Netflix is new Alexander the great The docusery has fans questioning whether the great military leader was actually gay.
Although he is best known for conquering Persia and Greece as king of ancient Macedonia, Alexander: The Creation of God (now streaming on Netflix) suggests that the historical figure is hiding a secret about his sexuality.
The new series explores the inner workings of Alexander the Great and follows him on his rise to rule as and during the reign of King of Macedonia, along with the people around him.
Was Alexander the Great gay?
New Netflix show Alexander: The Creation of God speculations that Alexander the Great might have been gay have resurfaced.
Years of speculation Alexander the greatHis sexuality has been much debated in the historian community.
In the series, which is a mixture of documentary-style interviews and dramatic plays, Alexander (played by Buck Braithwaite) is very clearly represented as queer.
Alexander the Great’s theories about sexuality date back thousands of years at this point, and the first century Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus wrote, “(Alexander) despised sensual pleasures (with women)”:
“He despised sensual pleasures to such an extent that his mother was worried that he would not be able to produce offspring.”
Although the Macedonian king was married three different times and fathered several children, records show that he may have been reluctant to engage in sexual relations with women.
The show sees this version of the historical figure as deeply in love with his childhood friend and military commander Hephaestion, with an allusion to relations with one of his generals, Ptolemy.
According to some historians, both Ptolemy and Hephaestion were only close compatriots and fellow soldiers of Alexander the Great and had no romantic connection with the king.
In his Book 2004 Homosexuality in ancient Greece The myth is about to collapse the conservative writer and politician Adonis Georgiadis wrote that Hephaestion was especially owned by Alexander the Great “closest and dearest friend” have known each other since childhood and became partners.
Another person brought up in these conversations is the Persian courier Bagoas.
While most evidence for Alexander the Great’s romantic relationship with the likes of Hephaestion is mostly speculative, Bagoas is the most concrete argument that Alexander enjoyed the company of men.
The Persian Court presented Bagoas to Alexander the Great as James Romm of Bard College (via Forbes) called it. “The male object of Alexander’s sexual interest” or “boy’s toy:”
“In the case of Bagoas—a eunuch given (dare I say?) by Alexander as a boy-toy to a Persian nobleman who wanted to win his favor—there is reason to doubt, dare I say, that he ‘counts’ Alexander as an object of sexual interest.”
If Alexander the Great was in fact straight, then why would he part with a young “wanting” boy for company?
Why could Alexander the Great’s sexuality be more complicated?
Gay or straight? Weak or gay? As it turns out, Alexander the Great’s sexuality might not be so binary.
During Alexandrian rule, sex and sexuality were much more ambiguous without terms like “gay” or “straight” to describe certain desires.
Acts such as homosexuality were largely not considered taboo, and sexual experimentation was common.
Although Alexander the Great may not have been gay in modern terms (bisexual is probably a better descriptor), the evidence seems to be stacked against Alexander the Great perhaps enjoying the company of a man rather than a woman.
Until 1907, historical records were heavily censored to avoid even speculation about non-heteronormativity, so the world may never have a definitive answer about Alexander the Great’s love life.
But in the end it doesn’t matter. Given the open nature of sexuality at all levels of society in ancient Greece, there are likely countless notable historical figures that some might consider queer.
Alexander: The Creation of God now streaming on Netflix.
