Coenus (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: Koῖνος; died 326 BC), a son of
Polemocrates and son-in-law of
Parmenion, was one of the ablest and most faithful of
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...
's generals during his eastern expedition.
General of Alexander
In the autumn of 334 BC, while Alexander was in
Caria
Caria (; from Greek: Καρία, ''Karia''; tr, Karya) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid- Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joine ...
, he sent those of his soldiers who had been recently married in
Macedonia to spend the ensuing winter with their wives. Coenus was one of the commanders who led them back to Europe.
In the spring of the following year (333 BC), Coenus returned with the Macedonians and joined Alexander at
Gordium
Gordion ( Phrygian: ; el, Γόρδιον, translit=Górdion; tr, Gordion or ; la, Gordium) was the capital city of ancient Phrygia. It was located at the site of modern Yassıhüyük, about southwest of Ankara (capital of Turkey), in the ...
.
After the conquest of
Drangiana, in the latter part of 330 BC, Coenus joined others in accusing his wife's brother,
Philotas, of treason for conspiring against Alexander. This led to the execution of Philotas, and the assassination of Coenus' father-in-law,
Parmenion.
Coenus commanded a
taxeis (unit of 1500
Phalangites) of Alexander's army, and distinguished himself on various occasions. In all of Alexander's major battles, Coenus commanded the right-most battalion of infantry in the massive Macedonian phalanx. In the Macedonian battle tradition, the most favoured soldiers were positioned on the right. In this regard, Coenus's distinction as commander of the "best" infantry of the phalanx indicates he was tactically reliable, probably extremely intelligent in warfare, and brave in battle; he was probably the epitome of the highly respected "lead-by-example" Macedonian general.
Death
When Alexander had arrived at the river
Hyphasis
The Beas River (Sanskrit: ; Hyphasis in Ancient Greek) is a river in north India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab. Its total length is ...
, he was anxious to push his conquests still further. Coenus was the first of his commanders who had the boldness to urge the necessity of returning home, and the king was obliged to follow his advice.
But a short time afterwards, when the Macedonian army had actually commenced its return, Coenus died of an illness (326 BC), and was honoured by the king with a splendid burial. Alexander lamented his death, but is reported to have said that Coenus had urged the necessity of returning so strongly, as if he alone had been destined to see his native country again.
Notes
References
*
Smith, William (editor); ''
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/ biographical dictionary. Edited by William Smith, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 ...
''
"Coenus",
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, (1867)
*
External links
Livius
by Jona Lendering
Wiki Classical Dictionary: Coenus
Pothos.orgCoenus, son of Polemocrates
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coenus
Ancient Macedonian generals
Generals of Alexander the Great
Ancient Elimiotes
326 BC deaths
Year of birth unknown