ATG trip to Siwa

[chris]

Do we know who joined ATG on this excursion? Did Haiphaistion go? If not, why not?Chris

[marcus]

I don't think we know for sure. The only two companions who appear to be properly attested are Callisthenes and Ptolemy - although, to be honest, the fact that they mentioned 'miracles' to do with the trip in their histories doesn't mean that they were there.I would expect that Hephaistion was there, though.All the bestMarcus

[Nicator]

Hello Marcus,
Wasn't it mentioned that Alexander when talking to Hep...had his answer, and when he returned to Pella, he would give it to his mother? At least, I assumed he was talking to Hep? Either way, it still doesn't confirm whether or not he came along.
later Nicator

[Nicator]

Hello,
I can't remember who was along, but I also assumed Hep was there because the priests seemed to know Hep when Alexander tried to have him declared a god after Hep's death...again, just a gut feeling here, nothing for sure.
later Nicator

[marcus]

That's always the problem with Plutarch, isn't it? (I think that's where the business is about Alexander saying he'll tell Olympias what the oracle said, anyway). Because there's no indication of exactly *when* he said it, and it's not clear who he said it to, we are still left guessing.Still, I don't think Alexander would have left Hephaistion out of such a trip. But he won't have taken all his companions, because most of the army was left behind, either in Memphis or at the site of Alexandria. So it would make sense that those companions who held army commands were less likely to go to Siwa - Ptolemy, who didn't command any troops at the time (at least, not that I am aware of), is therefore a good prospect for being one who went - in the same way Hephaistion is.All the bestMarcus

[susa]

If that interesting 'spin-doctor' hypothesis about Hephaistion should be considered here, his being at Siwa is a good supposition.