Orientals in Alexander's Army

Abstract

This note is meant to comment on a point arising out of P. A. Brunt's and G. T. Griffith's articles on Alexander's cavalry (JHSlxxxiii (1963) 27 fr. (at 42 ff.) and 68 ff.). In the course of their arguments, they examine two passages in which Arrian lists the grievances which, by 324, the Macedonian soldiers felt against Alexander. Brunt examines vii 6.2 f. and comes to the conclusion that the grievances there listed were mainly recent, and that the reorganisation of the cavalry into four (and soon five) hipparchies, as well as the admission of Orientals to them, took place after the Gedrosian disaster. Griffith examines vii 8.2 and concludes from this passage that some Orientals served inside the hipparchies during the Indian campaign. I here wish to point out that the two passages concerned need closer scrutiny.It is important to notice that they must be taken closely together. In 6.2 f. we have (i) theepigoni; (ii) the King's ‘Medic’ dress; (iii) the Susa marriages; (iv) Peucestas' Orientalistn; (v) the integration of Orientals in the Companions (at length). In 8.2 we have (i) the King's ‘Persian’ dress; (ii) theepigoni; (iii) the integration of Orientals in the Companions (briefly). Chapter 6 is aλεγόμενον, its scene Susa; chapter 8 is from the main source (probably Ptolemy), its scene Opis. Chapter 8 leads on to the famous mutiny; chapter 6—obtrusively—fails to lead on to anything: in its place, it is a pointless interruption of the narrative.