Amyntas And Manfredi.

[dean]

Hello,Just reading Manfredi's novel about Alexander and have just come across a character that I don't seem to recall from any of the sources although I presume he must be there.Amyntas- a young general(?)who Alexander imprisons and strips of rank because of an alleged letter that was intercepted, sent by Darius offering an enormous sum of money if Amyntas kills Alexander.According to the novel, Amyntas was present when Philip was assassinated and helped to track down Pausinias so Alexander is clement and restores him to his former position with words of caution to Parmenion to keep an eye on him. Is this just part of Manfredi's creativity as a writer or is it documented?Anyway, I guess I am being a bit lazy and could go searching but it seems an excellent excuse to ask about, to chat with my friends on this forum.Best wishes,
Dean.

[jona]

Amyntas looks a lot like Alexander of Lyncestis.Jona

[agesilaos]

As Jona says he has botched the story of Alexander of Lynkestis who was not released under Parmenion's supervision but imprisoned to be executed alongside Philotas. There was an Amyntas, the son of King Perdikkas, father of Adaea-Eurydike,who was executed at the start of the reign. The commander of the lancers at Granikos was Amyntas Arribaiou and there was a taxiarch Amyntas Andromenou. Lynkestis had been spared the fate of his brothers after Philip's assasination because he was the first to hail Alexander as king; the named captors of Pausanias are Leonnatos, Perdikkas and Attalos. Manfredi represents a rather sloppily written piece of amalgamation IMHO rather than any sort of historical fiction.

[marcus]

There was another Amyntas, about whom we know virtually nothing save his name, who also fled Macedonia on Alexander's accession. He ended up fighting with Darius at Issus, and escaped after the battle. He went to Egypt with a force of Greek mercenaries, but was defeated and killed by the Egyptians.(If I recall all this correctly).I suspect that he was incorporated in Manfredi's amalgam as well.All the bestMarcus

[dean]

Hello,Also maybe Manfredi- to avoid confusion between so many Alexanders, Alexander of Epirus, Alexander the great and Alexander of Lyncestis has maybe taken the unforgiveable liberty of changing a character's name from the sources- as I agree with Jona that it must be Alexander of Lyncestis.Best regards,
Dean.