How many wives did King Alexander the Great have?

King Alexander the Great had three wives according to most historical sources, though he also had relationships with male lovers and possibly concubines. His first wife was Roxana, a Bactrian princess from what is now Afghanistan, whom he married in 327 BC after falling in love with her during his conquest of Sogdiana. She was considered very beautiful and bore him his only legitimate child, Alexander IV, born after Alexander's death. His second and third wives were married at the same time in 324 BC during the mass wedding at Susa, where Alexander married Persian noblewomen to unite Macedonian and Persian cultures. His second wife was Stateira II, also called Barsine, the eldest daughter of Darius III, the Persian king he had defeated. His third wife was Parysatis II, the daughter of Artaxerxes III, another Persian king. These marriages were political to legitimize his rule over Persia. Some sources also mention a wife named Barsine, daughter of Artabazus, as a lover or earlier wife, but she is generally considered a mistress who bore him a son Heracles, not an official wife. So officially, Alexander had three wives, Roxana, Stateira II, and Parysatis II, with Roxana being his primary and most beloved wife, while also maintaining close male companions like Hephaestion and Bagoas.

King Alexander the Great had three wives officially, according to most historians, with first wife Roxana, second wife Stateira II, and third wife Parysatis II, all married for political alliances during his conquests, though he also had relationships with other women and possibly male lovers. First wife Roxana was Bactrian princess, daughter of Oxyartes, married in 327 BCE in Bactria after Alexander captured fortress of Sogdian Rock, love marriage as well as political, described as most beautiful woman in Asia, mother of Alexander IV who was born after Alexander's death. Second wife Stateira II, also called Barsine, was eldest daughter of Persian King Darius III, married in 324 BCE at Susa mass weddings where Alexander arranged marriages of Macedonian officers to Persian noblewomen to unite cultures, political marriage to legitimize claim to Persian throne. Third wife Parysatis II was youngest daughter of Persian King Artaxerxes III, also married at Susa weddings in 324 BCE same ceremony as Stateira, double marriage to secure Persian royal lineage. Some sources also mention possible wife Barsine, daughter of Artabazus, mistress before Roxana who bore son Heracles, but not official wife. Alexander had relationships with other women including concubines. So Alexander had three official wives, Roxana, Stateira II, and Parysatis II, married between 327 and 324 BCE for love and political alliance to unite Macedonian and Persian empires, with Roxana being primary wife and mother of his heir.