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Alexander's Lovers
Alexander's Lovers reveals the personality of Alexander the Great through the mirror of the lives of those with whom he pursued romantic relationships, including his friend Hephaistion, his queen Roxane, his mistress Barsine & Bagoas the Eunuch. Did you know that Alexander got the idea of adopting Persian dress from a book he read in his youth? Had you realised that Alexander's pursuit of divine honours was part of his emulation of Achilles, that Bagoas undertook a diplomatic mission or that Hephaistion's diplomacy kept Athens from joining a Spartan rebellion? Are you aware that Aetion's painting of Alexander's marriage depicted Hephaistion & Bagoas as well as Roxane and really depicted the King's passions? Which girl was betrothed to Alexander's son? Would it surprise you that Alexander's mourning for Hephaistion was conducted according to models from Homer and Euripides? If you would like to get to know Alexander on a more personal level, then you need to read this book. Second edition, revised & updated.
260 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2012
8 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Chugg
14 books28 followersAndrew's researches and writings are largely focussed upon the career and exploits of Alexander the Great, both in life and in the context of his equally remarkable adventures in death, through the quest for his lost tomb. See also his websites at www.alexanderstomb.com and www.alexanderslovers.com for videos, photos, news and his huge collection of antique engravings and maps.
Andrew has been actively researching the history of Alexander's tomb since 1998, including visits to Alexandria and Saqqara in Egypt. He has had academic articles on the subject published in the classics journal Greece & Rome and in the American Journal of Ancient History and he is the author of The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great, published in London by Periplus in November 2004. He has also written pieces on the hunt for the tomb for Minerva, History Today and other magazines. In September 2006 he addressed the Eroi conference in the University of Padua on the subject of Alexander's tomb. Various new theories on the locations and appearances of Alexander's several tombs have emerged from his work. In particular, Andrew's novel theory that the Alexandrians might have given Alexander's corpse a new identity as the remains of St Mark the Evangelist, when the emperor Theodosius outlawed paganism in AD391, attracted international press attention in 2004.
Andrew's latest book on the history of Alexander's adventures in the afterlife, The Quest for the tomb of Alexander the Great, appeared at the end of 2007. It incorporates significant extensions of his theories, including a chapter on a section of a sculptural relief from a Macedonian tomb of royal importance dating to about the 3rd century BC and found embedded in the foundations of the main apse of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. This is a comment from an Amazon reviewer: "I just finished this book deep into last night, and it did not want to leave my hands... The book will command your full attention -- no eating cookies or watching TV while reading... Chugg makes the book read like a fascinating, grandly presented detective study... The author admits early in the work that his quest is 'to enthrall readers with fresh revelations.' He indeed does that, covering highly complex materials with confidence and ease... The author and his book will most certainly keep Alexandria and its Founder's tomb on the front page of newspapers for years to come."
Andrew has also appeared in National Geographic television documentaries on Alexander and his tomb, including Beyond the Movie: Alexander the Great in 2004 and Alexander's Lost Tomb in 2008, the latter being shot on location in Alexandria, Egypt (also broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK). More recently, Andrew appeared in the Alexander the Great episode of National Geographic's Mystery Files series, which concentrated on the enigma of Alexander's tomb.
Andrew has also extensively researched Alexander's death with an article in Minerva in September 2004 and an academic paper on The Journal of Alexander the Great in the Ancient History Bulletin. In April 2006 he published a book on Alexander's Lovers, an examination of the king's personality through the mirror of the lives of the people with whom he pursued romantic relationships. One Amazon reviewer has written: "At first glance anyone interested in Alexander the great might dismiss this book as just another cash in on the Alexander legend presented with an irrelevant modern bias; that would be a mistake, as this is the most impressive and informative book on Alexander I have read in a long time."
Andrew's most recent project is an ambitious and far-reaching attempt to reconstruct the lost text of the most influential of all the ancient accounts of Alexander's career: the History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria. Andrew's painstaking detective work has unmasked Cleitarchus as the perpetrator of the most elaborate and potent account of Alexander the Great by progressively reconst
Andrew has been actively researching the history of Alexander's tomb since 1998, including visits to Alexandria and Saqqara in Egypt. He has had academic articles on the subject published in the classics journal Greece & Rome and in the American Journal of Ancient History and he is the author of The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great, published in London by Periplus in November 2004. He has also written pieces on the hunt for the tomb for Minerva, History Today and other magazines. In September 2006 he addressed the Eroi conference in the University of Padua on the subject of Alexander's tomb. Various new theories on the locations and appearances of Alexander's several tombs have emerged from his work. In particular, Andrew's novel theory that the Alexandrians might have given Alexander's corpse a new identity as the remains of St Mark the Evangelist, when the emperor Theodosius outlawed paganism in AD391, attracted international press attention in 2004.
