''Somatophylakes'' (; singular: ''somatophylax'', σωματοφύλαξ) were the bodyguards of high-ranking people in ancient Greece. The most famous body of ''somatophylakes'' were those of

Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...

and

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...

. They consisted of seven men, drawn from the

Macedon Macedonia ( ; , ), also called Macedon ( ), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, which later became the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by the royal ...

ian nobility, who also acted as high-ranking military officers, holding command positions such as

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

chiliarch Chiliarch is a military rank dating back to antiquity. Originally denoting the commander of a unit of about one thousand men (a chiliarchy) in the Macedonian army, it was subsequently used as a Greek translation of a Persian officer who function ...

appointed

Peucestas Peucestas (, ''Peukéstas''; lived 4th century BC) was a native of the town of Mieza, in Macedonia, and a distinguished officer in the service of Alexander the Great. His name is first mentioned as one of those appointed to command a trireme on ...

as eighth ''somatophylax'' after the siege of Malli.

Under Alexander the Great

(Note that this list is speculative in several cases and would be disputed by scholars. For example, Hephaestion was probably not named as early as given below. The only ''complete'' list of Alexander's bodyguard in the original sources is found in Arrian (6.28.4), upon the extraordinary appointment of Peucestas in Carmania.) ;336–334 * Aristonous,

Lysimachus Lysimachus (; Greek language, Greek: Λυσίμαχος, ''Lysimachos''; c. 360 BC – 281 BC) was a Thessaly, Thessalian officer and Diadochi, successor of Alexander the Great, who in 306 BC, became king of Thrace, Anatolia, Asia Minor and Mace ...

, Peithon, Arybbas,

Balacrus Balakros (), also Balacrus, the son of Nicanor of Macedon, Nicanor, one of Alexander the Great's "Somatophylakes" (bodyguards), was appointed satrap of Cilicia after the Battle of Issus, 333 BC. He succeeded to the last Achaemenid Empire, Achaem ...

Demetrius Demetrius is the Latinization of names, Latinized form of the Ancient Greek male name, male Greek given names, given name ''Dēmḗtrios'' (), meaning "devoted to goddess Demeter". Alternate forms include Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dimitris, Dmytro, ...

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

*. ;333 *Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Balacrus, Demetrius,

Hephaestion Hephaestion ( ''Hēphaistíōn''; c. 356 BC – 324 BC), son of Amyntor, was an ancient Macedonian nobleman of probable "Attic or Ionian extraction" and a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He was "by far the dearest ...

. ;332 *Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas,

Menes Menes ( ; ; , probably pronounced *; and Μήν) was a pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period of ancient Egypt, credited by classical tradition with having united Upper and Lower Egypt, and as the founder of the First Dynasty. The identity of M ...

, Demetrius, Hephaestion. ;331 *Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon,

Leonnatus Leonnatus (; 356 BC – 322 BC) was a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Gre ...

, Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion. ;330–327 *Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus,

Perdiccas Perdiccas (, ''Perdikkas''; 355BC – 320BC) was a Macedonian general, successor of Alexander the Great, and the regent of Alexander's empire after his death. When Alexander was dying, he entrusted his signet ring to Perdiccas. Initially ...

, Ptolemy of Lagus, Hephaestion. ;326–324 *Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy of Lagus, Hephaestion,

. ;323 * Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy of Lagus, Peucestas.

Royal agema

The term ''somatophylakes'' is also used to refer to a member of the Royal Hypaspists, the ''agema'', who acted as the King's bodyguard in battle. The Royal Pages would expect to begin their military service in this unit: thus Pausanias, Philip II's assassin was a member of this corps, not one of the Seven Bodyguards. W Heckel'Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great' p.262 and note 638 believes that the Ptolemy* given above for 336 BC was not one of the Seven but commander of this unit. He was killed at Halicarnassus in 334 BC and succeeded by Admetus. The latter was killed at Tyre in 332 BC and appears to have been succeeded by

References

* Heckel, Waldemar. "The 'Somatophylakes' of Alexander the Great: Some Thoughts." ''Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte'' Bd. 27, H. 1 (1st Qtr. 1978), pp. 224–228.

External links

Somatophylax (Bodyguard)
at Livius.org {{Alexander's Generals Ancient Greek military terminology Military ranks of ancient Macedon Ancient Greek titles Military units and formations of the Hellenistic world Military units and formations of ancient Greece

Under Alexander the Great

Royal agema

See also

References

External links