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Political Trials under Alexander the Great and his Successors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2015

James L. O'Neil
James L. O'Neil*
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
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Extract

In 1931 F. Granier argued that treason trials and other matters of major political importance were heard by meetings of the Macedonian army assembly and this view received wide acceptance. However in the 1970s it was challenged by R. Lock and R.M. Errington, who concluded that there was no right of the army to be consulted in such cases, but that the king might seek to win the troops' approval before undertaking controversial actions, such as executing popular officers. More recently, N.G.L. Hammond has revived the view that the Macedonian army had the right to hold trials in cases of treason.

Type
Research Article
Information
Antichthon , Volume 33 , November 1999 , pp. 28 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Australasian Society for Classical Studies 1999

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References

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12 N.G.L Hammond believes that only the Macedonian troops formed the court: The Macedonian State (n.3) 63 f., and that those who would not understand the Macedonian dialect were East Greek speakers from Upper Macedón: (n.l 1) 136 f.; ‘Alexander's Order during the Cleitus Episode’, AHB 9 (1995) 112 fGoogle Scholar. Bosworth, A.B., “The Tumult and the Shouting”, AHB 10 (1996) 26Google Scholar, says that Philotas wished the non-Macedonians to hear his defence, even though they would not decide his fate.

13 Errington (n.2) 86 f., shows that the original reading of the text makes sense and does not require emendation.

14 Errington (n.2) 91; Atkinson (n.8) 229.

15 Curtius says modo, not lege or even more: Errington (n.2) 89.

16 Granier (n. 1) 51 translates it as “Brauch”, custom.

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22 Arrian's brief account may show the partiality of his main source Ptolemy to one of Ptolemy's allies, Craterus: Atkinson (n.8) 241. On Ptolemy's history see Errington, R.M., ‘Bias in Ptolemy's History of Alexander’, CQ 19 (1969) 242CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

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28 Bosworth (n.8) on 3.26.3 suggests that Arrian's source, Ptolemy, has transferred the manner of execution from the case of Alexander the Lyncestian, which followed directly afterwards.

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33 Curtius 7.1.5-9. Cf. Arrian 1.25; D.S. 17.32; Justin 11.2.2.

34 Curtius has either forgotten that he has said stoning was the Macedonian custom, or else his sources recorded a different procedure in this case.

35 Bosworth (n.8) 363 f.

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37 Curtius 7.1-2; cf. Arrian 3.27. Arrian's account may be affected by Ptolemy's efforts to blacken the reputation of a rival: Bosworth, A.B., ‘Arrian and the Alexander Vulgate’, in Alexandre le Grande: Image et Réalité [Entretiens Hardt 22] (Geneva 1976) 14Google Scholar.

38 Atkinson (n.8) 256.

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41 A. Aymard(n.1) 160.

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47 This letter is of doubtful authenticity: Atkinson (n.8) 233.

48 Bauman, R.A.Political Trials in Ancient Greece (London 1990) 135Google Scholar.

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50 The Macedonian State (n.3) 228.

51 Atkinson (n.8) 226. In fact, Alexander seems to have had more than 12,000 phalangites with him in 330: Bosworth, A.B., ‘Alexander the Great and the Decline of Macedón’, JHS 106 (1986) 4–10CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

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56 Atkinson (n.8) 140.

57 Granier (n. 1) 43-6; Hammond, The Macedonian State (n.3) 228Google Scholar. For the contrary view: Anson (n.49) 233.

58 Errington (n.2) 108; Bosworth (n.8) 99.

59 Lock (n.2) 103; cf. Bosworth (n.8) 99.

60 Berve, H., Das Alexanderreich auf prosopographischer Grundlage (Munich 1926) 369Google Scholar. Heckel, W., The Marshals of Alexander's Empire (London 1992) 351Google Scholar. We would expect the father of a royal page to hold a prominent command, and Sopolis son of Hermodorus not only held such a position, but his father's theophoric name is based on the god Hermes, just like Hermolaus’.

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62 Bosworth (n.8) 99—on Arrian 4.14.3.

63 Bauman (n.48) 146.

64 Diodoras 17.106.2 refers to the punishment of many lawbreaking satraps and generals in 327 B.c., but he gives no names or details of the trials (if any). Hammond, The Macedonian State (n.3) 225 accepts that Alexander exacted punishment in person in one of these cases.

65 Anson (n.49) 222; Atkinson (n.8) 231; Badian (n.17) 194.

66 Hammond, , Alexander the Great (n.3) 39Google Scholar.

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68 Anson (n.49) 235.

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70 Badian (n.17) 197.

71 Hammond, , Alexander the Great (n.3) 182Google Scholar.

72 Cross, G.N., Epinis (Cambridge 1932) 109–114Google Scholar; Hammond, N.G.L., Epirus (Oxford 1967) 526–533Google Scholar. Plutarch, Pyrrhus 5.5Google Scholar has the king of Epirus swear to uphold the law; cf. the oaths of Spartan kings and ephors, Xen. Lac. Pol. 15.7Google Scholar.

73 Hammond, , The Macedonian State (n.3) 228Google Scholar; Errington (n.2) 107 says ‘there is no question here of a trial, of course.’

74 Errington (n.2) 107.

75 Errington (n.2) 116; cf. Briant (n. 1) 331; Anson (n.49) 237.

76 Briant (n.1) 15 calls it a meeting of Perdiccas' friends; Errington (n.2) 117 says it ‘would undoubtedly be friendly towards Perdiccas’.

