Alexander the Great & HephaestionCavalry commander Hephaestion knew Alexander long before anyone
Alexander the Great & HephaestionCavalry commander Hephaestion knew Alexander long before anyone called him great. A childhood friend who studied with the conquerer under Aristotle, he is believed to have been Alexander’s lover.While Hephaestion served in Alexander’s army, he was known as the leader’s most important confidant. They were both of noble birth and had received an elite education; Aristotle described the two as “one soul abiding two bodies.“ The couple traveled the world together, making sacrifices at the shrines of heroes lost at Troy.When Hephaestion died in 324 B.C., Alexander was in a catatonic state and unable to eat for days. He held an elaborate funeral in Babylon and sent a note to the shrine of Ammon pleading for Hephaestion to receive divine honors. Although the priests had previously acknowledged Alexander as a god, they refused to declare his companion a divine hero. Soon after receiving the news that his request was denied, Alexander died, apparently no longer caring for his own health. -- source link