The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite Greek army that existed by the fourth century BC It was made by the best and bravest men chosen from among the Theban troops and were subjected to hard training to give height.
Well, so far everything is more or less normal. The elite units are as old as war and all the hosts have some.
What makes this unit so special is that the Sacred Band was comprised of 300 men, or rather, the battalion was composed of 150 pairs of lovers.
Homosexuality in Greece was not only tolerated but in certain circumstances, it was frowned upon and even gave a degree of status. Even in the Greek army were not uncommon homosexual relationships between colleagues. There are numerous known and documented cases of military heroes male partner had as Theron, Harmodius Aristogeiton himself to Alexander the Great and mythological heroes like Achilles.
Gorgas was the Theban commander who led these relations in the army a step further by creating the Sacred Band of Thebes. Was composed exclusively of men both pairs of lovers. Couples the formed, usually, a veteran named Heniochoi (driver) and another component called Paraibatai younger (partner). Sacred
The battalion was part of the Greek infantry for over 33 years and he also serves as bodyguard demonstrated in numerous battles and brawls value and unparalleled courage to other units.
The secret of this strength? There is no stronger bond between two people that love and affection and that in a battlefield is worth its weight in gold. Plutarch explains:
"For men of the same tribe or family little value one another when danger pressed, but a battalion cemented by friendship based on love will never break and is invincible because lovers, ashamed of not being worthy in the sight of his beloved and the beloved in the sight of her lovers, eager to throw themselves to danger for the relief each other. "
Battalion The end was tragic. During the Battle of Chaeronea, in which the Greek city-states faced Philip II and his son Alexander , all the Greek infantry yielded to the pressure of the Macedonian army and left in disarray. All but the 300 to 150 lovers surrounded by the troops of Alexander decided to resist to the end to find there his death. Plutarch tells it:
"Victorious Philip laid his eyes on the corpses and asked: who are almost three hundred dead they embraced each other and coupled sunk in death and love.
They said, are those of the Sacred Band of Thebes Pelopidas of lovers and loved the virile of Thebes of the house of Laius.
Philip replied: Perish the man who suspects that these men or had or did something improper. "
In Chaeronea was ordered to erect a monument in memory of the fallen of Thebes.
Near the monument, found during an excavation in 1924, also found a communal grave with 254 bodies placed in seven rows. They fought together, died together and rested together
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