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{{Short description|Bodyguards of high-ranking people in Ancient Greece}}
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{{More footnotes|date=May 2017}}
[[File:CILICIA, Tarsos. Balakros Satrap of Cilicia 333-323 BC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.37|Coin of [[Balacrus]], ''somatophylax'' of Alexander the Great, as [[satrap]] of [[Cilicia]], with letter "B" next to the shield, standing for B[AΛAKPOI].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rider |first1=Georges Le |title=Alexander the Great: Coinage, Finances, and Policy |date=2007 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |isbn=9780871692610 |page=153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PUAnAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> Tarsos. 333–323 BC.]]
[[File:CILICIA, Tarsos. Balakros Satrap of Cilicia 333-323 BC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.37|Coin of [[Balacrus]], ''somatophylax'' of Alexander the Great, as [[satrap]] of [[Cilicia]], with letter "B" next to the shield, standing for B[AΛAKPOI].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rider |first1=Georges Le |title=Alexander the Great: Coinage, Finances, and Policy |date=2007 |publisher=American Philosophical Society |isbn=9780871692610 |page=153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PUAnAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref> Tarsos. 333–323 BC.]]

'''''Somatophylakes''''' ({{lang-el|Σωματοφύλακες}}; singular: '''''somatophylax''''', σωματοφύλαξ) were the bodyguards of high-ranking people in ancient Greece.
'''''Somatophylakes''''' ({{langx|el|Σωματοφύλακες}}; singular: '''''somatophylax''''', σωματοφύλαξ) were the bodyguards of high-ranking people in ancient Greece.


The most famous body of ''somatophylakes'' were those of [[Philip II of Macedon]] and [[Alexander the Great]]. They consisted of seven men, drawn from the [[Macedon]]ian nobility, who also acted as high-ranking military officers, holding command positions such as [[General officer|general]] or [[chiliarch]]. [[Alexander the Great]] appointed [[Peucestas]] as eighth ''somatophylax'' after the [[Mallian Campaign|siege of Malli]].
The most famous body of ''somatophylakes'' were those of [[Philip II of Macedon]] and [[Alexander the Great]]. They consisted of seven men, drawn from the [[Macedon]]ian nobility, who also acted as high-ranking military officers, holding command positions such as [[General officer|general]] or [[chiliarch]]. [[Alexander the Great]] appointed [[Peucestas]] as eighth ''somatophylax'' after the [[Mallian Campaign|siege of Malli]].
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;336&ndash;334
;336&ndash;334
*[[Aristonous of Pella]], [[Lysimachus]], [[Peithon]], [[Arybbas (somatophylax)|Arybbas]], [[Balacrus]], [[Demetrius (somatophylax)|Demetrius]], [[Ptolemy (somatophylax)|Ptolemy]].
*[[Aristonous of Pella|Aristonous]], [[Lysimachus]], [[Peithon]], [[Arybbas (somatophylax)|Arybbas]], [[Balacrus]], [[Demetrius (somatophylax)|Demetrius]], [[Ptolemy (somatophylax)|Ptolemy]]*.
;333,
;333
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Balacrus, Demetrius, [[Hephaestion]].
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Balacrus, Demetrius, [[Hephaestion]].
;332
;332
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, [[Menes of Pella]], Demetrius, Hephaestion.
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, [[Menes of Pella|Menes]], Demetrius, Hephaestion.
;331
;331
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, [[Leonnatus]], Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, [[Leonnatus]], Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
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*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, [[Perdiccas]], [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy of Lagus]], Hephaestion.
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, [[Perdiccas]], [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy of Lagus]], Hephaestion.
;326&ndash;324
;326&ndash;324
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy Lagus, Hephaestion, [[Peucestas]]
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy of Lagus, Hephaestion, [[Peucestas]].
;323
;323
*Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy Lagus, Peucestas.
* Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy of Lagus, Peucestas.

== Royal agema ==

The term ''somatophylakes'' is also used to refer to a member of the Royal Hypaspists, the ''agema'', who acted as the King's bodyguard in battle. The Royal Pages would expect to begin their military service in this unit: thus Pausanias, [[Philip II of Macedon|Philip II]]'s assassin was a member of this corps, not one of the Seven Bodyguards.

W Heckel<ref>'Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great' p.262 and note 638</ref> believes that the Ptolemy* given above for 336 BC was not one of the Seven but commander of this unit. He was killed at Halicarnassus in 334 BC and succeeded by Admetus. The latter was killed at Tyre in 332 BC and appears to have been succeeded by [[Hephaestion]].


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Companion cavalry]]
* [[Companion cavalry]]


==References==
==References==
Heckel, Waldemar. "The 'Somatophylakes' of Alexander the Great: Some Thoughts." ''Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte''
* Heckel, Waldemar. "The 'Somatophylakes' of Alexander the Great: Some Thoughts." ''Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte'' Bd. 27, H. 1 (1st Qtr. 1978), pp. 224–228.
Bd. 27, H. 1 (1st Qtr., 1978), pp. 224-228.
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{{more footnotes|date=May 2017}}
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.livius.org/so-st/somatophylax/somatophylax.html Livius.org - ''Somatophylax'']
* [https://www.livius.org/articles/concept/somatophylax-bodyguard/ Somatophylax (Bodyguard)] at Livius.org


{{Alexander's Generals}}
{{Alexander's Generals}}

Latest revision as of 02:44, 23 October 2024

Coin of Balacrus, somatophylax of Alexander the Great, as satrap of Cilicia, with letter "B" next to the shield, standing for B[AΛAKPOI].[1] Tarsos. 333–323 BC.

Somatophylakes (Greek: Σωματοφύλακες; singular: somatophylax, σωματοφύλαξ) were the bodyguards of high-ranking people in ancient Greece.

The most famous body of somatophylakes were those of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. They consisted of seven men, drawn from the Macedonian nobility, who also acted as high-ranking military officers, holding command positions such as general or chiliarch. Alexander the Great appointed Peucestas as eighth somatophylax after the siege of Malli.

Under Alexander the Great

[edit]

(Note that this list is speculative in several cases and would be disputed by scholars. For example, Hephaestion was probably not named as early as given below. The only complete list of Alexander's bodyguard in the original sources is found in Arrian (6.28.4), upon the extraordinary appointment of Peucestas in Carmania.)

336–334
333
  • Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Balacrus, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
332
  • Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
331
  • Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
330–327
326–324
  • Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy of Lagus, Hephaestion, Peucestas.
323
  • Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy of Lagus, Peucestas.

Royal agema

[edit]

The term somatophylakes is also used to refer to a member of the Royal Hypaspists, the agema, who acted as the King's bodyguard in battle. The Royal Pages would expect to begin their military service in this unit: thus Pausanias, Philip II's assassin was a member of this corps, not one of the Seven Bodyguards.

W Heckel[2] believes that the Ptolemy* given above for 336 BC was not one of the Seven but commander of this unit. He was killed at Halicarnassus in 334 BC and succeeded by Admetus. The latter was killed at Tyre in 332 BC and appears to have been succeeded by Hephaestion.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  • Heckel, Waldemar. "The 'Somatophylakes' of Alexander the Great: Some Thoughts." Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte Bd. 27, H. 1 (1st Qtr. 1978), pp. 224–228.
  1. ^ Rider, Georges Le (2007). Alexander the Great: Coinage, Finances, and Policy. American Philosophical Society. p. 153. ISBN 9780871692610.
  2. ^ 'Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great' p.262 and note 638
[edit]
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