Battle of Issos (or possibly Battle of Gaugamela), floor mosaic, House of the Faun at Pompeii, Italy. 1st century CE Roman copy of a Greek wall painting of c. 310 BCE, perhaps by Philoxenos or Eretria or Helen of Egypt. Entire panel 8’10” x 17′ (2.7 x 5.2 m).

How is Darius the Great positioned in the mosaic?

Darius is positioned holding a rope or rein in his left arm while his right arm is outstretched towards Alexander. Directly in front of the king’s chariot is a soldier holding the reins to his horse. The horse is a large figure that draws much attention because of its backward facing positioning.

How did Alexander the Great defeat Darius the Great?

The mosaic illustrates a battle in which Alexander faced and attempted to capture or kill Darius. Alexander defeated him at the Battle of Issus and two years later at the Battle of Gaugamela.

Where is the copy of the Alexander Mosaic?

Today, the Alexander mosaic in the House of the Faun is a copy and the original mosaic is located in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. The original mosaic was discovered at the House of the Faun in 1831; it was located on the floor of the exedra, which is a rectangular room off of the first peristyle court.