Alexander had a love affair with his first wife, Roxanne

After capturing Sogdian Rock, a seemingly impenetrable mountain fortress in 327 BC, the 28-year-old Alexander was questioning his captives when he suddenly met Roxanne, a new daughter of a noble Bactrian family. She immediately caught his eye. Specifically, Roxanne was born in 340 BC. Her father was a nobleman named Oxyartes, who served Bessus, guardian of Sogdia and Bactria.

One of the Interesting Facts about Alexander the Great is that Alexander had a love affair with his first wife, Roxanne and their marriage occurred then. In 327 BC, Alexander married Roxanne despite the objections of his comrades and generals. In a customary wedding ritual that followed, the monarch soon divided a loaf of bread in half and presented it to his wife.

In fact, their marriage, in addition to stemming from true love, was also politically beneficial because it made the Sogdian army more loyal to Alexander and more avoid rebellion after defeat. Alexander looked to the Indian subcontinent to cement relationships with his new warriors after Spitamenes' passing and his marriage to Roxanne. After that, Alexander sent an expedition to India, where he named Oxyartes administrator of the neighboring Hindu Kush territory. It's assumed that Roxanne was at a secure location in Susa throughout this time. One of Roxanne's brothers was given a promotion to the elite cavalry when Alexander visited Susa again.