Friendships in History: Alexander and Hephaestion // David and Jonathan // Enkidu and Gilgamesh

Video

Friendships in History, especially from mythology and the ancient world have withstood the test of time. This video will take you through the close friendships of Alexander the Great and Hephaestion, David and Jonathan and Enkidu and Gilgamesh. These friendships from the Ancient World are all from different geographic regions, with different beliefs and histories, yet are all remembered as famous friendships.

Alexander the Great, son of Phillip II of Macedon inherited the Macedonian Empire and expanded it into the largest empire his world had seen, and as he did that, his greatest friend and trusted general Hephaestion was by his side. Hephaestion was taught by Aristotle with Alexander in their youth, and then became his second in command until his death.

The story of David and Jonathan comes from the bible, with prince Jonathan, the son of King Saul becomes close friends with the shepherd David, the man who killed Goliath. When King Saul became jealous of David, he planned on killing him, but his son Jonathan defied him and kept his friend safe.

Our final friendship is the wild man of the woods Enkidu, with the civilized and cruel King Gilgamesh, known from the Epic of Gilgamesh. As the oldest epic poem, the Epic of Gilgamesh recounts the friendship of Enkidu and Gilgamesh, who first fight each other and then become friends. They go on adventures, and after the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh feels as though he has lost his other half and goes on a journey to find the meaning of life, and immortality.