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agema. The elite guard of the infantry or the cavalry.Agrianes. Also “Agrianians.” A group that lived in the northeastern corner

of Paeonia near the source of the Strymon River. Their contingent of peltasts,armed with javelin, was used as an elite force by the King, often in con-

junction with the hypaspists.akontistai. Javelin-men.Amun, Amun-Re. The Egyptian sun-god, equated by the Greeks with Zeus.

Greek and Latin sources give his name as Amon, Ammon, and Hammon.anaboleus. The individual – probably a member of the Companions (even

the ile basilike) rather than a Page – who helped the King mount his horse.apologia. A defense. A sanitized or “whitewashed” account.

apomachoi. Soldiers unfit for battle.archaioi xenoi. A unit of mercenaries – perhaps soldiers who had served

together since the time of Philip II – commanded by Cleander.archigrammateus. Chief secretary.archihypaspistes. Commander of the entire corps of hypaspists.archikybernetes. Chief pilot (e.g., Onesicritus).

archon. Politically, a chief magistrate. Militarily, a commander.argyraspides. Silver Shields. 3,000 veterans (former hypaspists).Argyraspids. See argyraspides.asthetairoi. See pezhetairoi.

ataktoi. The “undisciplined” or “unruly.” A unit of dissenters formed in 330and placed under the command of Leonidas.

auletes. Flute-player.bematists. A bema is literally a “step” or “stride.” Alexander’s bematists were

those who kept records or distances and conducted surveys. Their worksappear to have contained more than mere factual information and not every-

thing they recorded was based on autopsy.chiliarch. Literally, “commander of a thousand” but in Persian usage the chief 

executive officer of the King or “second after the King” (hazarapatish).chiliarches. Commander of a thousand men.chiliarchos. See chiliarches.choregos. A man who assumed the expenses associated with dramatic pro-

ductions. The service was known as choregia.

Who’s Who in the Age of Alexander the Great

Waldemar Heckel

© 2006 by Waldemar Heckel

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choreutes. A dancer in the chorus.consilium. Council, advisory group.custos corporis. Bodyguard (also armiger ).doryphoros (pl. doryphoroi). Literally a “spear-bearer,” a doryphoros was a

member of the guard. In the Alexander historians the word is used as asubstitute for somatophylax, armiger , or custos corporis (i.e., a member of thehypaspists).

epimeleia. Guardianship.

epimeletes (pl. epimeletai). A guardian or manager of affairs. Used of a regent.episkopos (pl. episkopoi). An overseer.epistoleus. A letter-carrier ( grammatophoros), courier.epitropos (pl. epitropoi). Guardian or regent.erastes. The older “lover” in a homosexual relationship. See eromenos below.eromenos. A homosexual lover, that is, normally the younger partner in the

relationship (literally, “the one who is loved”). gazophylax (pl. gazophylakes). Treasurer (that is, the guardian of a treasure in

one specific place). gynaion. A “little woman.” The term can be used affectionately of an older

woman (e.g., Ada or Halicarnassus) or pejoratively of a woman of low stand-ing or of a mistress or common-law wife.

harmostes. A military or garrison commander.

hazarapatish. See chiliarch.hegemon (pl. hegemones). Normally, a military leader or commander.

Sometimes used as a substitute for strategos but often denoting an officerof lesser rank. Also, the military leader of a league (e.g., the League of Corinth).

 Hellenica (Greek: Hellenika). Literally, “Greek things or affairs.” A history of 

Greece.hetaira (pl. hetairai). A “female friend,” that is, a prostitute or courtesan.hetairos (pl. hetairoi). Companion or friend. A high-ranking individual at court

or in the army. Hence a member of a select group of individuals who served

as officers, advisors, or administrators.hieromnemon. A religious official. In the case of the Delphic amphictyony,

a state representative.hippakontistai. Mounted javelin-men.hipparch. Cavalry commander.hippeis misthophoroi. Mercenary cavalry.hippeis prodromoi. Cavalry scouts (also prodromoi).hyparch. See hyparchos.hyparchos. A lieutenant. Often used as the equivalent of satrap.hypaspistai basilikoi. The Royal Hypaspists.

hypaspists. Elite infantry, selected for their strength and agility rather thanon a territorial basis. They were certainly more mobile (hence, perhaps more

lightly armed) and provided the link in the Macedonian line between the pezhetairoi and the cavalry. There were two types of hypaspists: the regu-lar hypaspists (3,000 in number and commanded by the archihypaspistes)

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and the Royal Hypaspists, who seem to have been drawn from a higher

social class. See Heckel 237–53.ilarch. See ilarches.ilarches. Cavalry squadron commander.

ile (pl. ilai). A cavalry-squadron. In Diodorus, eile (pl. eilai).ile basilike. The royal squadron (eile basilike, D). Commanded by Black

Cleitus.kitharoidos. One who plays the harp and sings in accompaniment.

logos. A story. In Arrian a report that comes from a primary source other thanPtolemy or Aristobulus (also a legomenon).

 Macedonica. See Makedonika.Makedones. Native Macedonians. Macedonian citizens.

