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Birthday present for @junesoul. Pella's hottest boys 🔥

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Some Alexandros Hephaistion sketches I drew after reading way too many books and fanfiction. The design is loosely inspired by Jeanne Reames' series Dancing with the Lion plus some Mary Renault influences for young Alexander

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A commission for @alessandrarry - Alexander the Great! ;) 

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you either die a hero or live long enough for your friends to grow tired of your constant infodumping and hyperfixating and never strike up conversation with you ever again

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(Pt 2)

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i am just SO enamoured by the blown up cheeks of this aulos player I came across, she has SUCH a cute expression

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i had an achilles phase

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Hector and Paris

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Millennial men whose understanding of the Trojan War comes exclusively from Troy (2004) and teenage girls whose understanding of the Trojan War comes exclusively from The Song of Achilles: fight

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The Sarcophagus of Sidon, # Líbano, (also called Alexander) is a stone sarcophagus dating from the late 4th century BC. and which is adorned by bas-reliefs of Alexander the Great fighting the Persians at the Battle of Issos. Reconstruction of the lion helmet of Alexander the Great based on the relief of the Sidon sarcophagus.

-Istanbul Archaeological Museum.

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Persepolis/ Fars/ Iran

Photography: peyman hamidpour

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“At this Cleitus could control himself no longer; he began to magnify Philip’s achievements and belittle Alexander’s; his words came pouring out—he was, by now, very drunk indeed—and, among much else he taunted Alexander with the reminder that he had saved his life, when they fought the Persian cavalry on the Granicus. ‘This is the hand,’ he cried, holding it out with a flourish, ‘that saved you, Alexander, on that day.’ Alexander could stand no more drunken abuse from his friend. Angrily he leapt from his seat as if to strike him, but the others held him back…Now nobody could hold him; springing to his feet, he snatched a spear from one of the attendants and struck Cleitus dead” (Anabasis of Alexander, Book 4, section 8).

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Because I am such a glorious and amazing person, I sourced all of these for you. You are welcome. And I made this a real post, too, since I wrote a lot. And this is not everything Hephaistion did and achieved, it is just a selection. But I am glad that you want to know more about Hephaistion, since it is ridiculous that modern “historians” write that Hephaistion isn’t skilled.

Strictly Military:

Was a member of my elite bodyguard unit of only 7 men (well until Peukestas joined later on, then it was 8 men), the Somatophulakes. (Arrian 6.28.4)

Commanded bodyguards Somatophulakes at Gaugamela and was wounded. “Of the most prominent group of commanders, Hephaistion was wounded with a spear thrust in the arm; he had commanded the bodyguards” (Diodorus 17.61.2). I am unsure as to why people think Hephaistion didn’t have many military commands, since it is very obvious that he did throughout our campaigns.

Hephaistion co-commanded the Companion Cavalry after Philotas’ death. The Companion Cavalry was the “most famous and formidable of all his [my] mounted troops” (Arrian 3.27). But of course I would give the best command in the whole goddamn army to someone who wasn’t skilled enough to command it. /sarcasm

Hephaistion solely commanded the Companion Cavalry after Kleitos’ death and until Hephaistion’s own death (Arrian 7.15).

Led a fifth of the army by himself in Sogdiana. The mission was to “reduce with force” and “capture” resisting peoples (Arrian 4.16).

Hephaistion sieged a city by himself in 30 days flat (Arrian 4.23). What a badass.

Hephaistion “with his army.. conquered a large piece of India” (Diodorus 17.93.1).

Kicked ass with the Companion Cavalry for me at the battle of the Hydaspes (Arrian 5.12.2)

Commands third of army ahead of me in order to capture “resisting peoples” (Arrian 6.5.6).

Army Commands (including but not limited to military action):

Hephaistion has to take the entire (shitty disbanded) fleet from Tyre to Gaza to transport the siege artillery. We Macedonians are notoriously horrible at naval warfare, yet Hephaistion did this perfectly. And I literally could not siege Gaza until Hephaistion brought the fleet safely to me (Arrian 2.27; Curtius 4.5.10).