Andrew's latest book on the history of Alexander's adventures in the afterlife, The Quest for the tomb of Alexander the Great, appeared at the end of 2007. It incorporates significant extensions of his theories, including a chapter on a section of a sculptural relief from a Macedonian tomb of royal importance dating to about the 3rd century BC and found embedded in the foundations of the main apse of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. This is a comment from an Amazon reviewer: "I just finished this book deep into last night, and it did not want to leave my hands... The book will command your full attention -- no eating cookies or watching TV while reading... Chugg makes the book read like a fascinating, grandly presented detective study... The author admits early in the work that his quest is 'to enthrall readers with fresh revelations.' He indeed does that, covering highly complex materials with confidence and ease... The author and his book will most certainly keep Alexandria and its Founder's tomb on the front page of newspapers for years to come."
Andrew has also appeared in National Geographic television documentaries on Alexander and his tomb, including Beyond the Movie: Alexander the Great in 2004 and Alexander's Lost Tomb in 2008, the latter being shot on location in Alexandria, Egypt (also broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK). More recently, Andrew appeared in the Alexander the Great episode of National Geographic's Mystery Files series, which concentrated on the enigma of Alexander's tomb.
Andrew has also extensively researched Alexander's death with an article in Minerva in September 2004 and an academic paper on The Journal of Alexander the Great in the Ancient History Bulletin. In April 2006 he published a book on Alexander's Lovers, an examination of the king's personality through the mirror of the lives of the people with whom he pursued romantic relationships. One Amazon reviewer has written: "At first glance anyone interested in Alexander the great might dismiss this book as just another cash in on the Alexander legend presented with an irrelevant modern bias; that would be a mistake, as this is the most impressive and informative book on Alexander I have read in a long time."
Andrew's most recent project is an ambitious and far-reaching attempt to reconstruct the lost text of the most influential of all the ancient accounts of Alexander's career: the History Concerning Alexander by Cleitarchus of Alexandria. Andrew's painstaking detective work has unmasked Cleitarchus as the perpetrator of the most elaborate and potent account of Alexander the Great by progressively reconst
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 28, 2016
It's like a gossip-rag for Alexander, so very entertaining and built on a throne of lies. I was annoyed by the huge number of quotes, though, rather than the author producing his own analysis.
January 13, 2016
A truly interesting and easy to read book. While I was already aware of much of the information, by bringing it all together and presenting it the way he does, Chugg has made it so much easier to follow each relationship and places each in their respective position in Alexander’s life.
The first sixty-four pages are a concise rendition of Alexander’s life, followed by sixty-seven pages given over to his relationship with Hephaistion. Since that was the main reason for my wanting to read the book, I was especially pleased with this. All mentions of Hephaistion are presented together, in that the same occurrence is covered from the perspective of each source, so that you get a much clearer image of Hephaistion and his relationship with Alexander.
Also covered are five women: Barsine (thirteen pages,) Thalestris (nine pages,) Roxane (twenty-one pages,) Stateira and Parysatis (thirteen pages.) Also included is Bagoas (thirteen pages.)
The first sixty-four pages are a concise rendition of Alexander’s life, followed by sixty-seven pages given over to his relationship with Hephaistion. Since that was the main reason for my wanting to read the book, I was especially pleased with this. All mentions of Hephaistion are presented together, in that the same occurrence is covered from the perspective of each source, so that you get a much clearer image of Hephaistion and his relationship with Alexander.
Also covered are five women: Barsine (thirteen pages,) Thalestris (nine pages,) Roxane (twenty-one pages,) Stateira and Parysatis (thirteen pages.) Also included is Bagoas (thirteen pages.)
January 24, 2016
This slender book is divided up into an overview of Alexander's life, and then discussions of the most important individuals personally involved with Alexander. Without question, the most important person was Hephaestion about whom the most is written. I was happy to see some new information provided although there was a certain amunt of repetition.
In addition to Hephaestion, the author discusses the relationships between Alexander and the women in his life although his mother, Olympias, plays only a small part since the book concentrates on lovers and wives such as Barsine, Stateira, and Roxane. Unfortunately, the fates of most of these women and the others were not pleasant ones in the years after Alexander's death.
In addition to Hephaestion, the author discusses the relationships between Alexander and the women in his life although his mother, Olympias, plays only a small part since the book concentrates on lovers and wives such as Barsine, Stateira, and Roxane. Unfortunately, the fates of most of these women and the others were not pleasant ones in the years after Alexander's death.
