Greek Parliament Reacts to Netflix’s Portrayal of Alexander the Great as Gay

M10news – The Greek Parliament is in uproar over the portrayal of Alexander the Great’s romantic relationship with his close friend Hephaestion in the new Netflix series “Alexander”.

The Making of a God.” Critics have labelled the show as “extremely poor-quality fiction” and “a distortion of the truth,” sparking a heated debate in Greece.

Dimitris Natsiou, leader of the far-right Christian Orthodox party Niki, denounced the series as “deplorable, unacceptable, and unhistorical.”

He accused it of promoting the idea that homosexuality was accepted in ancient times without a historical basis.

Minister for Culture Lina Mendoni joined the criticism, calling the show “low content” and emphasising the lack of evidence in historical sources supporting Alexander’s sexuality beyond friendship.

On the contrary, historians and experts on ancient Greece argue that Alexander may have been homosexual or bisexual, citing the broad and multidimensional understanding of love in antiquity. They point to ancient sources, such as historian Plutarch, which suggest a romantic relationship between Alexander and Hephaestion.

Additionally, they note that homosexuality was not uncommon in ancient Greek culture, especially among the elite and military.

Netflix has refrained from commenting on the controversy, but Buck Braithwaite, the series’ star portraying Alexander, defended it as “a respectful and honest portrayal” of history.

Braithwaite expressed pride in playing a role that “celebrates diversity and challenges stereotypes,” hoping the show would inspire viewers to learn more about Alexander and his legacy.