Itanes - Roxane's brother

[Alexias]

Roxane had a brother (which I hadn't realised), and at least two sisters. Her brother was probably a guest hostage in Alexander's entourage from 327 BC, and in 324 BC was enrolled into the agema of Alexander's bodyguard as part of the unpopular (with the Macedonians) reorganisation of the army (Arrian 7.6.5). This might have been when he was old enough, or a conciliatory move towards the family after the Susa weddings. Some translations show his name as Histanes.

Also enrolled in the agema was Darius's younger brother, Oxyathres, captured at Issus. He had a daughter Amastris, captured with other high-ranking ladies at Damascus, who appears to have been quite feisty. She was married to Craterus at Susa but, with his approval, married Dionysius of Heraclea Pontica and bore him three children. After his death she ruled as regent, and then married Lysimachus, and appears to have reigned as queen at Sardis. She was later drowned by her own sons.

[dean]

Hi ,

just reading what you have written about Roxane. I had always kind of assumed that she was an only child for some unknown reason but of course it would have been ususual if that were the case.

Sisygambis had lost 80 brothers who had all been "butchered" on the same day by Ochus.(Curtius- 10.5.18-25) so I guess by all accounts Roxane didn't have so many by comparison. The potential age difference between some of the syblings in the family must have been quite impressive.

Thanks for the post.

[marcus]

Just as an aside ... if I remember, Steven Pressfield included Itanes in his novel "The Virtues of War", in which Alexander narrates his story to his brother-in-law ...