Syriac Alexander Legend

The Syriac Alexander Legend (Neṣḥānā d-Aleksandrōs Syriac: ܢܨܚܢܐ) is a 6th or 7th century legend detailing the exploits of Alexander the Great.

In the beginning of the story, Alexander declares his intentions to explore the ends of the world, and he promises to God that he will rule the world. He gathers an army in Egypt, and then travels to the Fetid Sea but is not able to cross it. Instead, he finds the "window of heaven" that allows him to travel from the place where the sun sets to where it rises. In the region of the sunrise, he travels to Central Asia and sets up camp near a mountain pass, only to be informed that he is now in the domain of the Persian emperor. He learns that beyond the mountain pass are barbarian tribes, with Gog and Magog as two of their kings. Deciding to seal up their entryway through the mountains, he tasks his blacksmiths and metalworkers from Egypt to construct an iron and bronze wall. He then reveals two prophecies about when the barbarians will penetrate the wall and bring about a world war, out of which the Romans will emerge victorious. Later, the Persian emperor learns of Alexander's presence. He advances an army against Alexander, but the advance is miraculously revealed to Alexander, who then proceeds to defeat the emperor despite his numerical disadvantage. After victory, Alexander travels and prays in Jerusalem, and finally, returns to Alexandria.

The Syriac Alexander Legend is the first narrative to weave together many motifs that previously existed across different stories, including the Gates of Alexander, the apocalypse, and the barbarian tribes of Gog and Magog. It went on to exert a major influence on apocalyptic literature written after it, especially that in the Syriac tradition, such as the Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius and the Apocalypse of Pseudo-Ephraem. The portrayal of Alexander in the Legend is also believed to lie behind the character known as Dhu al-Qarnayn (or the "Two-Horned One") in the Quran.

Other names that the text goes by includes "The Victory of Alexander", the "Christian Syriac Alexander Legend" (or CSAL for short), or in the 1889 Budge edition, it appears under the title "A Christian Legend concerning Alexander". Other legendary works on Alexander in the Syriac language include the Syriac Alexander Romance (which it shows up with in its manuscripts, despite no original relationship between the texts) and the Song of Alexander.