It has been suggested by some modern scholars that as well as being close friends Alexander and Hephaestion were also lovers, though hardly any “of Alexander’s extant ancient Greek or Roman biographers ever refers to Hephaestion as anything but Alexander’s friend”,[53] conforming with Hephaestion’s epithet “Philalexandros” which was given to him by Alexander himself.[54] It has been observed, however, that the ancient Greek word “φίλος” (philos), besides meaning “friend”, was also applied to lovers in the homo-erotic or sexual sense.[55]

Furthermore, Arrian and Plutarch describe the occasion when Alexander and Hephaestion publicly identified themselves with the Homeric figures of Achilles and Patroclus [who were commonly identified as lovers]. At the onset of the campaign in Asia, Alexander led a contingent of the army to visit Troy, scene of the events in his beloved Iliad. He encircled the tomb of Achilles with a garland and Hephaestion did the same with the tomb of Patroclus,[56] and they ran a race, naked, to honour their dead heroes.