Alexander's Marshals : A Study of the Makedonian Aristocracy and the Politics of Military Leadership

This substantially revised and updated second edition of The Marshals of Alexander's Empire (1992) examines Alexander's most important officers, who commanded army units and were involved in military and political deliberations. Chapters on these men have been expanded, giving greater attention to personalities, bias in the sources, and the social as well as military setting, including more on familial connections and regional origins in an attempt to create a better understanding of factions. The major confrontations, military and political, are treated in greater detail within the biographies, and a discussion of the organization and command structure of the Makedonian army has been added.This is an invaluable resource for anyone working on the world of Alexander the great and his successors. Book jacket Alexander’s Marshals- Front Cover 1 Alexander’s Marshals 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Preface 10 List of abbreviations 14 Map of Alexander’s empire 27 Introduction 28 PART I 32 Chapter 1: The house of Attalos 34 Attalos uncle of Kleopatra-Eurydike 34 Hegelochos son of Hippostratos 39 Chapter 2: The house of Aëropos 46 Alexandros son of Aëropos: Alexandros Lynkestes 49 Amyntas son of Arrhabaios 58 Chapter 3: Antipatros son of Iolaos 60 Family and early career 60 Regent in Alexander’s absence 62 Quarrels with Olympias and the rift with Alexander 64 After Alexander’s death 65 Antipatros in Asia 69 Return to Makedonia and death 70 Chapter 4: Parmenion and Philotas 71 Parmenion son of Philotas 71 Philotas son of Parmenion 79 Chapter 5: Black Kleitos and his relatives: the house of Dropidas 87 Kleitos son of Dropidas 87 Andronikos Son of Agerros 91 Proteas son of Andronikos 93 Chapter 6: Koinos son of Polemokrates 94 Family and early career 94 His role in the Philotas affair 96 From Drangiana to India 97 To the Hyphasis and back 100 Chapter 7: Hephaistion son of Amyntor 102 Alexander’s dearest friend 103 Early career 105 Philotas and the path to promotion 108 Cavalry commander 112 Supply and logistics 114 The height of Hephaistion’s power 117 His quarrelsome nature 119 A partner in the new empire 122 The death of “Patroklos” 123 Chapter 8: Meleagros son of Neoptolemos 128 Chapter 9: Leonnatos son of Anteas 134 Chapter 10: Krateros son of Alexandros 149 Family and early career 149 Krateros and Philotas 157 The Upper Satrapies and Alexander’s orientalism 161 The Indian campaign 164 Return to the West 167 Krateros after Alexander’s death 170 Krateros and Antipatros: the Lamian War 171 Krateros and the lion monument at Delphoi 174 Krateros and Antipatros 175 Return to Asia 177 Chapter 11: Perdikkas son of Orontes 180 Family and early career 181 Bias in the sources 182 The growth of Perdikkas’ power 184 Perdikkas as Alexander’s second-in-command 188 From chiliarch to regent 195 The attempt to gain greater power 197 Perdikkas, Nikaia, and Kleopatra 201 The coalition against Perdikkas 204 The Egyptian campaign and the death of Perdikkas 208 Alketas: brother of Perdikkas 211 Chapter 12: The sons of Andromenes 216 Amyntas son of Andromenes 216 Simmias son of Andromenes 218 Attalos son of Andromenes 219 Polemon son of Andromenes 226 Chapter 13: Polyperchon 227 Family and early career 228 The proskynesis episode 230 The Indian campaign 231 Return to the West 232 Polyperchon as regent and the war with Kassandros 233 The end of Polyperchon’s supremacy 239 Decline and obscurity 243 Chapter 14: The family of Harpalos 244 Kalas son of Harpalos 244 Harpalos son of Machatas 245 Philippos son of Machatas 254 Tauron son of Machatas 255 Chapter 15: Ptolemy son of Lagos 257 Family and early career 258 Ptolemy emerges: from the Persian Gates to Phrada 259 Independent commissions 260 Ptolemy in India 262 Return to the West 263 Power broker or separatist 265 PART II: The instruments of power 268 Chapter A: Alexander and the Makedonian aristocracy 270 King and companions 270 Chapter B: Organization of the army 287 The Makedonian core 287 Non-Makedonian troops 301 Appendices 308 I Sirrhas (Irrhas) the Illyrian 310 II The so-called conspiracy of Amyntas Perdikka 314 III Asandros son of Philotas 318 IV Artakoana 319 V The office of chiliarch and Hephaistion’s chiliarchy 321 VI White Kleitos and the naval war in the Aegean 325 VII Neoptolemos archihypaspistes 332 VIII Antigenes, commander of the Silver Shields 335 IX The sons of Larichos: Erigyios and Laomedon 342 Erigyios 342 Laomedon 344 Stemmata 346 I The house of Attalos 348 II The Lynkestian royal house 349 III The house of Iolaos 350 IV The house of Parmenion 351 V The family of Black Kleitos 351 VI The family of Krateros of Orestis 352 VII The house of Andromenes and the family of Perdikkas 353 VIII The family of Harpalos 354 IX The house of Ptolemy 355 X The Argead royal house 356 XI The last of the Achaimenids 357 XII The family of Pharnabazos 358 Bibliography 359 Partial index 390 A Study of the Makedonian Aristocracy and the Politics of Military Leadership The House Of Attalos -- The House Of Aëropos -- Antipatros Son Of Iolaos -- Parmenion And Philotas -- Black Kleitos And His Relatives: The House Of Dropidas -- Koinos Son Of Polemokrates -- Hephaistion Son Of Amyntos -- Meleagros Son Of Neoptolemos -- Leonnatos Son Of Anteas -- Krateros Son Of Alexandros -- Perdikkas Son Of Orontes -- The Sons Of Andromenes -- Polyperchon -- The Family Of Harpalos -- Ptolemy Son Of Lagos. Waldemar Heckel. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.