A Hephaistion Quiz!
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An interesting quizz. I failed on two accounts: Hephaestion's Persian wife and what unit he joined "on reaching manhood".
I have absolutely no argument with the former: his marriage liitle interests me. The second is rather more problematic though. At Gaugamela Diodorus (17.61.3) says:
It is therefore most likely that Hephaestion was commanding the agema of the hypaspists at Gaugamela. He certainly commanded no Companion Cavalry troop. They are listed by Arrian by commander by squadron. Hephaestion rates not a mention.
I have absolutely no argument with the former: his marriage liitle interests me. The second is rather more problematic though. At Gaugamela Diodorus (17.61.3) says:
Now, the actual Greek is "somatophylakes". This does not mean the "seven" for Hephaestion was not a member of this group at the time. In the time of Philip the "foot guard" were referred to as "symatophylakes" though - a reason why Ptolemy (a source for Arrian) often still refers to the hypaspists as such (on more than a few occasions) - to him they are interchangeable.Of the most prominent group of commanders, Hephaestion was wounded with a spear thrust in the arm; he had commanded the bodyguards.
It is therefore most likely that Hephaestion was commanding the agema of the hypaspists at Gaugamela. He certainly commanded no Companion Cavalry troop. They are listed by Arrian by commander by squadron. Hephaestion rates not a mention.
Last edited by Paralus on Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.
Academia.edu
That is, of course, very true. Well spotted. However, I reckon you have the right of it - I wouldn't put money on his not joining the Companions!derek wrote:In fact, the question can't be answered. Hephaestion doesn't get a mention until Troy, so the question-setter can't know for certain which unit he joined aged 17 or 18. But it's a fair bet it would have been the Companions.
ATB
Yeah, the problem with quizzes is that they assume answers that are known definitely to be correct. I blew the unit question too.
I thought question #1 was a bit misworded... I imagine a certain old one-eyed individual would be spinning in his tomb, if he were still there, to see Makedonia called a "province"...
I thought question #1 was a bit misworded... I imagine a certain old one-eyed individual would be spinning in his tomb, if he were still there, to see Makedonia called a "province"...
At eighteen he, like other pages, most likely joined the agema of the hypaspists. This an an argument well made by Heckel and with which I'd agree. He, like Seleucus, is not attested in the Companian cavalry untill later in their carreers. Some of these nobles, graduautes of the school of pages, went on to command phalanx battalions as well.derek wrote:In fact, the question can't be answered. Hephaestion doesn't get a mention until Troy, so the question-setter can't know for certain which unit he joined aged 17 or 18. But it's a fair bet it would have been the Companions.
Paralus
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους;
Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.
Academia.edu
- Vergina Sun
- Pezhetairos (foot soldier)
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 3:24 pm
- Location: USA
Hey, you guys are all doing well. The average for that quiz is 8/15.
I got 15/15 too. But I do have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with Alexander and Hephaistion.
Now Paralus, Derek, why did I think that anybody who was important (nobles, Alexander's friends etc) would have automatically been part of the companion cavalry when they reached manhood?
Karen, Question 1 made me wonder about the wording too. "Greece" was hardly one united "state" with "provinces" at the time. Bit anachronistic perhaps?
I got 15/15 too. But I do have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with Alexander and Hephaistion.
Now Paralus, Derek, why did I think that anybody who was important (nobles, Alexander's friends etc) would have automatically been part of the companion cavalry when they reached manhood?
Karen, Question 1 made me wonder about the wording too. "Greece" was hardly one united "state" with "provinces" at the time. Bit anachronistic perhaps?
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- Pezhetairos (foot soldier)
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:47 pm
- Location: Rhode Island USA
The way I'd imagined it is that the sons of Macedonian nobility started off as pages to learn the ropes of being a nobleman/courtier, then those suitable for the military "graduated" to the Companions. The Companion cavalry was almost a depot for noblemen, riding close to the king and in his eye. Those who distinguished themselves, either in combat or socially, would then get promotion to the command of a unit, and climb the ladder that way.
I know the arguments about Foot Companions and so on, but I think that was more of a battle honour than an indication of pedigree. And that's because I just don't see noblemen being willing to stand in ranks and march everywhere like common infantry. Philip and Alexander rode horses into battle and their entourage would have galloped along behind. The Companion cavalry; the name says it all.
Derek
I know the arguments about Foot Companions and so on, but I think that was more of a battle honour than an indication of pedigree. And that's because I just don't see noblemen being willing to stand in ranks and march everywhere like common infantry. Philip and Alexander rode horses into battle and their entourage would have galloped along behind. The Companion cavalry; the name says it all.
Derek
Wouldn't this mean, therefore, that Hephaistion's first appointment was most likely a command in the infantry - he wasn't a member of the Macedonian nobility after all?derek wrote:I know the arguments about Foot Companions and so on, but I think that was more of a battle honour than an indication of pedigree. And that's because I just don't see noblemen being willing to stand in ranks and march everywhere like common infantry. Philip and Alexander rode horses into battle and their entourage would have galloped along behind. The Companion cavalry; the name says it all.
Best regards,
Amyntoros
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