Neoptolemos: the invisible Archihypaspist

[Paralus]

Well Arrian describes the Macedonian infantry at Pelion as switching "dorata" from one side to another. Then again, he also describes them all as "hoplites". The frescoes can be read either way. It depends on how you see the art. The shields are certainly larger than the supposed 66cm - in fact more like 80cm or so. The long wooden things with pointy bits on the end can be anything from eight odd feet to near ten depending upon foreshortening by the angle at which they are held.

I wouldn't place too much stock in Plutarch's story: he tells the same story about a "Tahhrias" - and you know who that is (remove first inverted comma and space between the "a") at Moralia 339b. Antigenes was no "arch blackguard" for Hieronymos; rather the opposite. At all stages he supported Eumenes (even though this could be said to advantage himself). It is Teutamos, his subordinate (I fail to see how you rank this man superior), who is the blackguard. The mere fact that Antigonos burned Antigenes alive is testament to his support of Eumenes. Ditto Eudamos who was executed out of hand.

[agesilaos]

I think you have misunderstood me, Antigenes is definitely the superior of the duo, by virtue of his satrapy, Teutamos does seem to be the commander of the argyraspids though yet it is Antigenes who has the greater influence the argyraspids being a bunch of bolshey fellows might have been expected to look askance at any interferrence were it not from an old and respected former commander. Does Diodoros not mention that Antigenes reaps a just reward for his handing Eumenes over? He like Eudamos were not, I think killed because of any loyalty to Eumenes but because of their own ambition, just as Peithon was and Seleukos intended to be eliminated; Peukestas seems to have lost the will to power after Eumenes' fall.

Doh, Pelion! But there it is the general phalanx not the hypaspists alone; I would suggest that Ptolemy was using the Greek terms he found in Kallisthenes, doru, like hasta in Latin can serve as any spear, guess I am guilty of foisting unwarranted technical precision on the Greek

If you study the paintings in System1988's photo-bucket I think it is clear that the troops in the hall have light spears, the poses and casual way they are held precludes sarissai shortened by the artist to fit the frieze and probably hoplite spears as well IMHO.

[Paralus]

On the command thingo...

19.12.1
In Asia11 Eumenes with the Macedonian Silver Shields and their commander Antigenes wintered in the villages of Babylonia known as the villages of the Carians.
21.2.
...for Eumenes, Antigenes, who commanded the Silver Shields,
15.2
... but Antigenes, who was general of the Silver Shields, said that the right to make the selection ought to be granted to his Macedonians,
41.1
A short time before the battle Antigenes, the general of the Silver Shields, sent one of the Macedonian horsemen toward the hostile phalanx
44.1
Now that Antigonus had unexpectedly mastered Eumenes and all the army that had been opposing him, he seized Antigenes, the commander of the Silver Shields,

The last one is instructive for it finishes: "he seized Antigenes, the commander of the Silver Shields, put him into a pit, and burned him alive. He slew Eudamus, who had brought the elephants from India, and Celbanus, as well as certain others of those who had always been hostile to him". The reason for their murder being their hostility to Antigonos and, ipso facto, their loyalty to Eumenes. IT can be assumed that both had given Antigonos a 'go jump' to his overtures - Antigenes particularly in Cilicia where he turned Teutamos back from the dark side and those following him. The "just rewards" in Diodorus is reserved for those impious men (Teutamos at the top of the list) who handed Eumenes over and the "prince" who can only be Antigonos.

On the Aghios Athanasios frescoe, you may well be right: art is art. I don't think, though, that the agema attacked the breach in Tyre throwing away their weapons. Whether these were longche or dory is a guess I suppose but I'd want a decent spear attacking defenders who may be hoplites.

Yet another digression opening itself up to the charge of a diversion or irrelevancy. We must behave.

[agesilaos]

I concur, but the Tyrians most probably used the common short spear we would call a longche too, the few remaining grave stele at carthage show such weapons; and if you think back to Halikarnnassos Perdikkas' two drunks are specifically said to throw their weapons at the salliers, but one could retain it to thrust, as Kleitos the Black found to his cost

Is Diodoros describing Antigenes' rank or just his de facto position once Teutamos accepts his subordination? He is given a Satrapy at Triparadeisos with no mention of the Argyraspids, who may have deserted from Antigonos' army if the 3,000 were a cohesive unit in Polyainos. Just seems a step down in rank to me, but that's just my digression gland

[Paralus]

His 'general rank' is strategos of the Argyraspides and position in the 'administration' was satrap. A Satrap may command forces: although not directly comparable, Antigonus, satrap of Phrygia, is given the royal army. I think it's clear that Antigenes 'retired' to Susiane with his command; on this the sources are fairly clear.

