Archaeologists uncover a room in Greece where the king bathed in a 'homo-erotic way with his teenage, testosterone-filled companions.

It is a palace that symbolised the golden age of antiquity, bore witness to the assassination of King Philip II and the crowning of his 20-year-old son King Alexander the Great.

Set in the ceremonial centre of the ancient Macedonian kingdom, the 15,000 square metre Aigai palace is three times the size of the Parthenon, with its gated city walls, courtyard, temples, sanctuaries, theatre, palaestra - or boxing school - and tombs.

Now, archaeologists have discovered the palaestra and bathroom where the teenage Alexander bathed naked with his childhood companion, rumoured lover and future military second-in-command Hephaestion.

The discovery, in the Royal city of Aigai, in the modern town of Vergina, Northern Greece, is unveiled in the final episode of the Channel 4 series Bettany Hughes' Treasures of the World, which airs on May 11.

'It's the most extraordinary sight, seeing Aigai being excavated and renovated,' said the presenter.

There's a massive drain cut into the rock and a communal bathroom.

'This would have been where Alexander the Great bathed with his companions - his famous favourite Hephaestion and all those young men who then travelled with him on campaigns and after his death squabbled over his empire.

'There were all these rites of passage they went through.

'They were incredibly active in the gym, fighting and wrestling. They were trained to hunt.

'Imagine those communal baths at the end of football matches.

'It is a really visceral moment to be there imagining Alexander bathing in a lovely homo-erotic way with his teenage, testosterone-filled companions.

His bedroom has not been identified yet but all the quarters of the palace are there.

'So, I haven't gone into Alexander's bedroom yet, but I have got into his bathroom.'

The son of King Philip II of Macedonia and Queen Olympias of Epirus, Alexander was one of the most ambitious military commanders of all time, who famously declared he wanted to be 'king of the world'.

Tutored by the world-famous philosopher Aristotle, alongside his band of boy companions, he acceded to the throne after his father was murdered by a bodyguard during his sister Cleopatra's wedding.

From his reign in 336 BCE until his death 13 years later, he built one of the largest empires the world has ever seen, stretching from Greece to Egypt and deep into the Indian subcontinent.

Now, after a 16-year €20 million project, the archaeological team has restored 1,400 square metres of banqueting hall mosaics, marble floors and palace colonnades, and discovered hundreds of precious artefacts.

Bettany was also granted access to the tomb of Alexander's sister Thessaloniki, who was buried at Aigai, which was looted in antiquity.

'There was an incredible sepulchral beauty to it,' she added.

Bettany Hughes' Treasures of the World airs on Channel 4 at 7pm on May 11.

WHO WAS ALEXANDER THE GREAT?

Alexander III of Macedon was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia in July 356 BC.

He died of a fever in Babylon in June 323 BC.

Alexander led an army across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt claiming the land as he went.

His greatest victory was at the Battle of Gaugamela, now northern Iraq, in 331 BC, and during his trek across these Persian territories, he was said to never have suffered a defeat.

This led him to be known as Alexander the Great.

Following this battle in Gaugamela, Alexander led his army a further 11,000 miles (17,700km), founded over 70 cities and created an empire that stretched across three continents.

This covered from Greece in the west, to Egypt in the south, Danube in the north, and Indian Punjab to the East.

Alexander was buried in Egypt, but it is thought his body was moved to prevent looting.

His fellow royals were traditionally interred in a cemetery near Vergina, far to the west.

The lavishly-furnished tomb of Alexander's father, Philip II, was discovered during the 1970s.

Osystein
Humbledbygrace
Nplfmod
Seun
Mynd44

Sometimes I think that these archeologists just make up stuff

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