Pezhetairoi, the Guards and Hypaspists.

[Paralus]

Phylarcus evidence, I would say, is not one we can give too much weight/credibilty to.......though being relatively contemporary, writing a mere hundred or so years later (after 220 BC, when Macedonian Guards certainly did carry 'Pelta and Sarissa') he seems to preserve some authentic- sounding detail, even if it is (and it may not be) exaggerated...... Do you have a view on Phylarchus.

Harking back to this – as I have not yet properly addressed it.

Phylarchus, like all sources, has his ‘agenda’. In this instance his prime purpose is in highlighting the extravagance of Alexander’s court near the end of the reign. We might find some of the excesses in table and riches difficult to swallow (pardon the pun) but that is not something that affects the essentials.

There most likely were large banquets (Opis for example) where such an ‘obscene’ display took place. The essentials will still be in place: the somatophylakes, paides basilike and the ‘Guards’ (hypaspists royal and otherwise); in general nowhere near Phylarchus’ numbers.

Markle acknowledges Bosworth’s argument (as given) that the regular (and royal) hypaspists utilised the sarisa when on guard duty. This is made plain by Arrian’s description of the murder of Clietus. Arrian relates the two descriptions of his end which are provided by his sources. In the first Alexander grabs a lonche from a somatophylake and runs him through. In the second Alexander grabs a sarissa from one of the "ordinary" guards (hypaspists) and runs him through.

The argument as to which eventual ending is correct is irrelevant and a distraction. The only disparity (apart from Clietus re-entering) between the recollections of Arrian’s original sources (Aristobulos or Ptolemy most likely) is whether the murder weapon came from a somatophylake or a hypaspist. If it came from the former it was a lonche; if from the latter, a sarissa.

From the text it appears that it was Aristobulos who described the weapon as being taken from an "ordinary guard" (hypaspist). Self evidently, to him, this was the normal weapon for a hypaspist to carry. At least in this situation.

The hypaspists then, is seems, stood guard with a sarissa; the Silver Shields (Alexander’s hypaspists) stood guard with a sarissa. Markle acknowledges this and then, as this notion doesn’t suit his argument, goes on to dismiss it by claiming such a weapon was ‘ceremonial’.