@shahanSean The fact the Quranic verse is stated as a question& people wanted clarification about Dhul Qarnayn suggests that the his identity of was not clear at least there was some dispute about it. Your point is valid that after the Heraclitus propaganda & in middle of Roman-Persian wars.
@shahanSean had made the identity of Dhul Qarnayn a matter of concern for many including polytheists of Hijaz. Alexander was the last outsider in history till that time that had defeated Persian empire decisively, what Heraclitus desperately needed, & therefore in his propaganda identified
@shahanSean himself with Alexander. But Polytheists of Mecca and Jews of Medina (Hijaz) were on the Persians side (Sassanids) and definitely not on the Heraclitus(Byzantines). Therefore it is very possible and probbale that the counter propaganda of the Persians was that Dhul Qarnayn was
@shahanSean Cyrus the Great (founder of Achaemenid Dynasty) not the Alexander. the importance of Cyrus is that he was the one who had conquered all the area which was at the time Of Heraclitus the Roman empire Byzantium. In this 7th century war of the Thrones ( 602-630 C.E.)each side
@shahanSean in their propaganda were alluding to the historical figure who conquered the area of other side decisively. And for impressing Arabs or near Easterners in the middle claimed the popular mythical figure Dhul Qarnayn is our champion (Alexander or Cyrus).
@shahanSean This dispute and question had become some so urgent or important that the judgement of the Prophet and/or Qur'an was called or sought for. Based on Surah 30 (rum) and the alliance and closeness of Ghassanids/Jafnids (Byzantine dismantled Client kingdom) with Arab tribes
@shahanSean of Medina I have to conclude as you do that Qur'an identifies Dhul Qarnayn with Alexander, but nothing in detail of Quranic story matches Alexander life, but the details & characater of Dhul Qarnayn matches better with the Cyrus the Great (a revered biblical figure by the Jews).
@shahanSean & regarding mythical histories/stories about Alexander which was circulating in the Near East of the 7th cent., I believe they are a result of the conflation of the stories/histories about two giant historical figures of Cyrus & Alexander, who lived about 1000 years before then.
@shahanSean Qur'an 18:83:
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا ﴿۸۳﴾
They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story." (۸۳)
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا ﴿۸۳﴾
They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story." (۸۳)
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