ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the reception of Alexander's sexuality. It suggests that when ancient and medieval authors wrote about Alexander's sex life, they defined the boundaries of masculinity; what was regarded as correct and incorrect sexual behaviour for males. In the beginning of the chapter, the views of male sexuality in Classical Antiquity and medieval Europe are discussed. The first subchapter examines the early imperial Roman and late antique literary tradition that eulogised Alexander's sexual abstinence and self-mastery. The second subchapter scrutinises works that criticised Alexander's sexual behaviour, which appeared in the Roman literature that presented the Macedonian king's behaviour as a warning about unmasculine conduct. The third subchapter focuses on the medieval reception of Alexander's sexuality. Particularly passages concerning Alexander's encounters with Queen Candace and the amazon queen Thalestris are discussed in this section. The central ideal promoted in all the sources used here was that of self-controlled masculinity and masculine dominance. Since self-control was a trait that would lead to the state of masculine dominance and since effeminate males and women were regarded as unable to control their desires and passions, self-mastery was regarded as a sign of a “true” man.