September 19, 2011
It was laid out in an easy to digest format. Actual documents from different historians were quoted and the author would comment. This was very interesting because he would use the same story only written from 3 or 4 different historians of the time and from that give a good deduction of what was meant from Latin and how translations can affect a historical fact.
I was fascinated with the level of honour, love, and leadership Alexander exhibited.
There were many instances of his high moral character and also many reports on his absolute despair and grief at the death of Hephaistion. I was quite moved by the factual reports.
I was fascinated with the level of honour, love, and leadership Alexander exhibited.
There were many instances of his high moral character and also many reports on his absolute despair and grief at the death of Hephaistion. I was quite moved by the factual reports.
December 13, 2022
The title sounds promisingly fun, and so indeed is this riveting collection of biographies of the individuals with whom Alexander the Great had love affairs. But it is much more. As an exhaustive and scholarly study of these affairs, closely argued from apparently every surviving piece of ancient evidence, it is the best sourcebook there is on not only the individuals concerned, but on what love meant to Alexander, which is to say a great deal. Even the most serious students of the great one cannot fail to find interesting new food for thought here.
I was initially sceptical encountering a book with this title, knowing how often writers have represented Alexander's love life as they personally would like it to have been, mostly divided by opposing desires either to dismiss the strong evidence of his affairs with other males or to promote him as an idol for the modern gay cause. Admirably, Chugg does nothing of the sort. Alexander was romantically typical of ancient Greeks in enjoying passionate love with both women and boys without any sense of contradiction. This seems to be incomprehensible to many modernists who cannot imagine life without a fixed sexual orientation, but not to Chugg: he rightly does not even address the misguided question of Alexander's sexual preferences, but presents him as he surely saw himself, a unique individual untrammeled by such preconceptions.
I suspect Chugg has been much more influenced by Mary Renault's writings about Alexander than might be supposed from his two brief references to her. Besides sharing Renault's (and my) extremely high estimation of Alexander, he has picked up and expanded on many of her specific interpretations. One moment when Renault did disappoint me though, as a fervent admirer, was in her abrupt and ill-considered dismissal of Herakles as a genuine bastard son of Alexander by Barsine. It was so uncharacteristically unreasonable that I'm afraid I suspect her of succumbing to homosexual bias: she portrayed his marriages convincingly, but the idea that Alexander was sufficiently enthusiastic about the opposite sex to maintain a mistress as well was apparently too much for her to stomach. Not so Chugg, who shows the evidence for Herakles's paternity to be irrefutable, as well as insisting on the genuineness of Alexander's love for individuals of both sexes.
My only serious criticism is his unjustified representation of Hephaistion, whom I do not think anyone disputes was the great love of Alexander's life, as sexually intimate with him until death, rather than until manhood. There is not the slightest evidence for this and it runs counter to every expectation arising from what is known of Greek homosexual love affairs: that they were between adolescent boys and either men or other boys, and, however intense and lifelong the love they generated, the sexual component dropped away as the boy became a man. In the case of Alexander and Hephaistion , critical evidence comes from the description of Hephaistion by Justin in his Epitome of Trogus (XII 12 xi). Chugg translates this as "a favourite of Alexander's, firstly because of his good looks and boyish charms, then for his absolute devotion to the King", which he makes the basis of a claim that the adult Hephaistion looked boyish. J. S. Watson translated it very differently as "a great favourite with Alexander, at first on account of his personal qualities in youth, and afterwards from his servility," which I say is far more accurate (though still a bit off in translating "pueritia" as youth rather than boyhood). Surely Justin's point was that the nature of their love changed? Moreover, in a fine analysis of Alexander's sexual apathy towards women as a teenager, Chugg shows convincingly that the most likely cause was his sexual involvement with Hephaistion. But how by this logic can he avoid concluding from the contrary enthusiasm the adult Alexander expressed for the charms of both women and boys that he was no longer thus distracted by Hephaistion? Finally, if the two were really sexually involved until death, and as open about it as Chugg claims, one of them would have been regarded as what the Greeks termed a "kinaidos" (invert), and it would be inconceivable that none of the several ancient writers who were hostile to Alexander would have said so. This issue matters very much because it leads Chugg to conclude that Alexander's love life was "exotic" by modern standards because it encompassed women and men. It did not. It encompassed in an unusually high-minded manner women and boys, something different and far more challenging for the modern imagination.
Amongst a few minor blemishes, it may be worth mentioning that Chugg is often repetitious, and that numerous fine paintings illustrating the story are cheaply rendered as little black and white images. I expect the latter was for understandable reasons of economy, since the book is self-published. What is harder to understand is why such an interesting and scholarly contribution to our understanding could not find a trade publisher.
