Introduction

In the reign of Alexander, affective relationships in the political, administrative and diplomatic environments were a crucial asset for the king to manage and control his basileia. In order to reinforce his authority in the army, the administration, and the political factions, Macedonian and non-Macedonian, Alexander increasingly entrusted with political, military and diplomatic responsibility roles those who were strictly tied to him personally. These personal relationships were mainly built on the affective component, sustained by a sense of loyalty and mutual support. Political alliances were engendered not only because of a common utilitarian goal, but because of a communal political vision built on shared experiences, sympathetic interactions, moral agreement, and a like-minded attitude towards policy-making. And king Alexander was the core of this. The basileia was a personal matter, and personal relationships were its structural roots. These, rather than blood ties, proved to be the successful and determinant factors in Alexander’s succession and in the creation of the Hellenistic world of the Epigoni. Two hundred years later, the Hellenistic monarchs still stressed loyalty to Alexander in order to support their legitimacy claims via the artificial design of a personal bond with the king.