Led third of army with elephants along Hydaspes (Arrian 6.2.2).

Was in charge of ALL of the land forces while I was uh busy at the Mallian citadel (Arrian 6.13.1).

Once again led a large part of the land forces and is ordered to subdue revolts (Arrian 6.17.4)

Led large part of land forces AGAIN (Arrian 6.21.3)

Hephaistion led “largest part of the army” to Persia from Caramania- this was after we crossed the Gedrosian desert (Arrian 6.28.7).

Led “most of the infantry to the Persian Gulf” (Arrian 7.7.1).

Diplomatic:

Appointed kings for me, such as the king of Sidon. No big deal. And also made sure to appoint someone well-suited to the task, after listening to local opinion. That story about Abdalonymus weeding his garden is quite cute (Curtius 4.1.18-19 and Diodorus 17.47.1-6).

Accompanied me to reassure the Persian royal family at Issos after Darius cowardly deserted them (Arrian 2.12-13 and many other sources).

In charge of transport of freed noble women who were being forced to dance and being treated as prisoners until we freed them (Curtius 6.2.6-7). This means that I trusted Hephaistion with sensitive matters.

I used Hephaistion for diplomatic relations with the Persians, since unlike some people, Hephaistion was not a xenophobic asshat (Plutarch 47.9).

Misc:

Hephaistion bridged the Indus for me (Arrian 4.30.9 and 5.3.5).

“Resettled populations” in Sogdiana (Arrian 4.16.3)

“… he [Alexander aka me] proceeded to the Akesinos. There he found that the city he had ordered Hephaistion to fortify was completely built” (Arrian 5.29.2-3). 

Did a shit ton in Patala, including building citadels and docks and fortifying anchorage (Arrian 6.18.1, 6.20.1)

Got a pretty awesome golden crown for valor (Arrian 7.5.6). He looked fantastic in it.

Was literally a demi-god (divine hero) after his death (Arrian 7.23.6-8). I wanted him to be a god, but it’s still pretty impressive. Not many people can say that they had a hero cult! And look at this nice votive that was given to him at his hero cult at Pella. 

I mean, is it really surprising that I love Hephaistion? Because if people read the actual ancient sources, it should not be surprising at all. There’s a reason that when he died, Hephaistion was the second most powerful man in the world. And it wasn’t because of our friendship; it was because of Hephaistion’s skill.

To those “scholars” who think Hephaistion wasn’t skilled:

The ancient sources never once questioned Hephaistion’s abilities as a military commander, or in anything else that Hephaistion did. The ancient sources do not doubt Hephaistion’s abilities, so why do modern historians? The modern historians never question the other commanders’ abilities, even though all of them were less successful than Hephaistion. It’s ridiculous, biased, and disgusts me. Modern scholars are insecure and pathetic. Hephaistion was just as undefeated as I was, and current scholarship needs to accept that.

I will end this on a happier note by stating one of Hephaistion’s most difficult and hard-won achievements: Putting up with me for more than 20 years. 

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MYTHOLOGY MEME: [1/9] greek gods/goddesses

THANATOS - In greek anmythology, Thanatos (Θανατος) was the god and personification of death. His touch was gentle, likened to that of his twin brother Hypnos (the god of sleep). Violent death was the domain of Thanatos’ blood-craving sisters, the Keres, spirits of slaughter and disease. He has been portrayed as a youth carrying a butterfly (symbolising the soul of the dead) or a wreath of poppies (associated to him because of the risk of death by overexposure to them). He is often shown carrying an inverted torch (holding it upside down in his hands), representing a life extinguished. He is usually described as winged and with a sword sheathed at his belt. 

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Large Marble Bust of “Matelda" 

19th Century – French

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top 10 favourite historical rulers (in no particular order) ♦ asked by anon

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king henry viii / to six wives he was wedded. one died, one survived / two divorced, two beheaded.