Arrian, Succ. 1.35, 38
To Antigenes, commander of the Macedonian argyraspidae, who had first attacked Perdiccas, was given the whole of Susiana [...] Antigenes was appointed to collect the revenues in the district of Susa, 3000 of the Macedonians who were mutinously inclined being sent with him.

Diod. 18.39.6
Susianê to Antigenes because he had been foremost in making the attack on Perdiccas

Diodorus, working from the same ultimate source (compare the satrapy listings), leaves out the troops assigned to Antigenes. These, really, can only be the independently minded Silver Shields. The 3,000 deserters under a certain Holkias who desert Antigonus cannot be the Silver Shields for, when rounded up, they are sent home to Macedonia so as they cannot join up with Alketas (Polyainos, 4.6.6). This is whilst Eumenes is locked away in Nora. The Silver Shields are with their commander elsewhere. Diodorus confirms this:

18.58.1; 59.3
The letter also added that they were writing to the commanders of the three thousand Macedonian Silver Shields ordering them to place themselves at the disposal of Eumenes [...] Antigenes and Teutamus, the leaders of the Silver Shields, in obedience to the letters of the kings, came from a considerable distance to meet Eumenes and his friends.

[Paralus]

To bring matters back to the thread. What follows has not been fully thought through; more of a tangential wandering visited upon me whilst mowing the lawn in 34 degree heat...

I'd mentioned earlier that Antigenes returns west with Karateros and that this may have been the beginning of his association with the argyraspides. At Hydaspes Antigenes is associated with the hypaspists for he isn't noted as commanding "Koinos' battalion" or that of anyone else. Meleaghros and Attalos are also sent with Krateros. It's been pointed out privately that Arrian describes Antigenes' command as a "taxis" (αὐτὸς δὲ Κρατερὸν μὲν τήν τε Ἀττάλου τάξιν ἄγοντα καὶ τὴν Μελεάγρου καὶ Ἀντιγένους 6.17.3). I've posited that the superannuated argyraspides were this command and that Alexander retained the foot guard (and its chiliarchy likely made up of those still fit). He may have added to this the best from the phalanx units but that is speculation. Antigenes is later found with the retirees to Macedon under Krateros. It is possible his men are with him. As to the use of "taxis" here. that word has been much discussed and I do not see it as indicating Antigenes commanding a phalanx battalion. Arrian uses "taxis" of the hypaspists later in the "mutiny" where Arrian says that a Persian "taxis" of argyraspides (ἀργυρασπίδων τάξις) was added to the army so this useage at 6.17.3 is not compelling.

In the aftermath of Alexander's death Perdikkas attacks Egypt and he has hypaspists with him. All through books 18 and 19 Diodorus, following his ultimate source, never fails to identify the argyraspides when they are involved yet, at the Camels' Fort, we have the 'generic' term "hypaspists". This is not to say the argyraspides were not there, they were as Arrian (Succ. above) makes clear. It is odd Diodorus' source does not refer to these hypaspists as the argyraspides for as Arrian says their commander (Antigenes) was the first to attack Perdikkas. It may not be of any relevance but it also may. If there were other hypaspists at this time (and possibly before after the argyraspides and Antigenes return west) then these are they. If so, it is likely these that Neoptolemos is archihypaspist of for he nowhere has any association with the argyraspides as opposed to Antigenes who clearly does. It also helps to explain the unit's insistence on the "corporate" name.

I might be persuaded that Neoptolemos was such after Alexander's death if the hypaspist corps was 'remade'. This does not preclude Neoptolemos commanding in the last days of India. That we are not told is not conclusive for we have to find out by deduction just who Peithon succeeded as taxiarch for example. He might just as well have been made commander of these hypaspists in the royal army of the Camels' fort.*

As a footnote, if the above is correct these hypaspists cannot have been those in Eumenes' army as they clealry will have gone with Antigonos and the royal army. Somatophylakes are selected for the king(s) and there is no reason that the king(s) did not have hypaspists and an agema (the argyraspides certainly did not). They also, just as clearly, cannot have been Hammond's linguistically possible but practically impossible "sons of the hypaspists".

*Edit: commander of the hypaspists in the royal army of Babylon (and possibly before at the close of the Indian campaign). Neoptolemos was dead in Asia Minor at the time courtesy of Eumenes.

