The Sacred Band was an elite fighting force responsible for the rise of Thebes as the Greek superpower in the 4th century BC. According to ancient sources, it was also formed of 150 pairs of adult male lovers. I talk to historian and author James Romm about the origins and eventual defeat of the Sacred Band of Thebes.

Thebes was once the most powerful city-state in Greece, but it has largely been overshadowed in popular culture by Athens and Sparta. Historian Paul Cartledge and I discuss the rise and fall of Thebes, and what impact it made on the ancient world.

In this episode of the podcast, we investigate whether a mysterious army of lovers known as the Sacred Band of Thebes really dominated Greece in the 4th century BCE. 

My investigation into the life of Alexander the Great brought another incredible story to my attention: the rise (and fall) of the Sacred Band of Thebes in the 4th century BCE.