It's the Ancients on History Hit.

I'm Tristan Hughes, your host.

And in today's podcast where we got legendary classicist James Rom on the show, I say legendary,

he was a man who really inspired me to learn more about the aftermath of Alexander the

Great's Death.

He wrote an incredible book about the early wars of the successors called Ghost on the

Throne a few years back.

If you do get the chance, go and check that out in due course.

But today's podcast, we are chatting with James about one of his more recent projects,

if not his most recent project.

This is all about the Theban Sacred Band, an elite Greek military unit that thrived

in the mid-fourth century BC from the city state of Thebes.

Now what's so extraordinary about the Sacred Band was that it consisted of 150 pairs

of homosexual lovers.

For almost 50 years, it was the elite military fighting force in mainland Greece until

a figure called King Philip II of Macedon came along and defeated them at the Battle

of Kyronea, fought around this time of year in 338 BC.

What do that further ado to reveal all about the Theban Sacred Band?

Here's James.

James, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast.

Thank you, it's a pleasure to be here.

Now the Theban Sacred Band is shining a light on a remarkable unique ancient Greek military

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