Historia de preliis by Leo Archipresbyter, 2nd half of the 15th century

The text is a version of the Historia de preliis ('History of the wars'). This was the traslation of the Greek collection of myths and legends connected with the figure of Alexander the Great known as Pseudo-Callisthenes and originally brought from Constantinople to Naples by the Italian priest and scholar Leo Archipresbyter. Leo was active in Naples between c. 941 and c. 968, under the Dukes John II and Marinus II. His translation became very famous especially after the 13th century and contributed to the formation and popularity of the 'Alexander Romance.

The text is preceded by the rubric Incipit liber de Nativitate Vita et morte omniumque gestorum Alexandri. The text begins of f. 1r with the words Sapientium quippe egiptii scientes mensuram terre undasque maris et celestium ordinem agnoscentes; it ends on f. 39v with et obiit iiii kalendas aprilis fabricavit autem A(lexander) civitates xii que omnes continuo habitantiur quarum nomina sunt hec, followed by a list of twelve cities established by Alexander. The list begins on f. 39r with Ista sunt nomina civitatum quas contruxit Alexander and closes on f. 39v with Duodecima. A(lexandria) que dicitur Egyptus. A rubric marks the end of this section: Explicit hystoria gestorum A(lexandri) pueri magni Regis phy(lippi) macedon(is) de nativitate sua et actibus suis et morte ipsius.