Grimdark History1 Feb 2024

The Ascension of Alexander the Great Part 2

The Hecatomb is a large scale sacrifice of cattle, bulls, or oxen to the gods of Greece. Nominally this means 100 animals to be sacrificed but it could easily have just meant a large scale sacrifice of perhaps several dozen. It would have been performed only at extreme or momentous occasions.

The religious experience was an extremely important part of life of the everyday Greek world. Divine forces and beings existed everywhere. They were in the rivers, lakes, and seas. In the woods, in the sky and earth. They determined if your army broke in battle, if the weather was fair, if the gods were on your side, and who was going to live or die.

Appeasing and giving thanks to the gods was an extremely important part of Alexander's life. His personal connection to divine forces and gods made him an extremely devout follower. Add on top of that how critical it was to make sure the gods were not only happy but on your side as an army with only 30 days' worth of provisions and with no money to pay its soldiers would have been of utmost importance to make sure the army didn't just mutiny and abandon Alexander before the first battle was even fought.

Making sure the gods were on your side would have been of paramount importance, even and above that of the happiness of the soldiers. An army that believed the were invincible because the gods were on their side was assured victory, glory, and wealth. Come we me as we explore the religious experience of an everyday Greek citizen and member of Alexander the Great's own army during such a sacrifice.

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