Edmund Marlowe, author of Alexander's Choice, a modern story of love inspired by Alexander, https://www.amazon.com/dp/191457107X
I was initially sceptical encountering a book with this title, knowing how often writers have represented Alexander's love life as they personally would like it to have been, mostly divided by opposing desires either to dismiss the strong evidence of his affairs with other males or to promote him as an idol for the modern gay cause. Admirably, Chugg does nothing of the sort. Alexander was romantically typical of ancient Greeks in enjoying passionate love with both women and boys without any sense of contradiction. This seems to be incomprehensible to many modernists who cannot imagine life without a fixed sexual orientation, but not to Chugg: he rightly does not even address the misguided question of Alexander's sexual preferences, but presents him as he surely saw himself, a unique individual untrammeled by such preconceptions.
I suspect Chugg has been much more influenced by Mary Renault's writings about Alexander than might be supposed from his two brief references to her. Besides sharing Renault's (and my) extremely high estimation of Alexander, he has picked up and expanded on many of her specific interpretations. One moment when Renault did disappoint me though, as a fervent admirer, was in her abrupt and ill-considered dismissal of Herakles as a genuine bastard son of Alexander by Barsine. It was so uncharacteristically unreasonable that I'm afraid I suspect her of succumbing to homosexual bias: she portrayed his marriages convincingly, but the idea that Alexander was sufficiently enthusiastic about the opposite sex to maintain a mistress as well was apparently too much for her to stomach. Not so Chugg, who shows the evidence for Herakles's paternity to be irrefutable, as well as insisting on the genuineness of Alexander's love for individuals of both sexes.
My only serious criticism is his unjustified representation of Hephaistion, whom I do not think anyone disputes was the great love of Alexander's life, as sexually intimate with him until death, rather than until manhood. There is not the slightest evidence for this and it runs counter to every expectation arising from what is known of Greek homosexual love affairs: that they were between adolescent boys and either men or other boys, and, however intense and lifelong the love they generated, the sexual component dropped away as the boy became a man. In the case of Alexander and Hephaistion , critical evidence comes from the description of Hephaistion by Justin in his Epitome of Trogus (XII 12 xi). Chugg translates this as "a favourite of Alexander's, firstly because of his good looks and boyish charms, then for his absolute devotion to the King", which he makes the basis of a claim that the adult Hephaistion looked boyish. J. S. Watson translated it very differently as "a great favourite with Alexander, at first on account of his personal qualities in youth, and afterwards from his servility," which I say is far more accurate (though still a bit off in translating "pueritia" as youth rather than boyhood). Surely Justin's point was that the nature of their love changed? Moreover, in a fine analysis of Alexander's sexual apathy towards women as a teenager, Chugg shows convincingly that the most likely cause was his sexual involvement with Hephaistion. But how by this logic can he avoid concluding from the contrary enthusiasm the adult Alexander expressed for the charms of both women and boys that he was no longer thus distracted by Hephaistion? Finally, if the two were really sexually involved until death, and as open about it as Chugg claims, one of them would have been regarded as what the Greeks termed a "kinaidos" (invert), and it would be inconceivable that none of the several ancient writers who were hostile to Alexander would have said so. This issue matters very much because it leads Chugg to conclude that Alexander's love life was "exotic" by modern standards because it encompassed women and men. It did not. It encompassed in an unusually high-minded manner women and boys, something different and far more challenging for the modern imagination.
Amongst a few minor blemishes, it may be worth mentioning that Chugg is often repetitious, and that numerous fine paintings illustrating the story are cheaply rendered as little black and white images. I expect the latter was for understandable reasons of economy, since the book is self-published. What is harder to understand is why such an interesting and scholarly contribution to our understanding could not find a trade publisher.
Edmund Marlowe, author of Alexander's Choice, a modern story of love inspired by Alexander, https://www.amazon.com/dp/191457107X
August 3, 2016
Usually I don't care about the cover of a book and I would never substract a star for it and didn't in this case either, but this one has me so baffled I need to mention it.
I own the paperback of the second version aka the grey cover. For some reason the lettering on it is white with a red edge. It's barely readable from immediate proximity and impossible to decipher from afar. I have to admit it was even the reason why it took me so long to order this book. It makes it look unprofessional - which it isn't. I don't get why the lettering couldn't simply be black or if it had to be red, a really dark one.
Okay, I had to get this off my chest.
