The Horns of Amun and Alexander the Great

The Horns of Amun/Ammon, also known as Ammonis cornua, is an important feature of one of Ancient Egypt’s most important deities. It later became associated with Alexander the Great, solidifying his place as Egypt’s rightful ruler.

 

Sheep imagery is often associated with the sacred.

            Priests, for example, were the only people permitted to wear wool. Considering Egypt is (quite obviously) a desert, I doubt many people objected to this delineation.

Most ramheaded deities had horns that loosely spiralled towards the side. These are the horns of the barbary sheep (Ovis longipes paleo-aegyptiacus). The imagery persisted long after the barbary sheep went extinct.

However, the Horns of Amun curled down and forward like those of Ovis platyura aegyptiaca. This matches the Kushite imagery of ramheaded deities. Fossilised snails and ammonites (named after Ammon) were associated with the Horns of Amun.

So it’s quite clear in Egypt when horns are merely sacred (Ovis longipes paleo-aegyptiacus) or associated uniquely with Amun (Ovis platyura aegyptiaca).

 

So what’s Alexander the Great got to do with the Horns of Amun>

Well, he stopped his veracious conquering in order to go on pilgrimage to the Siwa Oasis. Here was the Sanctuary of Zeus-Amun, and here he was pronounced as the son of Zeus-Amun. This allowed him to use the Horns of Amun. Indeed, he was depicted as a ramhorned man on coins. The horns were even meant to be made of iron. Due to this declaration and Alexander freeing them from the Persians, the Egyptians accepted Alexander as their ruler.

Even centuries on, this imagery persists. In the Qu’ran, Alexander is called Dhu al-Qarnayn, meaning ‘the Two Horned One’ (also written as ‘Zul-Qarnain’). Alexander is said to have performed various acts, such as travelling through the air, or using a glass bubble to reach the bottom of the sea.

 

Alexander the Great using the imagery of an Egyptian god has great influence centuries after it was initiated. Something sacred used for political gain remembered in creative ways. Just another way to add to his legacy.