Alexander the Great
Contents
Country
Macedonia
Birth - Death
356 - 323 BC
Occupation
Politics
Notable Achievements
Head of State
Description
Alexander became the ruler of the Kingdom of Macedonia at the age of 20 upon succeeding his assassinated father. He was tutored at an early age by Aristotle, himself the famous student of Plato. Upon his accession to the throne, Alexander began a long series of military campaigns that ended with the creation of the largest empire in the Ancient World. This empire encompassed all parts of Asia and North Africa (Persia, India, Greece, Egypt, and parts of Arabia).
As part of this successful military expansion, in which he never lost a battle, Alexander spread the concepts of politics and justice as taught to him by Aristotle. A reflection of the magnitude of this influence is the fact his name is attached to twenty cities in the region today.
Alexander’s success at battle has been unprecedented in history. His military strategies continue to be studied, taught, and emulated today.
While it is known that Alexander died from illness after eating and drinking at a celebratory dinner, there remains uncertainty as to whether this was caused by poisoning or not. Some attribute it to a case of tropical disease, while others attribute it to a toxic plant added to his wine. Because he had no heir, dissension and rivalry led to the breaking up and dissolution of his empire subsequent to his death.
Although Alexander married twice (once for political reasons, and once out of love) it is also known that he had a great personal and intimate relationship with his bodyguard Hephaestion. When Hephaestion died, Alexander was overwhelmed with grief and Hephaestion was granted as a Divine Hero. Alexander continuously built lasting monuments to Hephaestion’s memory. It was not unusual at the time for noblemen to have deep personal and intimate relationships with men outside of their marriage vows to women, especially amongst the upper warrior class. As noted, Alexander’s prime contribution through the ages was his military strategies and success. The most notable of these was the strategy of surprising the enemy by attack at the rear, often achieved at extreme risk, danger, and physical challenges. Another strategy was to place his infantry in the centre of his battle rather than behind his cavalry.
Outside of this military reputation, it is known that Alexander had the great personal traits of honour and glory. This included restraint in personal pleasure and the goal of accomplishing the greater good. These traits were drawn from his teachings by Aristotle.
These personal traits extended to personal relationships with his close entourage of male military leaders, including Hephaestion. Heroic friendship did not exclude sexual expression in Alexander’s world, and this love emulated that of the Greeks. At the time, the love between a man and a boy was a pervasive aspect of Greek society and a prevalent feature in military life. The homosexual aspect of Alexander’s life in this regard is not disputed.
There is no doubt that, over time, the conquests and success of Alexander have been elevated to mythical status. In this context, there should be no surprise that the LGBTQ community, in its own battle for rights and recognition, would adopt a successful military comrade as its idol and set him as an example of the equal capabilities of their community to all others.
Why would a man so adept at both the art of war and the physical demands of it be considered with any diminished regard because he loves both a man and a woman equally? The stated motivation remains the same – to extend the concepts of justice and honour to aggressors and the unruly.
Of course, we may not all agree that military action or violence is the best, or even a legitimate, form of instilling a proper system of government and justice that respects and accepts all forms of living one’s life. Nevertheless, it is this particular aspect that Alexander has received recognition and respect throughout the ages.
