Alexander the Tyrant
Personal Life
Murders
Father?
Cleitus the Black
Man who had saved Alexander’s life at Granicus
Callisthenes, nephew of Alexander
Refused proskynesos
Implied Alexander’s tyrrany
Executions
Torture
Bessus
Homosexuality?
Hephaestion
Bagoas the eunach
Alcoholism
Compounded psychological problems
Massacres
Treatment of Greek cities
Suppress their liberties
Betrayal
Lack of trust of those around him
Experience growing up
Betrayal of his mother
Murder of his Father
Treating loyal service with disdain
Parmenio
Punishment for truth-tellers
Surrounded by sycophants
Punishment of families for sins of one member
Blood feud
Sycophants as liars
Court rumor and scandal
The rise of favorites
Hephaestion
Paranoia
Real problem of conspiracy
Gossip from Olympias about Philip
Fear of losing succession from father
Constant fear of coups and murders
Real vs. fantasy fears
Use possibility of murder for reprisals
Fear of the army
Possibility of mutiny of the army
Has to buy their loyalty
Plot to kill Philotas, son of Parmenio
Blamed for delay in transmitting news of murder plot
Tortured into confessing and implicating his father
Murder of Parmenio
Megalomania
Desire to be loved
Obsession with power and glory
No obsession with sex or money
Kingship
Hero worship
Desire to be loved
Absolutism
Divinity
Sycophancy
Inability to discover the truth
Persian court ritual
Ritual as play-acting grandeur
Separates and elevates king over courtiers
Crown and dress
Court ritual
Ushers
Giving Persians honors
Attempt at creating collaborators
Alienated Greeks: we do the work, the Persians get the honors
Proskynesos
Rivalry and hatred between Old Guard and Persians