@cribhistory: Alexander the Great Betrayed the Man Who Saved His Life What’s the most tragic betrayal in history? Cleitus “the Black” wasn’t just a general—he was family, and at Granicus he literally saved Alexander’s life. Four years later, in 328 BCE at Maracanda (Samarkand), that bond shattered. After brutal Central Asian campaigns, Alexander leaned into Persian court customs—proskynesis, divine honors, Persian appointments—while veteran Macedonians seethed. Cleitus, reassigned to far-off Bactria, felt exiled from the king he’d grown up with. At a wine-soaked banquet, singers praised Alexander and mocked the old guard. Cleitus snapped: victories belonged to Macedonians—and to Philip II—not a “god.” Some later sources even suggest he insinuated Alexander had welcomed Philip’s death (hotly debated). Accounts differ on the sparks: Alexander hurled an apple (Arrian) or a cup (Curtius). He then called for the military trumpet signal—the blaring alarm used to break up assemblies and summon guards—to drown Cleitus out; one version even has him striking the trumpeter for hesitating. Chaos surged. Cleitus returned, still shouting. In a blind rage, Alexander seized a spear and drove it through Cleitus’s chest. The aftermath was devastating. Alexander broke down, reportedly tried to kill himself, then shut himself away for days. The trust that fueled his conquests never fully recovered—a stark reminder that absolute power can corrode even the closest bonds. #alexanderthegreat #ancienthistory #History #leadership

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Thursday 25 September 2025 00:54:12 GMT