Polemon (son of Andromenes)

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Polemon ( Greek  Πολέμων ; † after 316 BC) was a Macedonian soldier of Alexander the Great and a general in the early Diadoch Wars .

He was the youngest of four sons of Andromenes, his brothers were Amyntas , Simmias and Attalus . The brothers had already been brought to the Macedonian court in Pella by King Philip II , where they were given important positions. As the youngest, Polemon probably only held the position of a page in the royal entourage during Alexander's Asian campaign , when the brothers in 330 BC. In the affair of the assassination plan of Dimnos were suspected of having participated in the conspiracy. Polemon had fled the camp when Philotas was arrested , which had strengthened suspicions against them. However, Amyntas called him back to the camp and after a defense led by him, the brothers were acquitted of any suspicion.

Until the death of Alexander in 323 BC Polemon is no longer mentioned. As Perdiccas's brother-in-law , however, he appears with his brother Attalus at his side. Were commissioned to take over Alexander's funeral procession in Syria in order to lead him to Macedonia . The general Arrhidaios, however, who had led the funeral procession until then, was able to escape their grasp and with the help of Ptolemy bring the corpse of the conqueror to Egypt . After the end of the Perdiccas on the Nile in 320 BC. Attalus and Polemon joined their further brother-in-law Alketas , but were in 319 BC. Defeated and captured by Antigonus Monophthalmos at the Battle of Cretopolis .

The last time Polemon is given is for the year 316 BC. When he took control of their prison with his brother and other captured generals and was then besieged by Stratonice . It is unclear whether he and his brother died in the process or how others went over to Antigonus' side.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Karl-Wilhelm Welwei: The struggle for the Macedonian camp at Gaugamela. Ruhr University Bochum, accessed on August 9, 2015 .
  2. ↑ Arrian , Anabasis 3, 27, 1-3; Curtius Rufus 7, 2, 1-10.
  3. ↑ Arrian, Tà metà Aléxandron 1, 25.
  4. ↑ Diodorus 18, 45, 3.
  5. ↑ Diodorus 19, 16, 1.
personal data
SURNAME Polemon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Πολέμων
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Macedonian officer
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH after 316 BC Chr.