Hephaestion

Hephaestion was Alexander's closest friend from boyhood and his death broke him. Born around 356 BC in Pella to a Macedonian noble family, he was educated with Alexander at Mieza under Aristotle, and the two were compared to Achilles and Patroclus by their contemporaries and by themselves — at Troy in 334 BC Alexander laid a wreath on Achilles' tomb and Hephaestion on Patroclus's. Whether the relationship was sexual is not stated in the sources and is generally assumed. He held no major command in the early campaigns and rose steadily thereafter, sharing command of the Companion cavalry from 330 BC and being given large independent tasks: bridging the Euphrates and the Indus, founding cities, and leading half the army through the Khyber region while Alexander took the northern route. His talent was administrative and diplomatic rather than tactical. He was the man Alexander used where a settlement had to be organised, and he supported the policy of integrating Persians into the army and court, which most Macedonian officers resented — and which set him permanently against Craterus, with whom he once drew swords. He was made chiliarch, effectively vizier, in 324 BC, and married Drypetis, a daughter of Darius, at Susa while Alexander married her sister. He died of a fever at Ecbatana in the autumn of 324 BC after ignoring his doctor and eating a fowl and a cooler of wine. Alexander had the doctor executed, cut his hair, and ordered enormous funeral honours. He died eight months later. Alexander sought and obtained from the oracle at Siwa the right to honour him as a divine hero.

• Lived: 356 BCE – 324 BCE
• Nationality: Macedonian
• Roles: general, diplomat