Hetairos

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The Hetairoi (Sg .: Hetairos , ancient Greek ἑταῖροι , 'companions' , 'friends', 'comrades') were the followers of the monarchs in ancient Greece .

Are occupied hetairoi already in the Homeric epics. So Hetairoi are the followers of the military leaders. The Myrmidons are called Hetairoi of Achilles and military leaders themselves are Hetairoi of the Atrids in war, as Idomeneus describes his relationship with Agamemnon . In the Odyssey , the companions of Odysseus , who all perished on the way home from the Trojan War to Ithaca , are referred to as hetairoi . In this sense, as the bond between two people in a friendly relationship, the term could also be used for female people. Sappho calls Leto and Niobe Hetairai without implying the later use of the term hetaera .

The hetairoi were of particular importance in Macedonia during the classical period. They were personally chosen by the king and were the young elite, mostly stayed near the king and were important advisors. In times of war they were the head of the armed forces and mostly held high positions in the army. Therefore the term has a military meaning above all. A change in the structure of the hetairoi is documented only for the time of Alexander the Great , but a change is also possible during the reign of Alexander I or Alexander II . Now the hetairoi were mainly represented by the cavalry ( Hetairenreiterei ) or at first only by their aristocratic core. After several army reforms, the cavalry consisted of several hundred hetairoi during Alexander's campaigns . The íle basilike , around 300 horsemen who were personally led by the king, were considered particularly distinguished .

Even during the time of the Diadochi , the structure and name of the hetairoi were initially retained.

swell

  • Arrian , Anabasis , 3.8.1; 4.24.1; 5.12.2

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Homer, Iliad 16: 240–248 and more often.
  2. ↑ Homer, Iliad 4,266.
  3. ↑ Sappho 142LP .