Tebaeus

Tebaeus
Bust of Tebaeus
Born	11 April 265 BCE Parilla, Makedonian Empire
Died	190 BCE? Lerecka
Known for	Brother of Orestes II

Tebaeus was an ancient Makedonian and brother of Orestes II. Of the seven sons of Orestes I, he was the only one to live to adulthood and not embark on a military campaign nor be slain by Orestes II.

Tebaeus was the fifth son of Orestes I, a an offspring of the Makedonian king and one of his concubines who's name as been lost to history. Raised in the Royal Palace in Parilla, Tebaeus distinguished himself from his brothers with his affinity for culture and the arts rather than martial matters. By the time of Orestes II's ascension to the throne, Tebaeus had become a prolific supporter of the theater and frequently performed and attended productions, while also taking up sculpting and painting. During adulthood he transferred over to writing, producing several plays and manuscripts while dabbling in poetry. He apparently wrote a saga to commemorate the military campaigns and accomplishments of his brothers, Orestes and Aeskhrion, but none of it survives to this day. He was the last son of Orestes I to die, passing away around 190 BCE at the age of 75.

Tebaeus never displayed much interest in power or politics, which is widely held as the reason he avoided meeting the fate of any of his three brothers who were killed by Orestes. Tebaeus allegedly was the only brother Orestes II corresponded with later in life, with records attesting to them exchanging letters up until Orestes' death in 199 BCE. Modern scholars generally hold that Tebaeus was either a bisexual or homosexual; although he married and sired two children, various records attest to him engaging in relationships with various male lovers throughout his life. This was apparently known to members of the Makedonian nobility and may have led to his decision to live outside Parilla, although he regularly attended banquets and festivals hosted by Orestes.