 Makedonika. A history of Macedonia. See s.v. Marsyas.megistoi. The most powerful individuals (in this case, after Alexander’s death).

misthophoroi. Mercenaries. Cf. hippeis misthophoroi. Also xenoi.nauarchos. Admiral. Fleet commander.navarch. See nauarchos.neogamoi. Newly weds. Those in Alexander’s army in 334/3 who had married

before leaving for Asia Minor.Paeonians. A tribe located in the region between the Strymon and Axius

(Vardar) rivers. They served Alexander as cavalrymen.

 pais basilikos (pl. paides basilikoi). “Royal Boy/Youth,” that is, one of the King’sPages.

patronymic (Greek:  patronymikon). Literally, “father’s name.” The Greekshad no family (or last) name. Instead a person was identified as “son of x”with the father’s name appearing in the genitive case (e.g., HephaistionAmyntoros = Hephaestion son of Amyntor).

peltasts. Targeteers. Troops, more lightly armed than hoplites, named for theirshields ( pelte, pl.  peltai).

 pentakosiarches. Pentakosiarch. A commander of 500. pentakosiarchia. A military unit of 500. Half a chiliarchy.

 pentekontoros. A fifty-oared ship. Persica (Greek: Persika). Literally, “Persian things or affairs.” A history of Persia,

of which the most famous examples were written by Ctesias and Dinon. pezhetairoi (also  pezetairoi). The “Foot Companions.” The core of the

Macedonian infantry. Alexander’s army included six taxeis (1,500 × 6 = 9,000)of  pezhetairoi. These were territorial levies. Those from Upper Macedonia

may have been called asthetairoi (thus Bosworth 1973); the term most likelymeans “close companions” rather than “best (aristoi) companions.”

 Philippica (Greek:  Philippika). A history of Philip II of Macedon. The mostfamous example was written by Theopompus of Chios.

 Philippeum. A statue-group, showing the family of Philip II, set up atOlympia. Only the base of it survives today.

 philos (pl. philoi). Friend in the technical sense. See hetairos. phrourarchos. Garrison commander. presbeis. Envoys, ambassadors.

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 prodromoi. Scouts. Also hippeis prodromoi. Cf. skopoi. prostasia. Guardianship, regency. prostates. A guardian or regent. proxenia. An institution that allowed an individual of one state to represent

the political and diplomatic interests of another, in lieu of a permanentconsul or ambassador. See Marek 1984.

 proxenos. An individual who was honored by a foreign state to represent itspolitical interests in his own.

 psiloi (sing. psilos). Lightly armed troops. psilokitharistes. A harpist, but one who plays without singing.sarissa (sometimes sarisa). The Macedonian “pike,” which in the time of Philip

II and Alexander was about 15–18 ft in length. The sarissophoroi (below)carried somewhat shorter sarissai (ca. 14 ft).

sarissophoroi. Literally, “sarissa-bearers.” Cavalry armed with the shorter

cavalry sarissa.satrap. Satrapes. Governor of a province (satrapy). Sometimes called hyparchos.satrapy. Satrapeia. Name of a Persian province. The name and the system was

taken over by Alexander and his successors.Seven. In Macedonia, the seven Somatophylakes. See Somatophylax. In Persia,

the seven conspirators against the so-called “False Smerdis.”skopoi. Scouts.

somatophylakes. Bodyguards, in the general sense. The term was used of Pages,hypaspists, and the Seven.

Somatophylax. Bodyguard. One of the seven personal guards (staff ) of theKing.sphairistes. A ball-player.Stathmoi. “Stages,” title of works written by the bematists (see s.v. above).strategia. Generalship. In Athens, ten men were elected annually to the

strategia.strategos. General. Used of a high-ranking military commander and of a mil-

itary overseer of a region.

stratiotes. A soldier or, in some cases, a professional soldier.stromatophylax. Guardian of the household goods, particularly bedding.

Apparently a minor official at Alexander’s court (see s.v. Proxenus).syngeneis. Greek συγγενεB ς. “Kinsmen” of the Great King. An honorific title

at the Persian court.syntrophos. An individual (often a member of the Pages) who was raised at

the court in Pella with the King’s sons.taxiarch. See taxiarches.taxiarches. Commander of a taxis (see below).taxis (pl. taxeis). An infantry unit, often translated “battalion,” sometimes

“brigade.” The strength of a taxis of pezhetairoi was 1,500. Chiliarchies (1,000)of hypaspists and lightly armed troops are sometimes referred to as taxeis

as well.thearodochos (= theorodochos). One who receives theoroi (ambassadors sent to

consult an oracle).

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theoros (pl. theoroi). An envoy sent to consult an oracle or to be present at

a religious festival.toxarches. Commander of archers.toxotai. The archers.

triakontor (triakontoros). A thirty-oared ship.trierarchos (pl. trierarchoi). Commander of a trireme or, as in the case of the

Hydaspes fleet in 326 (following Athenian practice), the man who paid thecost of fitting out a ship.

trierarchy. A public financial service. Rich men were expected, in Athens, tofund the cost of fitting out a trireme. Alexander adopted this practice atthe Hydaspes in 316.

 xenagos. Mercenary leader. xenoi. Mercenary troops. Cf. misthophoroi. xenos. A foreign friend (e.g., Demaratus of Corinth). Also a mercenary

(see xenoi).