77 Briant (n.1) 266 concluded there were two separate trials. Errington, R.M., ‘From Babylon to Triparadeisos 323-320 B.C.’, JHS 90 (1970) 67CrossRefGoogle Scholar, thought there was no trial at all. In (n.2) 118, he suggested there was a hearing with Ptolemy represented and where Perdiccas lost control over his troops. Anson (n.49) 240-244 believes that the army could have protected Ptolemy at the first hearing and that there was a second hearing, which ratified the assassination of Perdiccas.

78 D.S. 18.37. Cf. Errington (n.77) 67.

79 Even though the SiTvershields were the most enthusiastic supporters of the powers of the Macedonian army assembly: Anson (n.49) 246.

80 Polyain. 4.1.2; cf. D.S. 18.75.1; Granier (n.l) 84 ff. shows this must be a ‘Macedonian’ and not an Athenian assembly. Cf. Bosworth, A.B., ‘A New Macedonian Prince’, CQ 44 (1994) 64CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

81 Bosworth (n.80) 57-61.

82 Bosworth (n.80) 64 n.59.

83 Cf. D.S. 19.15 on this.

84 Granier (n.1) 84 f.

85 Aymard(n.1) 119.

86 Granier (n.1) 96 holds that it must have been the army; Briant (n.l) 155 argues for a double trial.

87 D.S. 19.51; cf. Justin 14.6.

88 Bosworth (n.80) 65.

89 Granier (n.1) 89 ff.; Francisci, P., Arcana Imperii (Milan 1947) 2.454Google Scholar. Tarn, W.W., JHS 51 (1931) 307 considers such a request correct in lawGoogle Scholar.

90 Hammond, , The Macedonian State (n.3) 62Google Scholar.

91 Carney, E.D., ‘Olympias’, Ane. Soc. 18 (1987) 60 and n.65Google Scholar.

92 D.S. 19.61-62; Briant (n.1) 338 ff.; cf. Granier (n.1) 94; N.G.L. Hammond, ‘The Nature of the Hellenistic State’, forthcoming in Archaia Makedonia.

93 Zancan, P., Il Monarcato ellenistico nei suoi elementi federativi (Padua 1934) 39Google Scholar argues that the assemblies respected one another's decisions, but Antigonus' assembly rejected Cassander's on Olympias. Cf. Tam (n.89) 307; Errington (n.2) 119.

94 Plb 4.2.2; cf. Walbank (n. 10) 450.

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97 Errington (n. 95) 19.

98 Plb 4.82-87; Errington (n.95) 22-28. Philip V, rather than Aratus, had profited from their reconciliation: Walbank, F.W., Aratos of Sicyon (Cambridge 1933) 147, 153Google Scholar.

99 Walbank (n.10) 550; cf. Errington (n.95) 32 n.51.

100 Errington (n.95) 32.

101 Plb 5.16.5-7; Walbank (n. 10) 550 ff.

102 Manuscripts A & B read ‘called to account’, some later MSS read ‘struck’, Hulsch conjectured ‘judged , Büttner-Wobst reads ‘stoned’.

103 Plb 5.25; Errington (n.95) 33.

104 Hammond and Walbank (n.96) 382; cf. Walbank (n.10) 561 (on 5.27.8).

105 Alexander committed his prestige by prosecuting Philotas and also appealed to the soldiers to avenge him: Curtius 6.9.24.

106 Plb 5.27; cf. Walbank (n.10) 560 f., Errington (n.95) 33.

107 Granier (n.1) 128; Aymard (n.1) 130.

108 Errington (n.2) 80-85; Adams (n.4) 43-52.

109 Errington (n.2) 84.

110 Plb 5.28.5-8; Walbank (n.10) 550 ff.

111 Granier (n.1) 129.

112 Walbank, F.W., Philip V (Cambridge 1940) 61 n.4Google Scholar; (n.10) 552; Errington (n.95) 35 n.60.

113 Errington (n.95) 30.

114 Plb 23.10. Livy 40.3-4 is derived from this passage of Polybios.

115 Attalos II often consulted an inner council of only three friends: Virgilio, B., Il “Tempio Stato” di Pessinunte (Pisa 1981) 113 ffGoogle Scholar.

116 Livy 40.8.4. Livy's account is based on Polybios, but has probably undergone rhetorical embellishment; Walbank (n. 112) 247.

117 (n.1) 135. Was Philip more arbitrary than Alexander, or less confident of his control over the army?

118 Livy 40.58.9; Hammond, The Macedonian State (n.3) 360. It is uncertain whether Antigonus was blamed for the failure of the march of the Bastarnae or for ambitions for the throne; ibid. 363 and n.24.

119 Granier(n.1) 157; Bikerman, E., Institutions des Séleucids (Paris 1938) 186 fCrossRefGoogle Scholar.

120 Plb 8.21; cf. Walbank, , Commentary 2 (1967) 97Google Scholar.

121 He then became the royal guardian, D.S. 28.13.

122 On Dorimachos, Plb 18.54.4; his earlier alliance with Scopas, ibid. 4.5.1; 13.1. For parallel cases see Plb 2.9 (Ptolemy VII) and D.S. 22.10.6 (Pyrrhos).

123 Hart, H.L.A., The Concept of Law (Oxford 1961) 4 ffGoogle Scholar.

124 Osborne, R., ‘Law in Classical Athens’, JHS 105 (1985) 42 f., 52 f.CrossRefGoogle Scholar; cf. Gulliver (n.26) 297 ff.; Gluckman (n.5) 43 f.

125 Plb 28.10.2 says Perseus would have been if he had won the Third Macedonian War. On royal powers see Hammond, , Alexander the Great (n.3) 1, 15, 255Google Scholar; The Macedonian State (n.3) 57.

126 Gulliver (n.26) 122.

127 Hoebel, E. A., The Law of Primitive Man (Cambridge, Mass. 1964) 26Google Scholar. Cf. Hart (n.1 23) 6.