I thought this was a really interesting book with the focus on something a lot of other books either only mention in a few sentences or completely overlook in favor of strategy and warfare: Alexander's lovelife.
While this book starts and ends with Alexander (his childhood, his life, his campaigns, his personality - making it easy for someone who doesn't know much about him to read this book), it's mostly about people who are often just footnotes in other books. I was especially happy about the amount of pages Hephaestion got and that he was portrayed as the warrior he was, who got the things (titles, a good marriage etc) he got because he had great skills and not because he was Alexander's lover. Or just his bestest friend ever or whatever some historians try to tell themselves so they can sleep at night.
It was also nice to learn something about Bagoas except that he was an eunuch and Barsine, who fares a bit better overall usually but is often not more than the mother of Alexander's son whom he didn't marry. And some of the women who are often just marginal notes.
The author's extensive use of quotations is a blessing and a curse at the same time. On one hand it really gives you the feeling that everything is well documented and based on reliable sources, but on the other hand there are pages with way too many of them where I wished they had been paraphrased instead. Especially when the full quote was used earlier in the book (often paired with almost the same argument). It lead to a certain feeling of repetitiveness.
Of course in the end this is a book full of personal opinions based on sources and one has to decide for oneself if one agrees with the author. I for one thought that his arguments were sound and I enjoyed reading them.
I own the paperback of the second version aka the grey cover. For some reason the lettering on it is white with a red edge. It's barely readable from immediate proximity and impossible to decipher from afar. I have to admit it was even the reason why it took me so long to order this book. It makes it look unprofessional - which it isn't. I don't get why the lettering couldn't simply be black or if it had to be red, a really dark one.
Okay, I had to get this off my chest.
I thought this was a really interesting book with the focus on something a lot of other books either only mention in a few sentences or completely overlook in favor of strategy and warfare: Alexander's lovelife.
While this book starts and ends with Alexander (his childhood, his life, his campaigns, his personality - making it easy for someone who doesn't know much about him to read this book), it's mostly about people who are often just footnotes in other books. I was especially happy about the amount of pages Hephaestion got and that he was portrayed as the warrior he was, who got the things (titles, a good marriage etc) he got because he had great skills and not because he was Alexander's lover. Or just his bestest friend ever or whatever some historians try to tell themselves so they can sleep at night.
It was also nice to learn something about Bagoas except that he was an eunuch and Barsine, who fares a bit better overall usually but is often not more than the mother of Alexander's son whom he didn't marry. And some of the women who are often just marginal notes.
The author's extensive use of quotations is a blessing and a curse at the same time. On one hand it really gives you the feeling that everything is well documented and based on reliable sources, but on the other hand there are pages with way too many of them where I wished they had been paraphrased instead. Especially when the full quote was used earlier in the book (often paired with almost the same argument). It lead to a certain feeling of repetitiveness.
Of course in the end this is a book full of personal opinions based on sources and one has to decide for oneself if one agrees with the author. I for one thought that his arguments were sound and I enjoyed reading them.
August 5, 2019
Blog review Alessandro III di Macedonia
Good day everyone, happy Monday!
Today I’m talking about a reading that I liked very much and that made me want to know even more.
First of all I’d like to thank the author of this book, Andrew Chugg, for kindly sending me the book so I could read and talk about it here. I can assure you that it will be a reading that you’ll enjoy and it will intrigue you because it deals with a theme that is often relegated as secondary but it ‘s fundamental for those who really want to get to know Alexander the Great. I’m talking about:
“Alexander’s Lovers” by Andrew Michael Chugg
The author is clear from the beginning: he wants to understand more the character of Alexander of Macedon through the lives of his lovers and before going into specific cases he gives us a list (with an explanation) of all the sources he refers to and a short biography of Alexander. Some interesting notes I noticed are:
- Aristotle absolves Alexander from the murder of his father in Politics – when I read it came to my mind Braccesi in his Olimpiade regina di Macedonia. La madre di Alessandro Magno (Rome, Salerno Editrice, 2019) comes to a very different conclusion – and dedicated the treatise on the cosmos to him;
- the tetradrammas coined in Babylon change: is it an error or is there an interesting explanation that the author suggests?;
- Alexander was cultured: he quoted Homer and Euripides as he spoke;
- in this book there are many photos of which many beautiful drawings by the same author;
- the author makes particular reference to the lost primary sources: he integrates the ancient sources that have come down to us with the fragments that came to us from the primary sources and this is what I liked very much because in doing so the author has thoroughly probed the material and the topic. Chugg has integrated, filled, revised the ancient sources thanks to the primary ones. I really liked this method because the author compares it from various points of view for every fact he wants to analyze. Very very good.
