What are the roots of the Byzantine Alexander the Great?

How did his image evolve and how was it projected in Byzantine literature, historiography, rhetoric, epistolography, strategy, art, tradition, and theology?

Why was he depicted ascending high into the heavens, and what is his true essence?

Utilizing evidence from written sources and archaeological findings, this work attempts for the first time a systematic recording and portrayal of the overall perception of Alexander the Great in Byzantium, with a brief introductory reference to the legacy of antiquity. Special emphasis is given to the description and interpretation of the Byzantine representation of Alexander's ascension to heaven in comparison with the corresponding representations from the rest of medieval Europe.