List of Figures Abbreviations Preface Introduction 1. Son of the Thunderbolt: Alexander's birth myths and their dates The birth myths The lion-seal The thunderbolt The serpent sire and its tradition The serpent side and the debate over Alexander's paternity The serpent sire and Ammon 2. Son of the Serpent: The original identity of Alexander's serpent sire Alexander's world of serpents Patterns in the Alexander serpent-lore The original identity of the serpent sire The visualisation of the seduction of Olympias 3. Son of the Ram: Alexander as heir to the Macedonian foundation myths Typologies Macedon Caranus Perdiccas Midas Archelaus The interaction of Alexander's myths with the foundation myths 4. Son of the Eagle: The heirs to Alexander's birth myths The opportunities offered by Alexander's myths Ptolemy Soter Seleucus Nicator: the foundations of Antioch and Seleuceia Seleucus Nicator: descent and typologies Seleucus Nicator: Apollo as sire Antigonus Monophthalmus and Demetrius Poliorcetes Other Hellenistic dynasties and the Roman Empire Conclusions 5. Son of the Witch: Traditions of polygamy in the Macedonian court The polygamous structure of the Macedonian court Olympias and Philinna: a war of witches? Alexander's family: polygamy and productivity 6. Alexander's wives: Fact and tradition Roxane Stateira Parysatis Barsine 7. Alexander's dalliances: Fact and tradition Courtesans Sons and mothers: Encounters with local queens 8.

Alexander's Men: Fact and tradition The enigma of Hephaestion Bagoas the eunuch Hector 9. Alexander the Gynnis The gynnis tale What was a gynnis ? Alexander as a gynnis Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index.