The year is 331 BCE, and Alexander the Great is about to face one of the toughest and most decisive battles of his life, later to be remembered as the Battle of Gaugamela, in what is now northern Iraq. Facing him is the Persian army, which is far larger than his own. Alexander knew he had to exploit every advantage, preparing himself and his army as thoroughly as possible.
The Greek historian Plutarch described his actions: Alexander made a sacrifice to Phobos, the god of fear and son of Ares, the god of war, and instructed his commanders to motivate their soldiers by emphasizing that victory depended on each person performing their role to the fullest. When one of his officers asked if there was anything else he could do, Alexander replied, “Nothing, except to shave the Macedonians’ beards.” Alexander shaved his own beard, and some suggest that his order for the entire army to shave their beards was to make his soldiers look like him.
This, according to the theory, was intended to boost their morale and foster a sense of unity. Others, including Plutarch, offer a more pragmatic explanation: in close combat, a long beard could prove a dangerous liability, giving the enemy a convenient handhold. Alexander’s army won the battle, paving the way for the conquest of the Persian Empire.
The clean-shaven look he promoted spread to some extent in the Hellenic world, even among those outside the military. However, the practice of removal of facial hair did not begin with Alexa.