Alexander in Love

Alexander as we all know (hopefully!) was one of the greatest generals that ever lived. But besides being a warrior, commander and a pioneer he was also an ardent lover. Even though he always had a very busy schedule and died at quite a young age, he still found time to have at least 4 and maybe more love affairs, and married 3 different women, 2 out of love and one driven by diplomacy. Alexander’s first lady love was Pancaspe, a Greek girl of truly astounding beauty who used to pose as model for Apelles, a famous painter. But Alexander broke off this affair when Apelles and Pancaspe fell in love with each other. The next woman to catch Alexander’s fancy was Barsine, a Persian noble woman and the wife of Memnon of Rhodes, a mercenary commander who fought on the side of the Persians.

She was exotic and beautiful with dark hair, eyes and a lithe, graceful and sexually attractive body. It is said that Alexander had a son by her. After forcing the Persian Empire to its knees, Alexander married Stateira, the eldest, best looking and queenly daughter of Darius. Their relationship was passionate but brief, since Alexander soon set off in pursuit of his father-in-law and Bessus, a Persian satrap. During this time a young eunuch named Bagoas caught the attention of the conqueror, though it is unsure as to whether he ever became involved in a physical relationship with Alexander. While campaigning in Sogdia (the region around northern Afghanistan) Alexander met and married Roxanne, the daughter of a local chieftain and the greatest love of his life.

Roxanne was so beautiful that her own people had named her “Little Star”. It was she who bore Alexander his son and heir. Roxanne was murdered along with her child during the wars of the Diadochi, thus ending the main branch of the Argead dynasty. However after Alexander’s return from India, he married a third time, this time taking another of Darius’s daughters to the nuptial bed. But all evidences suggest that this act was driven not by love, but by diplomacy. So we see that Alexander’s life is not only a volume of war and gore but also of love and sex.