Sitalkes (officer)

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Sitalkes ( Greek  Σιτάλκης ; † 324 BC in Karmana ) was a Thracian officer of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC.

Life

In order to guarantee the loyalty of the peoples who settled north and east of Macedonia , Alexander obliged them not only to provide troops for his campaign in Asia , but also to members of the royal families. On the one hand, they were supposed to take on tasks as troop leaders, but at the same time they were supposed to serve as hostages. Sitalkes was probably a member of the royal house of the Thracian Odryses , perhaps a son of King Kersebleptes . During the campaign he commanded the spear throwers (akontistai) of the Thracian contingent and was first used during the conquest of Sagalassos in the winter of 334/333 BC. Mentioned. In the autumn of 333 BC He participated in securing the Cilician gate and fought in the battles of Issus and Gaugamela in 331 BC. Each on the left wing.

In 330 BC He was left behind with his troops in Ekbatana , where he was to belong to the staff of the general Parmenion . But in the same year he murdered him together with officers Kleandros , Agathon and Herakon on Alexander's instructions. All four officers led a regiment of terror in Ekbatana in the years that followed, harassing the local population and enriching themselves. When Alexander returned from India unexpectedly, they were discovered in 324 BC. Ordered to Karmana , where they were condemned and executed by the army assembly for their crimes.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Frontin , Strategemata 2, 11, 3.
  2. ↑ Arrian , Anabasis 1, 28, 4-8.
  3. ↑ Arrian, Anabasis 2, 9, 3 and 3, 12, 4.
  4. ↑ Arrian, Anabasis 3, 26, 3-4.
  5. ↑ Arrian, Anabasis 6, 27, 3-4; Curtius Rufus 10, 1, 1-8.
personal data
SURNAME Sitalkes
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Σιτάλκης (Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Thracian officer of Alexander the Great
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 324 BC Chr.
Place of death Karmana