“È UNA COSA TERRIBILE, IL GRANDE MOSAICO”: RACCONTI E IMMAGINI DELLE BATTAGLIE DI ALESSANDRO

This contribution examines several controversial aspects of the famous mosaic in the House of the Faun, beginning with the presence of the dry tree, to which a symbolic meaning is often attributed. Another central issue concerns the identification of the battle depicted – whether it represents the Battle of Issus or that of Gaugamela. The analysis explores the complex relationship between two different genres: on the one hand, the historical reports of the event, which are often inconsistent even in sources close in time to the events and further complicated by later reinterpretations and distortions; and on the other hand, the specific requirements of visual representation. The study aims to shed light on how the image interacts with historical narratives and their transformations over time.