Somatophylakes

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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

siege of Malli
.

Under Alexander the Great

(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
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.

See also

References

  • 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.

External links