But let’s move on to the analysis of Alexander’s lovers:
HEPHAISTION
As a young man, Alexander showed no interest in women because he was already engaged in a relationship with Hephaestion and Chugg tries to understand what kind of sexual relationship they had. Hephaestion was certainly taller and more virile than Alexander. It is also interesting that the author analyzes the eight statues in which there is almost certainly Hephaestion and makes a percentage to determine if the real subject is really him. Chugg points out that in Gaugamela Hephaestion was wounded by a spear, which indicates that he took part in close combat, while other Alexander generals were wounded by arrows. It is also probable that in the Philotas’ trial Hephaestion was the one most concerned about the king’s safety and he also came out “winner” even in comparison with Craterus and Eumenes. Hephaestion had a quarrelsome and irascible character but we must keet in mind that for many, including Olympiad, he was seen as an obstacle between them and Alexander. For as he died, establishing the disease exactly isn’t easy to establish and it would be good to learn more of it. I had never done so much case with Efestione, not even reading Manfredi’s novel and I’m happy to have investigated further this subject.
BARSINE
Daughter of Artabazos, wife of Memnon of Rhodes and knew Alexander most likely since childhood. She had a son with the latter named Heracles. Tarn claimed that Heracles wasn’t Alexander’s son and is also the only one or almost to believe it. Chugg explains well the intrigues and power games that led to the killing of Barsine and his son. The relationship with Alexander wasn’t love but dictated more than anything else by the need to have an heir to maintain the solidity of the state. In fact in six years of relationship this is the only child they had.
BAGOAS
Named only seven times in ancient resources, Chugg analyzes the episodes with the eunuch and explains why ancient authors may have mistakenly or deliberately reduced its importance. I can finally learn more about him!
THALESTRIS AND CLEOPHIS
Chugg shows how both of these episodes are legends born of truly happened events seasoned with a little novel. It’s interesting, however, to note that the Kalash people still claim to descender from Alexander.
ROXANE
This is the only woman Alexander really loved, even if in any case her gesture of marrying her had a political advantage. Interesting is as Alexander was able to control his emotions and had respect for women, as also in the case of Darius’ family and what happened to Roxane and Alexander IV after the sudden death of Alexander.
STATEIRA E PARYSATIS
It’s interesting as Chugg analyzes the events after the death of Alexander.
After this reading I feel I added an important piece to my knowledge of Alexander and it’s good that the author pointed out to me many things that I hadn’t noticed before and that I’d like to go into even more now.
I recommend this reading to all those who want to deepen Alexander’s loves and personal questions, although for some it may be an obstacle to the fact that it’s in English and that unfortunately there is no Italian edition. I invite anyone wishing to go into the subject to read the book by purchasing the second edition that came out which has some additions to this. You can also visit the site http://www.alexanderslovers.com/main/... for further updates on the book.
I’d still like to thank the author very much for his kindness and his willingness to send me the book!
Good day everyone, happy Monday!
Today I’m talking about a reading that I liked very much and that made me want to know even more.
First of all I’d like to thank the author of this book, Andrew Chugg, for kindly sending me the book so I could read and talk about it here. I can assure you that it will be a reading that you’ll enjoy and it will intrigue you because it deals with a theme that is often relegated as secondary but it ‘s fundamental for those who really want to get to know Alexander the Great. I’m talking about:
“Alexander’s Lovers” by Andrew Michael Chugg
The author is clear from the beginning: he wants to understand more the character of Alexander of Macedon through the lives of his lovers and before going into specific cases he gives us a list (with an explanation) of all the sources he refers to and a short biography of Alexander. Some interesting notes I noticed are:
- Aristotle absolves Alexander from the murder of his father in Politics – when I read it came to my mind Braccesi in his Olimpiade regina di Macedonia. La madre di Alessandro Magno (Rome, Salerno Editrice, 2019) comes to a very different conclusion – and dedicated the treatise on the cosmos to him;
- the tetradrammas coined in Babylon change: is it an error or is there an interesting explanation that the author suggests?;
- Alexander was cultured: he quoted Homer and Euripides as he spoke;
- in this book there are many photos of which many beautiful drawings by the same author;
- the author makes particular reference to the lost primary sources: he integrates the ancient sources that have come down to us with the fragments that came to us from the primary sources and this is what I liked very much because in doing so the author has thoroughly probed the material and the topic. Chugg has integrated, filled, revised the ancient sources thanks to the primary ones. I really liked this method because the author compares it from various points of view for every fact he wants to analyze. Very very good.
