Do we know what was Alexander the Great’s view of women? Alexander, grew up in a patriarchal society where men ruled and women had a limited degree of influence. I ’d say it’s safe to assume that he continued to have this viewpoint. There are a numerous cases when Alexander interacts with women which demonstrate this.
Alexander, went to consult the Oracle of Delphi about the outgrowth of his campaign against the Persians. still, by the time he arrived the Oracle did not serve due to their religion and not indeed for Alexander they would make an exception. When the Pythia( goddess) said it was not legal Alexander stormed in and seized her physically himself and tried to drag her to the sanctum and the queen said “ You are invincible ” to which he let her go and was satisfied with the answer.
Considering the Oracle was a sacred and respect position with Ancient Greece for a women and Alexander disregarded customs and dragged her explosively, I ’d say he’d not be against laying hands on a women if he allowed the occasion called for it believing that she should observe him upon his request.
likewise, during his campaign analogous as the Sack of Thebes the women and elderly who hid in the temple “ Were torn from sanctuary and vanquished to outrage without limit. ” which would include murder, rape and all other agony mores during war. Thirty thousand Thebans also were sold as slaves which did include women, commodity which passed throughout his campaign.
While this was common practice for defeated adversary at the time, Alexander did not make your average women pure from these practices which indicates his views at the time did align with the standard of the time.
still, with that said he was known to respect women of majesty. Following the Battle of Issus although Darius ’ had fled Alexander had captured his woman and daughters where he transferred Leonnatus to state “ They should themselves be handed with everything they had been used to admit from Darius. ” While it’s true these women are majesty, Alexander could ’ve allowed them to be manhandled or just been dismissive but rather he treated them well and with respect which was not entirely the standard during his time.
Women were also used as a political tool to gain commodity or be seen as legit analogous as marrying Stateira who was Darius III’s son which helped him appear as a legit successor to Darius and one who was accepting of the Persians along with his other women to make himself appear more legit which at the time was standard practice.
So while we ca not exactly know Alexander’s proper general view of women as a aggregate we can gain some insight from how they were treated. Common women he was likely indifferent about allowing them to be sold to slavery and his men to do as they wished during sieges, whereas women of majesty like Darius ’ family he would treat disdainfully so he could be well entered by the Persians and when he eventually married these women to be seen as a legit successor of the Achaemenes Empire. thus, Alexander’s views of women would presumably be the standard of Macedonian men which would be a farther patriarchal worldview.
