RANKS and names of Macedonian soldiers

[ruthaki]

Can anyone tell me where I can find a glossary of the proper rank names for the soldiers in the Macedonian army? For instance, when a cadet was promoted what rank would he become, and what was the proper Macedonian term for 'cadet'? Just some little details I need to tuck into the final edits of my novel. Much appreciated. And Happy New Year to everyone whereever in the world you are.

[marcus]

Can anyone tell me where I can find a glossary of the proper rank names for the soldiers in the Macedonian army? For instance, when a cadet was promoted what rank would he become, and what was the proper Macedonian term for 'cadet'? Just some little details I need to tuck into the final edits of my novel. Much appreciated. And Happy New Year to everyone whereever in the world you are.

Your best bet is to get hold of one of the good modern works of Alexander that has a decent section on the army. Try JFC Fuller, or NGL Hammond, as they tend to spell out the military stuff quite well.

ATB

[ruthaki]

Thanks a lot. Yesterday I got all the time-lines I needed off the www.livius.org website which was a huge help in sorting out the activities of the Successors from 315 - 310. I thought when going through the manuscript for the final edits it would be quite authentic to have a few of the correct Macedonian names for army ranks.

[marcus]

Thanks a lot. Yesterday I got all the time-lines I needed off the http://www.livius.org website which was a huge help in sorting out the activities of the Successors from 315 - 310. I thought when going through the manuscript for the final edits it would be quite authentic to have a few of the correct Macedonian names for army ranks.

Hi Ruth,

It has to be said that you won't necessarily find a complete list, as we don't know what sort of variety of ranks there were in the army. From what we can tell there are two ways of distinguishing 'rank' - by title (battalion commander, etc.), and by pay (a 'double-pay man'); the latter, of course, might not have anything to do with 'rank' as such, but as the double pay is the reward for bravery, or whatever, he would certainly be more experienced and lionised, and therefore carry at least an informal seniority.

Another good place to find a glossary is W. Heckel's "The Conquests of Alexander the Great", Cambridge, 2008. It's an "entry level" book, but it has some good appendices and a glossary.

Plenty of other books will give you the information you need. In fact, I have been planning to put together a military glossary for Pothos for a while, but not yet got round to it. What a shame I hadn't finished it before you asked the question! I will do so at some point ... but probably not quickly enough for your requirements.

ATB

[amyntoros]

Another good place to find a glossary is W. Heckel's "The Conquests of Alexander the Great", Cambridge, 2008. It's an "entry level" book, but it has some good appendices and a glossary.

I have an extra copy of this along with a copy of Robin Lane Fox's The Search for Alexander (nice photos), both dupes resulting from a holiday trip to the Strand bookstore. Will be happy to mail either of them for free to any US member that might be interested - just send me a PM. Ruthaki, I don't know if this would work for you as I'd be using media mail and it can take around three weeks to arrive, but let me know.

Best regards,

[ruthaki]

I don't have Heckel's book but I do have R.L Fox's book. I really appeciate all the help and advice I get from Pothos members. Thanks so much.
I won't be doing final edits for awhile yet so if you can send that Heckel book to me it would be much appreciated.

(Edited by moderator)

Meanwhile I'll check out other sources that have been suggested.

[amyntoros]

Ruth, I recorded your address and email, but as you can see I edited them from your post. Am not sure how many hits Pothos gets each day, but I know that there are many, many non-members who read the forum. Don't think you really want your personal address up on the internet for all and sundry to see. Much the same applies to your email address - in fact more so. Spammers are notorious for "farming" email addresses from websites and forums.

I should get the Heckel book in the mail by Monday as it's too late for today. (And the Fox book is still up for grabs if anyone is interested, but send me a PM!)

Best regards,

[ruthaki]

Thanks for doing that. I hesitated putting up the address and realized I probably should have gone through other sources for doing so. So I appreciate your taking it down right away.

[Paralus]

A potted list would include supernumeraries:

File closer
Herald
Signalman

There are others I can’t quite remember. Plus:

Lochagos (commander of 256 men); Taxiarch (strategos or general of a “unit” or “battalion”).

Later in the reign (from 331?) the hypaspists were led by three (or four) chiliarchs (commanders of a thousand) and six (or eight) pentokosiarchs (commanders of 500). Atarrhius, winner of the prize for valour at Sittakene won a pentokosiarchy. He may or may not be the Atarrhius Kassander sends out with an army in 317/16.

[ruthaki]

Again, thanks for your scholarly information. Every bit of detail I can add will make the story more authentic and I appreciate your help.

[agesilaos]

This is a somewhat vexed area since most of our source material is Greek we cannot be sure that the titles are Macedonian, although it would be pedantic to push the point in criticising a novel. The ones we should be sure of come in the description of the mixed phalanx towards the end of Arrian VII file- leader, dimorites (double-pay man), dekastateros (ten stater man) and file closer the rank and file were probably called hoplites but soldier would be a neutral title (and indeed translation since the word has that broad meaning viz the Indian hoplites at Hydaspes). Evidence for standard bearers is weak for Alexander but better attested for the Successors semephoroi (it is true that Hephaistions hipparchy carried his image post mortem but that does not imply it did before [unless I've forgotten a 'continued', doh!] or that they went into the field).

Hegemon can be used of just about all the officers (down to file leaders in an Antigonid inscription detailing fines for lost equipment) otherwise it's a case of adding -arch as a suffix to the unit root ( though beware of agemarch, that would translate as band leader!). The Hellenistic tactical manuals give all sorts of unit names and sizes but they rarely appear in inscriptions or texts and so should be discounted as theoretical - Polybios continually refers to Antigonid units as speirai but the theorists have not heard of them prefering a simple arithmetic progression.

There would be no term for 'cadet' as such they would just be the latest age-class called up, 'new boy' neios perhaps or 'parthenoi' - virgins? or 'lambs' since we are talking sheep herders.

In the cavalry it would just be the -arch system as far as one can tell. Later the Ptolemys gave certain troop types ethnic names, but not in the first phase of the successors although Tarantinarch, for the commander of all the tarantine style cavalry seems likely.(shielded light cavalry with javelins)

[Nicator]

Greetings Ruthaki,
I haven't checked into pothos for some time so I thought I'd drop in and see what's happening. One of the best books for military ranks would have to be Arrian. Beyond that, and what Marcus has already mentioned, I would also pillage "The Marshalls of Alexander's Empire" for information.

[ruthaki]

Thanks everyone for your info. I simply must invite Arrian and The Marshal into my library! I have been very remiss!

[ruthaki]

A huge thanks to Amyntoros for the book which I received this weekend. A notice came a couple of weeks ago but I thought it was for a Christmas gift I'd already picked up. Another final notice came Friday and I thought I'd better check and there was the book! Just what I needed now too. And I very much appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending it.