Book contents
- The Cambridge Companion to Alexander the Great
- Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World
- The Cambridge Companion to Alexander the Great
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Maps
- Abbreviations
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Part I Alexander’s Life and Career
- Part II Contexts
- 9 Macedonia
- 10 Kingship
- 11 Court and Companions
- 12 Changes and Challenges at Alexander’s Court
- 13 The Women of Alexander’s Court
- 14 Religion
- 15 Army and Warfare
- 16 Alexander’s Modern Military Reputation
- 17 Finance and Coinage
- 18 The Administration of Alexander’s Empire
- 19 Geography, Science and Knowledge of the World
- Part III The Historical and Biographical Tradition
- Part IV The Ancient World’s Memory of Alexander
- Alexander’s Timeline 356–321 BC
- References
- Index
- Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World
11 - Court and Companions
from Part II - Contexts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 January 2024
- The Cambridge Companion to Alexander the Great
- Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World
- The Cambridge Companion to Alexander the Great
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Maps
- Abbreviations
- Notes on Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Part I Alexander’s Life and Career
- Part II Contexts
- 9 Macedonia
- 10 Kingship
- 11 Court and Companions
- 12 Changes and Challenges at Alexander’s Court
- 13 The Women of Alexander’s Court
- 14 Religion
- 15 Army and Warfare
- 16 Alexander’s Modern Military Reputation
- 17 Finance and Coinage
- 18 The Administration of Alexander’s Empire
- 19 Geography, Science and Knowledge of the World
- Part III The Historical and Biographical Tradition
- Part IV The Ancient World’s Memory of Alexander
- Alexander’s Timeline 356–321 BC
- References
- Index
- Cambridge Companions to the Ancient World
Summary
We appraise Alexander’s court. We ask what constituted a ‘court’, as well as considering problems with assessing Alexander’s and those of the earlier Macedonian kings. A brief bibliographic survey follows, with salient literature about the court and institutions, Macedonian prosopography, and related topics. We then examine elite offices, specifically the Hetairoi or Companions, the Royal Pages or King’s Boys, the Royal Bodyguard, and specialized army units populated by the elite, such as the Royal Hypaspists. Finally, we consider two institutions exploited by the kings to engage with the Companions and read their mood: the royal symposium and the royal hunt.
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- The Cambridge Companion to Alexander the Great , pp. 179 - 191Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024