[agesilaos]

I would agree that Antigenes' unit are hypaspists, that much follows from the Hydaspes Battle, it is telling that it his while he is absent that Alexander twice takes 'half the hypaspists, VI 21 iii and 22 i were there four chiliarchiai Alexander is halving the remaining three, if three he is taking one from two.

I think since Antigenes must have a hypaspist command at Hydaspes, his association began prior to this and on this occaision his command is part of the escort rather than part of the demob mob, though he himself may be on the half-pay list.

I would posit;
Up to his death Nikanor was archhypaspist
Antigenes took over hence his seeming superior position at Hydaspes
He is retired through age or injury and takes command of a line chiliarchy for the veterans' return march
Neoptolemos is promoted to archihypaspist now
At Babylon, Antigenes is still present and is appointed archhypaspist again on Neoptolemos being give a satrapy (he is attested as the leader of the Argyraspids on the Nile ( Arrian Succ ap Photios 'To Antigenes, commander of the Macedonian argyraspidae, who had first attacked Perdiccas, was given the whole of Susiana' .
The Argyraspids now pass to the command of Holkias (Polyainos has him as the leader of 3,000 mutinous Macedonians from the Royal Army; Antigenes is said to have taken 3,000 mutinous Macedonians to his province in Arrian Succ.

'38 Antigenes was appointed to collect the revenues in the district of Susa, 3000 of the Macedonians who were mutinously inclined being sent with him.'

The place of this notice in the narrative is out of synch with this reconstruction, but we are not dealing with Arrian only Photios' summary which would be reponsible for collapsing the two events, the note of the troops may have been a prospective note originally in Arrian.

Following Holkias' disgrace and dismissal to Macedonia (Polyainos can read two ways, quelle surprise! Either 3,000 Macedonian foot were sent home, or just the leaders; I favour the latter) his men are then sent East with Teutamos as the new archihypaspist to serve under their former leader Antigenes. Presumably Antipatros thought they would be of use there and that Antigenes could get them back onside due to his previous connection with them, Teutamos then becomes an SPAW, one could carry on speculating but that still fits with Diodoros' story, and nomenclature, Antigenes is 'strategos' because he is the Satrap, but Teutamos and he both share the leadership of the Argyraspids, as Teutamos is the leader of the unit but Antigenes of the army, only here the two are synonymous, the Argyraspids are the army of Susiane! Previously I had thought the command split as Diodoros certainly seems to say, it just does not fit for a satrap to also be a unit commander and a joint one at that.

The hypaspists mentioned in the assault on the Camel Fort, accompany the ladder bearers and Bosworth ('Legacy') suggests that they are here just what it says on the can, shield bearers; he thinks the later hypaspists who appear next to the argyraspids, oriental satrapal guards, the very thing Opis was allegedly provoked by, I wonder if Diodoros has just counted the same contingent twice under two names.

[Paralus]

A rather ingenious construct. Too ingenious by half I rather suspect. There are, to me, any number of points where it falls down and so a little difficult to begin! With Teutamos I think.

There is next to no possibility that Tuetmos was given command of anyone by Antipater and sent east to Antigenes. The exact winter of discontent for the 3,000 Macedonians who decamped Antigonos' camp is somewhat debatable but most likely fits that of Eumenes' sojourn in Nora. There exists the possibility that it was the winter earlier for Antigonus is gifted 8,500 Macedonians from those Antipater brought across and he comfronts Eumenes at Orkynia with 10,000 infantry "half of whom were Macedonians famed for their courage". It does not really matter though as nothing indicates that Teutamos is with Antiogonos (or Antipater earlier). In fact, the opposite is true. Once Eumenes meets with the argyraspides, Antigonos sends meddlesome Macedonians to suborn them. At 18.62.4-7, in a context referring to Antigenes and Teutamos only, Diodorus has Antigenes say:

...[Antigonos] indeed, if he became more powerful, would take away their satrapies and set up some of his friends in their places; Eumenes, however, since he was a foreigner, would never dare to advance his own interests, but, remaining a general, would treat them as friends and, if they co‑operated with him, would protect their satrapies for them and perhaps give them others also...

