Why did Alexander the Great refuse to have a Greek wife? Was there a reason why he encouraged his troops to marry Persians but not Greeks?

 There is no historical evidence to suggest that Alexander the Great explicitly refused to have a Greek wife or that he encouraged his troops to marry Persians while discouraging marriages with Greeks. In fact, Alexander married several times, and his marriages were often strategic and politically motivated.

Alexander married Roxana, a Bactrian princess, in 327 BC. This union solidified his ties with the eastern regions of his empire. After his conquest of Persia, Alexander also married Stateira II, the daughter of Darius III, the Persian king he had defeated. These marriages were part of Alexander's policy of integrating and unifying his vast empire, which spanned diverse cultures and peoples.

It's important to note that Alexander himself embraced elements of Persian and other eastern cultures. He encouraged the adoption of Persian customs, attire, and practices among his Macedonian and Greek officers as a means of fostering unity and reducing tensions between his diverse troops.

While there may have been instances of intermarriage between Alexander's soldiers and local populations, such unions were likely influenced by personal choices and local customs rather than a specific directive from Alexander against marrying Greeks. Alexander aimed to create a harmonious blend of cultures within his empire, and this included promoting intercultural understanding and cooperation.

The notion that Alexander refused Greek wives or explicitly encouraged marriages with Persians appears to be a misinterpretation or exaggeration of historical events. The available historical sources suggest that Alexander's policies were more nuanced and aimed at creating a cohesive and inclusive empire rather than promoting preferences based on ethnicity.