Hephaistion (356 - 324 BC)

Hephaistion, was the son of Macedonian aristocrat Amyntas, and he was the dearest Alexander's friend ever since from his childhood, and for Roman historian Q. Curtius Rufus he is described as: omnium amicorum carissimus. From age 13 to 16 he and Alexander, at the park of Mieza, together with the other boys belonging to the Macedonian aristocracy were taught by Aristotle, who introduced them to the world of arts and sciences.

Alexander himself named Hephaiston Philalexandros *( the friend of Alexander in Greek), while his another friend Craterus Alexander called Philobasileus (in Greek friend of the King). Hephaistion was vice-king (Chiliarch), and he has married the sister of Barsine - Alexander's own wife at the royal wedding in Susa. He was Alexender's Alter Ego.

He had great freedom, as anyone else, to speak his own mind to the king. And snatches of evidence in the extant sources suggest his real gifts were diplomatic and logistical, not military. He was taller and even more handsome than Alexander was.

One famous event after the battle of Issus (autumn 333) gives us an idea about Alexander's and Hephaestion friendship, when Alexander had captured Darius's throne tent with complete Persian imperial escortent; including Darius's mother - Sisygambis; his wife - Stateira; his harem. and other princesses.

When Alexander and Hephaestion went to meet Sisygambis, she prostrated herself at the feet of the most kingly figure. She chose by the mistake the taller Hephaestion! Alexander is said to have responded rather friendly:

"Don't worry mother, he is Alexander too."

His image has remained documented in the marble relief with engraved text to the hero Hephaistion, and it is situated now in the Museum of The Saloniki. He was presented often in the artworks of ancient artists near Alexander (*P.Moreno ), like mosaicos and frescos which represent hunting scenes in the heroic nudity. In autumn 324 Hephaestion died in Ecbatana, eight months before Alexander. Alexander indulged in deep mourning for his best friend; he was given a royal funeral in Babylon with a grandiose pyre* (projected by Stasiratos, megaloman who suggested to Alexander, to transform Mt. Athos situated on the Calcidic peninsula in the Alexander figure, the same thing was done by Americans few millennia later with their presidents) costing 10,000 talents. His post of chiliarch was left unfilled. General order was sent out to the Greeks to honor Hephaestion as a hero that Alexander linked to it the demand that he himself should be accorded divine honors.