Satrapies are not possessed by the argypaspides and nor would these troops gain others. There are no other satraps in Eumenes' army at this time. It is Antigenes and Teutamos who have and can receive more from Eumenes or lose "theirs" to Antigonos. Thus, whatever province (likely small) that Teutamos had, he was some sort of satrap/governor. In any case, Diodorus and Plutarch aside (who occasionally imply a shared command) it is Antigenes who is far more often termed the general of the argyrapspides; Teutamos is clearly subordinate. It is for this, and his loyalty to Eumenes, that he was so heinously murdered.

The number 3,000 would seem a commonplace. This number desert Antigonos; the same number are assigned to Antigenes and Eumenes also finds himself deserted by 3,000. Perhaps these are two "phalanx taxeis"!!?? (couldn't resist though Locke is quite wrong).

More at another time...

[agesilaos]

Have you considered that Teutamos may have recieved his satrapy from Eumenes? It would be unusual for him to escape mention in the Triparadeisos Settlement had he gained a satrapy then especially as Antigenes is mentioned. By virtue of his commission Eumenes is the Royal Government. At XVIII 62 iv

Deciding, therefore, to organize a plot against Eumenes, he selected Philotas, one of his friends, and gave him a letter that he had written to the Silver Shields and to the other Macedonians with Eumenes. With him he also sent thirty other Macedonians, meddlesome and talkative persons, whom he instructed to meet separately with Antigenes and Teutamus, the commanders of the Silver Shields, and through them to organize some plot against Eumenes by promising great gifts and greater satrapies.

I read this as a counter to the promises of Eumenes rather than the first move, Eumenes cannot have relied solely on his letters for authority and is stated not to have, he deliberately avoids accepting the Office he has been granted and Diodoros introduces the story of the Divine Tent with Alexander'srelics here, perhaps too early; who were all the leaders he imagines when at this stage there are only Eumenes, Antigenes and Teutamos? In any case I would consider it highly likely that the Cunning Cardian would have promised the very things he knew Antigonos would.

In another fit of ingenuity, the mutineers in Polyainos were tricked by Antigonos, could this be why Antigenes is so doubtful of his sincerity? There seems little time for Antigenes to form an opinion of the Cyclops. Obviously I am playing the possibility game here and would hedge everything in enough conditional clauses to referee a line-out

[Paralus]

More possibilities than Lotto!

If Diodorus does not note Teutamos' appointment at Triparadeisos then he also fails to note Dokimos' replacing Archon in Babylonia as well. He also does not note Teutamos' appointment to a satrapay by Eumenes (despite your ingenious reading of the text) or who he logically had to replace. Yet, unless Diodorus has confused matters, Tetamos had some form of governorship - perhaps Paraitekene as Bosworth suggests (it was small and ruled separately under Alexander) - which passed notice. I'm also not convinced that Eumenes could dole out satrapies; he is portayed as protecting the satraps' positions throughout as opposed to the rebel, Antigonos, who will remove same in favour of his friends. Indeed, Diodorus staes categorically that it was the "kings" who restored Eumenes to his satrapy. This right of appointment resided with Polyperchon - not the rebel Antigonos (and nor, anywhere stated or implied, Eumenes). That Antigenes claims the pair might receive "greater" domains will be the reward of service to the kings, via their general Eumenes, and via their regent Polyperchon.

Eumenes' letters are his authority and his sole authority at that (though one might add that of Olympias). Diodorus is consistent throughout in describing Eumenes' use of these letters for the Silver Shields, the treasuries at Kyinda and Susa and the summoning of the the satrapal coalition. Whilst we are not told of everything contained in those letters, nothing implies the power of satrapal appointment. One might imagine Diodorus noting such if they conferred the power to remove and appoint satraps - especially as this was Antigonos' constant threat.

The "Alexander tent" is likely anticipating Susiane. There are only the commanders of the argyraspides here and little reason to confect such as Diodorus notes that they came in obedience to Eumenes' authority: his letters (no matter it might have been reluctant). That the device is introduced and explained again in all its detail in Susiane indicates to me that this is where it was proposed; the atmosphere certainly suits it better than earlier.

Time for other matters: work. Perhaps later, though much other scribbling has my attention.

[agesilaos]

I'll let you get on, this is more in the line of fun than the trench warfare of other topics; I even take my comments with a pinch of Attic salt; Such evidence we have will bear many interpretations, depending on how faulty one judges it to be, sometimes it can be important to get the truth but I don't really think it alters much if Teutamos did have a satrapy (though were it Paraitakene one might expect him to levy troops there, but then, Antigenes does not in Susiane either, if my memory serves) ; let us re-enter the lists when your projects have reached fruition, unless you need the light relief