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Hello ,Why Hephaistion's funeral was that big thing? Wasn't he just an army officer?
I read in MRenauld that Alexander got for him a huge pyre, and commanded the manes of horses to be cut as sign of mourning.
Bye
Dee

Hi!It looks like it was so because Hephaistion was the Hazarapatish/Vizier by the time he died. So a funeral like that would suit someone with an almost royal position... I think.
susa

Firstly, at the time of his death, Hephaestion was effectively Alexander's second-in-command. Craterus, the other most senior officer in the army, had been sent home to Macedonia to take over from Attalus as regent there. Hephaestion was the chiliarch, the Grand Vizier, and also Alexander's brother-in-law, and therefore part of the Royal Family.Secondly, Alexander's grief was a very personal one and as King he could vent this grief in huge public displays of mourning. Linda

Hi Linda,Had Craterus already left for MAcedonia at the time of Hephaestion's death? (I'm not picking holes, I just can't remember).But I think your second reason is more to the point - that Hephaestion was so close to Alexander and Alexander's grief was so great, that he displayed it so ostentatiously. All the bestMarcus

Hi MarcusNot entirely sure, but Perdiccas replaced Hephaestion, so it would suggest Craterus had already gone. Didn't Craterus take some great time to even get half-way to Macedonia? Someone will know.I agree that Alexander's affection for Hepahestion woudl be the main reason why Hephaestion's death was such a big event, but he was not just any old officer.

I recall that he had the doctor who attended Hephaestion killed as a result of the death. Was that fair or proper? Or was it just a result of his grief?

Yes, Krateros had already gone, although at a leisurely pace as he was in bad health. I think Hephaestion probably died about November 324, Krateros probably left about August 324.Susan

I think I've read(but I'll be darned if I can remember where) that the execution of an attending physician at a royal death was more-or-less expected, especially in Egypt with which we know Alexander had a connection. Or amIconfusing fact and fiction?
Do you think they had malpractice insurance?

There was nothing 'ordinary' about the love that was shared by those men. The size of the funeral and the emotions and grief that followed were only a fraction of the affection and devotion exchanged between them. Alexander could not be consoled.

Not to mention that Alex could have projected the Achilleas-Patroclos relationship into his own with Hephaestion. That made him seek the analogy of Patroclos grand funeral to be projected in Hephaestion's one...
We all know that he was infatuated with the Iliad and Achilleas.

Hephaistion was the one dearest to the King. The size of the funeral was in keeping with his affection and Alexander's station in life - to have done less would have been an insult to the man who was second only to himself.Why was the doctor killed? Because he had left Hephaistion unattended and he died. That was gross negligence of duty punishable by death.