Who was Alexander's male lover?

The most famous male lover of Alexander the Great was Hephaestion, his lifelong friend and companion, though the exact nature of their relationship is debated by historians. Hephaestion was a Macedonian nobleman who grew up with Alexander, studied with him under Aristotle, and became his closest friend, general, and confidant throughout his conquests. Ancient sources like Plutarch, Arrian, and Diodorus describe their relationship as exceptionally close and intimate. When Hephaestion died in Ecbatana in 324 BC, Alexander was devastated, ordering public mourning and expensive funeral rites, similar to Achilles mourning Patroclus. Many historians interpret this as evidence of a romantic relationship. Another male lover attributed to Alexander was Bagoas, a Persian eunuch and dancer who was previously a lover of Darius III. According to Plutarch and Curtius, Bagoas was given to Alexander as a gift and became his lover, with an episode where Alexander kissed Bagoas publicly at a theater. In ancient Greek and Macedonian culture, romantic relationships between men, especially between older and younger noblemen, were relatively common and not stigmatized as in later periods. While some modern scholars argue Alexander's relationships were purely platonic friendships, most ancient sources suggest Hephaestion was indeed his lover as well as friend, and Bagoas was a later lover during his Persian campaigns.

Alexander the Great's most famously discussed male lover was Hephaestion, his closest friend, general, and companion from childhood, often considered lover in ancient sources and modern interpretations, though exact nature of relationship debated, with relationship similar to Achilles and Patroclus. Hephaestion, son of Amyntor, was Macedonian noble born around 356 BCE same year as Alexander, educated with Alexander under Aristotle at Mieza, becoming Alexander's closest friend, second-in-command, and confidant throughout conquests from Greece to India, serving as general, diplomat, and chiliarch or grand vizier of Persian Empire after conquest, trusted above all others. Ancient sources like Arrian, Plutarch, and Curtius describe deep affection, with Alexander and Hephaestion often compared to Achilles and Patroclus, heroes of Iliad who were lovers in some interpretations, and when Hephaestion died in 324 BCE in Ecbatana from fever, Alexander mourned extravagantly, fasting, cutting hair, ordering mourning throughout empire, executing doctor, and holding lavish funeral costing 10,000 talents, behavior suggesting deep love beyond friendship. Other male lovers or favorites mentioned include Bagoas, Persian eunuch and former favorite of Darius III, described as Alexander's lover in some sources, and possibly other companions, as same-sex relationships were accepted in ancient Greek and Macedonian elite culture, especially mentor relationships. So Alexander's male lover most famous was Hephaestion, childhood friend and general, considered lover and soulmate in many historical and modern accounts, with relationship central to Alexander's life until Hephaestion's death.