Which Cantons were represented?

[smityzback]

I recently decided to pull out of storage my Macedonian (15mil.) lead figurine army and give it a much needed recoat of paint, and repair some broken down pike.
I have always run 6 battalions of pike as was present at the battle of Granicus. The battalions from right to left repectively are commanded by Perdiccas,Coenus,Amyntas, Philip,Meleager and finally Craterus. If I remember correctly, Rufus mentions Perdiccas as commanding the battalion from Orestes. I was wondering if anyone had an opinion as to what the remaining five cantons may have been. It would give my figurines a bit more individuality and character when putting them on display. (* I like putting little bits of information on the under side of the cardboard I base these figures on )

[agesilaos]

The reference is in Diodoros XVII 57 ii '...Next to them was thebattalion from Elimiotis led by Coenus;next he stationed the battalion from the Orestai and Lycestai under Perdikkas; Meleager commanded the next and then Polyperchon, the Styphaeans beig his command...' Philip son of Balakros and Krateros are mentioned but not given any ethnic unit, however in Indika Krateros is from Orestis in the list of trierarchs 18 iiiff

[smittyzback]

Many thnx Karl, . Unfortunately I cant afford to buy Diodorus'work, very expensive here for some reason. Does he mention by chance that those commanders came from the specific territories they commanded?. Although from what I can make out it doesn't sound like they did. Once again thnx, my troops will be pleased and honoured to serve their territorial battalions well. Cheers!

[susan]

Diodorus is available online
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/pt ... od.+17.1.1
Do use it - it's a good resource !RegardsSusan

[marcus]

Hi Susan,Although I'd known about this online version of Diodorus, it was only seeing your note that made me finally visit it.It is extremely good! I was a bit concerned that it might just be presented in continuous prose, but the way they have presented it makes it very easy to use.Thanks for reminding me about it and forcing me to visit it!All the bestMarcus

[marcus]

I think the general consensus has always been that the commanders of the battalions *did* come from the geographical territories represented - hence the belief that Perdikkas was of Oresteian or Lynkestian origin, etc.Just to add - I don't think the names of the other cantons are recorded anywhere. I, too, have been trying to find out what they were, with no luck so far. Not that we don't know the names of the Lower Macedonian cantons... but we don't know which had pezhetairoi battalions, or who they were commanded by.All the bestMarcus

[agesilaos]

Don't forget the trierarch list in the Indike, that gives Perdikkas as coming from Orestis and Ptolemy Lagou and Aristonous as Eordaeans. Judging from this list it would seem that only the Upper Macedonians were recruited cantonally, the Lower Macedonians being recruited at city level or at least mustering on the major cities, Pella, Amphipolis, Pydna, Tympha and Mieza, Aegae, Aloris and Beroea are all mentioned.

[marcus]

Very good bit of reference - thanks.I had forgotten all of that, and it's a very long time since I read Indika. Now you mention it I do remember reading that only the Upper Macedonians recruited by region (or "appear" to have recruited by region).There's only room in my little brain for a certain amount of information... :-)All the bestMarcus

[susan]

Indica is online at:http://www.und.ac.za/und/classics/india/arrian.htmSusan

[marcus]

Hi Susan,No flies on you, are there! :-)I've got the Loeb edition, too. I thought I'd be terribly clever by having the Greek text as well as the translation... but of course my Greek is so rusty it doesn't help me much.All the bestMarcus

[smittyzback]

I find it a little odd, that two of the six battalions were commanded by one family at the Granicus. i.e Amyntas and Philip ,son of Amyntas. I get the impression they represent the Stymphae territory, which seems to be contributing an awfull lot of troops to this compaign.
More so, i get the impression that these two battalions through out Alexanders camoaigns are lead by the one family. Wild hunch!!

[smittyzback]

P>S. Thanks Susan for those links to perseus,

[marcus]

Except that Philip son on Amyntas probably wasn't the son of Amyntas son of Andromenes. I can't remember when Amyntas was born, but he probably wasn't that much older than Alexander, if he was older at all.All the bestMarcus

[smittyzback]

Hi Marcus, Arrian clearly states that Philip was Amyntas's son ....'next came the the infantry battalions of Oerdiccas, son of Orontes, of Coenus, son of Polemocrates, of Amyntas, son of Andromenes, in that order: finally the troops under Amyntas' son, Philip.'
My impression is that Amyntas was more likely to have been of the older generation, alongside with his brothers who at some stage all commanded battalions except for Polemon. We have Simmias and Attalus both commanding the battalion at some stage or another, and if i'm right in saying this, Polysperchon who also commanded a battalion was the son of Simmias, Amyntas' brother. Diodorus, suggests thta Polysperchon commanded the battalion from Stymphae, and Arrian states Amynta's commanded the battalion from Stymphae. The two contemporary battalion leaders, Attalus son of Andromenes, and Polysperchon son of Simmias would on all accounts have both lead battalions from Stymphae!! Confusing, hmmmm. The more I read about Alexanders Generals, the more I believe they were no 'spring chickens' !! Just my thoughts

[marcus]

Well, I can see what you're saying. I don't have any books with me to refer to, unfortunately, but I disagree.Sorry I can't give you chapter and verse for it, but the fact that "Amyntas' son, Philip" is written next to "Amyntas son of Andromenes" doesn't mean that it's the same Amyntas. It's only like saying "John Williamson" is standing next to "William Jameson".(I'm not saying it *cannot* mean that the Amyntases are the same... it's just that I don't believe it does in this case.)All the bestMarcus