But let’s move on to the analysis of Alexander’s lovers:
HEPHAISTION
As a young man, Alexander showed no interest in women because he was already engaged in a relationship with Hephaestion and Chugg tries to understand what kind of sexual relationship they had. Hephaestion was certainly taller and more virile than Alexander. It is also interesting that the author analyzes the eight statues in which there is almost certainly Hephaestion and makes a percentage to determine if the real subject is really him. Chugg points out that in Gaugamela Hephaestion was wounded by a spear, which indicates that he took part in close combat, while other Alexander generals were wounded by arrows. It is also probable that in the Philotas’ trial Hephaestion was the one most concerned about the king’s safety and he also came out “winner” even in comparison with Craterus and Eumenes. Hephaestion had a quarrelsome and irascible character but we must keet in mind that for many, including Olympiad, he was seen as an obstacle between them and Alexander. For as he died, establishing the disease exactly isn’t easy to establish and it would be good to learn more of it. I had never done so much case with Efestione, not even reading Manfredi’s novel and I’m happy to have investigated further this subject.
BARSINE
Daughter of Artabazos, wife of Memnon of Rhodes and knew Alexander most likely since childhood. She had a son with the latter named Heracles. Tarn claimed that Heracles wasn’t Alexander’s son and is also the only one or almost to believe it. Chugg explains well the intrigues and power games that led to the killing of Barsine and his son. The relationship with Alexander wasn’t love but dictated more than anything else by the need to have an heir to maintain the solidity of the state. In fact in six years of relationship this is the only child they had.
BAGOAS
Named only seven times in ancient resources, Chugg analyzes the episodes with the eunuch and explains why ancient authors may have mistakenly or deliberately reduced its importance. I can finally learn more about him!
THALESTRIS AND CLEOPHIS
Chugg shows how both of these episodes are legends born of truly happened events seasoned with a little novel. It’s interesting, however, to note that the Kalash people still claim to descender from Alexander.
ROXANE
This is the only woman Alexander really loved, even if in any case her gesture of marrying her had a political advantage. Interesting is as Alexander was able to control his emotions and had respect for women, as also in the case of Darius’ family and what happened to Roxane and Alexander IV after the sudden death of Alexander.
STATEIRA E PARYSATIS
It’s interesting as Chugg analyzes the events after the death of Alexander.
After this reading I feel I added an important piece to my knowledge of Alexander and it’s good that the author pointed out to me many things that I hadn’t noticed before and that I’d like to go into even more now.
I recommend this reading to all those who want to deepen Alexander’s loves and personal questions, although for some it may be an obstacle to the fact that it’s in English and that unfortunately there is no Italian edition. I invite anyone wishing to go into the subject to read the book by purchasing the second edition that came out which has some additions to this. You can also visit the site http://www.alexanderslovers.com/main/... for further updates on the book.
I’d still like to thank the author very much for his kindness and his willingness to send me the book!
July 23, 2024
i won't say that i was convinced by every argument chugg posits here-- some of his conclusions seem like he took a big leap to get there, and he had a tendency to make things sound like he was stating facts when further reading would reveal them to be opinion or interpretation.
now, to be completely fair, i don't read much historical academia, and i come to research from a science background, where hypotheses have to either be tested or supported by enough evidence to hold weight, or the dreaded "more research is needed" must be included along with any conclusions drawn. i'm aware things are very different when it comes to historical research, but it may be that i'm just not used to how different it is. so i'm not going to knock chugg for a style that might just be part and parcel of the discipline he's writing in.
in reality, as you can probably tell from my rating, i learned a lot from this book, and it introduced different perspectives on aspects of alexander's life that i DID know, so i really appreciate it. and quite frankly, it's nice to have most of our collective knowledge about hephaestion compiled and presented in an easy-to-follow manner, and for him to get some recognition for his accomplishments. dude has been so maligned throughout so much of historyprobably because of homophobia.
now, to be completely fair, i don't read much historical academia, and i come to research from a science background, where hypotheses have to either be tested or supported by enough evidence to hold weight, or the dreaded "more research is needed" must be included along with any conclusions drawn. i'm aware things are very different when it comes to historical research, but it may be that i'm just not used to how different it is. so i'm not going to knock chugg for a style that might just be part and parcel of the discipline he's writing in.
in reality, as you can probably tell from my rating, i learned a lot from this book, and it introduced different perspectives on aspects of alexander's life that i DID know, so i really appreciate it. and quite frankly, it's nice to have most of our collective knowledge about hephaestion compiled and presented in an easy-to-follow manner, and for him to get some recognition for his accomplishments. dude has been so maligned throughout so much of history
April 13, 2021
I finally got around to this, although I've kinda avoided it. First, it's not academic. No reputable press agreed to publish this. As a professional journalist myself, that runs up an automatic red flag. So does the cover. Jesus. Red-on-blue is the anathema of art design. Break my retinas, whydoncha. That, and the chintzy font choice, virtually screams "amateur."
