Hetairoi in the context of "Perdiccas"

⭐ In the context of Perdiccas’ rise to power following Alexander the Great’s death, being designated a *hetairos* signified what within Alexander’s military structure?

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⭐ Core Definition: Hetairoi

The Companions (Greek: ἑταῖροι, Greek: [heˈtairoi̯], hetairoi) were the elite heavy cavalry of the Macedonian army from the time of King Philip II of Macedon, achieving their greatest prestige under Alexander the Great, and regarded as the first or among the first shock cavalry used in Europe. Chosen Companions, or Hetairoi, formed the elite guard of the king (Somatophylakes).

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👉 Hetairoi in the context of Perdiccas

Perdiccas (Greek: Περδίκκας, Perdikkas; c. 355 BC – 320 BC) was a Macedonian general, successor of Alexander the Great, and the regent of Alexander's empire after his death. When Alexander was dying, he entrusted his signet ring to Perdiccas. Initially the most pre-eminent of the successors, Perdiccas effectively ruled Alexander's increasingly unstable empire from Babylon for three years until his assassination, as the kings he ruled for were incapable.

Perdiccas was born to Macedonian nobility. A supporter, somatophylax (bodyguard) and hetairos (elite cavalry commander) of Alexander, he took part in Alexander's campaign against the Achaemenid Persian Empire, distinguishing himself at the battles of Thebes and Gaugamela, and followed Alexander into India. When Alexander died in 323 BC, Perdiccas rose to become supreme commander of the imperial army, as well as regent for Alexander's vast empire, ruling on behalf of Alexander's intellectually disabled heir, King Philip III Arrhidaeus, and Alexander's infant son, King Alexander IV of Macedon.

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Hetairoi in the context of Antipater

Antipater (/ænˈtɪpətər/; Ancient Greek: Ἀντίπατρος, romanizedAntipatros, lit.'like the father'; c. 400 BC – 319 BC) was a Macedonian general, regent and statesman under the successive kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collapse of the Argead house, his son Cassander eventually ruled Macedonia as a king in his own right.

Probably active during the reign of Perdiccas III of Macedon, most of Antipater's political career was as one of Philip II's foremost Hetairoi. After Philip II's death, he helped Alexander secure the throne. When Alexander began his wars against the Persian Empire in 336 BC, Antipater remained behind to hold Macedon and Greece as regent. While Alexander was campaigning, Antipater crushed revolts, like that of King Agis III of Sparta, and managed Greek affairs. After the Death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, Antipater was reconfirmed in his position as viceroy of Europe in the Partition of Babylon.

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Hetairoi in the context of Government of Macedonia (ancient kingdom)

The first government of ancient Macedonia was established by the Argead dynasty of Macedonian kings during the Archaic period (8th–5th centuries BC). The early history of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia is obscure because of shortcomings in the historical record; little is known of governmental institutions before the reign of Philip II during the late Classical period (480–336 BC). These bureaucratic organizations evolved in complexity under his successor Alexander the Great and the subsequent Antipatrid and Antigonid dynasties of Hellenistic Greece (336–146 BC). Following the Roman victory in the Third Macedonian War over Perseus of Macedon in 168 BC, the Macedonian monarchy was abolished and replaced by four client state republics. After a brief revival of the monarchy in 150–148 BC, the Fourth Macedonian War resulted in another Roman victory and the establishment of the Roman province of Macedonia.

It is unclear if there was a formally established constitution dictating the laws, organization, and divisions of power in ancient Macedonia's government, although some tangential evidence suggests this. The king (basileus) served as the head of state and was assisted by his noble companions and royal pages. Kings served as the chief judges of the kingdom, although little is known about Macedonia's judiciary. The kings were also expected to serve as high priests of the nation, using their wealth to sponsor various religious cults. The Macedonian kings had command over certain natural resources such as gold from mining and timber from logging. The right to mint gold, silver, and bronze coins was shared by the central and local governments.

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Hetairoi in the context of Zeugma Mosaic Museum

Zeugma Mosaic Museum, in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey, is the biggest mosaic museum in the world, containing 1700 m of mosaics. It opened to the public on 9 September 2011. The 30,000 m (320,000 sq ft) museum features 2,448 m (26,350 sq ft) of mosaic and replaces the Bardo National Museum in Tunis as the world's largest mosaic museum.

The museum's Hellenistic Greek and Roman mosaics are focused on Zeugma, which is said to have been founded as Seleucia by Seleucus I Nicator, founder of the Seleucid Kingdom after serving as a hetairoi military officer in the army of Alexander the Great. The treasures, including the mosaics, remained relatively unknown until 2000 when artifacts appeared in museums and when plans for new dams on the Euphrates meant that much of Zeugma would be flooded. In 2011, many of the mosaics remain covered, and teams of researchers continue to work on the project.

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