Armies - Bodyguards

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Alexias
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Armies - Bodyguards

Post by Alexias »

Armies - Bodyguards

The only list of the Seven Bodyguards of Alexander is given by Arrian on the appointment of Peucestas as an eighth extraordinary Bodyguard for his bravery in saving Alexander's life in the city of the Malli.
Leonnatus, son of Anteas, Hephaestion, son of Amyntor, Lysimachus, son of Agathocles, Aristonoüs, son of Pisaeus, these four being Pellaeans; Perdiccas, son of Orontes, from Orestis, Ptolemy, son of Lagus, and Peithon, son of Crateas, the Heordaeans. Peucestas, who had held the shield over Alexander, was now added to them as an eighth.

Eordaea was a geographical region of upper Macedonia and later an administrative region of the kingdom of Macedon. Eordaea was located south of Lynkestis, west of Emathia, north of Elimiotis and east of Orestis.
These men were known as the Somatophylax (plural Somatophylakes), a term, usually without the capital letter, which is also used to denote a member of the agema, the Royal Hypaspist squadron that acted as the King's bodyguard in battle. The Royal Pages would begin their military service in this squadron. The commander of this squadron, Ptolemy, was killed at Halicarnassus in 334 BC. He was succeeded by Admetus who was killed at Tyre in 332 BC. Hephaestion succeeded Admetus and was commander of the agema at Guagamela 331 BC.
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