In which battalion did Dioxippus serve?

aleksandros · Post by **aleksandros** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:59 pm

Do we know in which battles he participated?

agesilaos · Post by **agesilaos** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:11 pm

Dioxippos was a greek and therefore would not have fought in the phalanx or the hypaspists accepting him as a historical rather than a literary figure this leaves the allied greek forces, but his story comes after they had been dismissed; the mercenaries are a possibility but he seems reasonably close to Alexander so he would most likely have served in the companion cavalry with other greeks like Demaratos of Korinth. He will have fought in all the major battles.

aleksandros · Post by **aleksandros** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:41 pm

Cavalry? Given his occupation wouldnt he be more useful as a foot soldier?

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:16 pm

aleksandros wrote:Cavalry? Given his occupation wouldnt he be more useful as a foot soldier?

Well, there will have been plenty of cases, I'm sure, where the more "sensible" option was negated by the status that was required/demonstrated.

ATB

agesilaos · Post by **agesilaos** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:57 am

Ancient cavalry weren't as stable as their stirrupped successors; Eumenes and Krateros ended up having a wrestling match having fallen from their horses. The main reason for putting him with the companions is that that was the only corps where Greeks would be close to Alexander. In one version of the oft-quoted aphorism Dioxippos is by Alexander when he is wounded and it is he who says 'This is blood not Ichor,' earning an amount of opprobrium. The greek foot were never stationed by Alexander. Also wrestling skills within a phalanx, where all revolved on concerted group action rather than individual prowess, would be irrelevant. The story of the duel is no pointer as in battle Dioxippos would have been spittted on another nine sarissai while knocking the head off one!