But...what they hey. I gave it a try. The guy tries to sound academic. He really does. He cites ancient sources, he talks about interpretation...and it's all basically gossip rag stuff. A while back I read Daniel Ogden's Alexander the Great: Myth, Genesis and Legend. I may not always agree with him, but at least it's real history. And from an actual academic press (Exeter). It also has a cover that doesn't offend visual sensibilities.
Skip this book and go straight to Ogden, if you want something decent on Alexander's sexuality.
But...what they hey. I gave it a try. The guy tries to sound academic. He really does. He cites ancient sources, he talks about interpretation...and it's all basically gossip rag stuff. A while back I read Daniel Ogden's Alexander the Great: Myth, Genesis and Legend. I may not always agree with him, but at least it's real history. And from an actual academic press (Exeter). It also has a cover that doesn't offend visual sensibilities.
Skip this book and go straight to Ogden, if you want something decent on Alexander's sexuality.
February 26, 2018
The life of Alexander the Great, examined from a somewhat different angle: Following a short overview of Alexander's life and achievements in general (a section which anyone at all familiar with his biography can easily skip, as it contains nothing not found in any other work about him), Chugg spotlights precisely what it says in the title: Alexander's lovers. Fittingly, most space is accorded to his relationship with Hephaistion. Further sections cover Alexander's mistress Barsine, the eunuch Bagoas, Alexander's wives, as well as relationships ascribed to him in myth. While occasionally repetitive and containing a fair bit of speculation, this was an interesting addition to my reading on Alexander.
dnf
December 12, 2023I've had this book languishing on my shelves for years and finally decided to give it a try. I realized pretty quickly that I didn't really care for it, and after quickly flipping through it and reading the parts that interested me most I'm happy to move on and let it go.
Read
January 2, 2010Alexander’s Lovers is the eagerly awaited second book by the author of The Lost Tomb of Alexander the Great (see www.alexanderstomb.com). It will surely prove no less fascinating a read for those with an interest in the King. It presents an exploration of Alexander’s character through the mirror of the lives of the people with whom he pursued romantic relationships, including his friend Hephaistion, his queen Roxane, his mistress Barsine and Bagoas the Eunuch.
Did you know that Alexander got the idea of adopting Persian dress from a book he read in his youth? Had you realised that Alexander’s pursuit of divine honours was merely an aspect of his emulation of Achilles? Would you be interested to discover that Bagoas the Eunuch undertook a diplomatic mission in Bactria or that Hephaistion’s diplomacy kept Athens from joining the Spartan rebellion of King Agis? Are you aware that Aetion’s famous painting of Alexander’s marriage depicted Hephaistion and Bagoas as well as Roxane and that it was really a depiction of the King’s various passions? Had you heard that Alexander first met his mistress Barsine when they were both children in Macedon and that she was the great-granddaughter of a Great King? Can you name the girl betrothed to Alexander’s son? Would it surprise you to learn that Alexander’s mourning and funeral arrangements for Hephaistion were conducted according to precepts dictated by Homer and Euripides? If you are intrigued by any of these questions and would like to get to know Alexander on a more personal level than is feasible from the conventional histories, then you need to read Alexander’s Lovers.
Did you know that Alexander got the idea of adopting Persian dress from a book he read in his youth? Had you realised that Alexander’s pursuit of divine honours was merely an aspect of his emulation of Achilles? Would you be interested to discover that Bagoas the Eunuch undertook a diplomatic mission in Bactria or that Hephaistion’s diplomacy kept Athens from joining the Spartan rebellion of King Agis? Are you aware that Aetion’s famous painting of Alexander’s marriage depicted Hephaistion and Bagoas as well as Roxane and that it was really a depiction of the King’s various passions? Had you heard that Alexander first met his mistress Barsine when they were both children in Macedon and that she was the great-granddaughter of a Great King? Can you name the girl betrothed to Alexander’s son? Would it surprise you to learn that Alexander’s mourning and funeral arrangements for Hephaistion were conducted according to precepts dictated by Homer and Euripides? If you are intrigued by any of these questions and would like to get to know Alexander on a more personal level than is feasible from the conventional histories, then you need to read Alexander’s Lovers.
May 28, 2011
Strong 2½ stars, but not quite 3.
July 18, 2016
Very little is known about Alexander. This book gathers what history is available about male and female lovers.
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