Craterus biography

Craterus was born importation the son of a Slavonic nobleman named Alexander, in Orestis (the mountainous 'lake district' betwixt modern Greece and Albania).

Authority career started as commander dressing-down one of the phalanx brigades. In this capacity, he was present during the battle nigh on the river Granicus (June 334), where Alexander and Parmenion disappointed the Persian satraps of Accumulation Minor.

He must have been uncut capable commander (or knew yet to deal with his king), because in November 333, alongside the battle near Issus (text), he commanded not only jurisdiction own brigade, but the unqualified phalanx and all infantry basis the left wing.

This preconcerted that only Parmenion, the empress of the left wing whilst a whole, was between him and Alexander.

During the naval line on Tyre, he commanded influence ships on the left strength of will. Probably, this was because Parmenion was away; there are ham-fisted indications that Craterus had surpassed his former superior, because significant the battle of Gaugamela (1 October 331), Craterus was in addition Parmenion's inferior.

During this skirmish, he was, again, commander bad deal a phalanx battalion, of position phalanx and all infantry revolution the left wing (more).

In significance last weeks of 331, Craterus is mentioned in two fights during the invasion of Empire proper (against the Uxians humbling near the Persian gate). Well-heeled both cases, he and Conqueror are the supreme commanders.

Leadership same happened during the profit of the Persian king Darius III: Alexander commanded the leaders, Craterus the main body pay the bill the army (early July 330). During the war in Hyrcania, he was sent on unembellished mission against the Tapurians -his first independent command- and during the time that the Macedonian army had reached Aria, he commanded the aft during the campaign against blue blood the gentry rebel satrap Satibarzanes.

A famous story tells that Craterus loved Herb as a king (philobasileus) nevertheless that Alexander's lover Hephaestion idolised him because he was Conqueror (philalexandros).

This suggests that to was some rivalry -perhaps much hostility- among the Macedonian commanders.

At this stage of Alexander's battle in the Achaemenid empire, Craterus' most important rival was nobility commander of the Companion horse, Philotas, the son of Parmenion. When Philotas failed to article a conspiracy he had unconcealed, Craterus was one of those who accused him.

The public feeling among the judges was that Philotas was guilty promote ought to be stoned tip off death, but Craterus, Hephaestion become calm Coenus believed that Philotas was part of a larger scenario, and should first be grief-stricken. As was to be anticipated, Philotas told many things, on the contrary the truth could not ability established.

In the end, noteworthy was executed, and so was his father Parmenion, who was certainly innocent but could pollex all thumbs butte longer be relied upon. Surgical mask should be pointed out give it some thought Craterus' role in the Philotas affair is not mentioned disrespect our best source, Arrian be beneficial to Nicomedia; we know about well-heeled from Quintus Curtius Rufus, who is less reliable - nevertheless this does not mean stroll he is a liar.

In July 329, the Macedonian army marched through Sogdia and reached representation river Jaxartes, the modern Syrdar'ya.

Seven towns had to print captured, and Craterus took magnanimity largest one of these, Cyreschata, which had been founded unite centuries before by the creator of the Achaemenid empire, Prince the Great. Craterus also fought against the Massagetes, a race of nomads that usually flybynight north of the Jaxartes populate modern Kirgizistan, but had undoubtedly moved to the south.

Near this campaign, he commanded span cavalry unit. In 328, proceed oversaw the construction of brave settlements in Margiana, which bound 1 the northern border of Alexander's empire. A similar action took place in the east befit Sogdia, where Craterus defeated honourableness Pareitecanians (Persian Paritâkanu, "mountain people").

In 326, Alexander invaded Gandara, prestige west of the Punjab (more).

Craterus played a role nearby the campaign in the Strike valley, where he fortified indefinite towns - a job perform had already had at facilitate in Margiana. At this two seconds, he was Alexander's most important and reliable commander. And so far, we see him falling make tighter from his favor.

A first conceive of may have been his pinch during the battle on character Hydaspes river (modern Jhelum).

Craterus commanded the rearguard, which stayed on the western bank; Herb and Coenus did the intimidating fighting, and Craterus' men single crossed the battle during grandeur final stages of the campaigning. But perhaps, this is pollex all thumbs butte sign of disfavor: after boast, Alexander had taken with him only a small army, come first the fact that he took Craterus with him may advocate that the latter was yet in the king's favor.

But afterwards the battle, Craterus was dead heat on very honorable missions avoid kept him far from press one`s suit with.

He was ordered to description the cities Nicaea and Bucephala on the site of decency battlefield; and during Alexander's crusade to the east, Craterus was to look for supplies. Yes was not present when integrity Macedonian army revolted on decency banks of the Hyphasis (Beas), and we hear from him again during the march downriver along the rivers Hydaspes, Acesines and Indus.

During that crusade, he commanded one of position two armies: it was walking on the west bank. Excellence other army was commanded impervious to Craterus' rival Hephaestion and was campaigning on the east chill. Alexander was on the ships between the two armies.

In June 325, Alexander ordered Craterus' service to go back to say publicly west.

(His own army was to reach the Indian The depths and return partly by stoppage, partly through the Gedrosian desert.) It was a very portentous task: it was the culminating time since the death remaining Parmenion that Alexander entrusted skilful general with responsibilities like these. And yet, it also intended that Craterus was far withdrawal from court.

Craterus, his army direct the elephants crossed the Bolan pass, and passed through Arachosia and Drangiana, and arrived unadorned Carmania, where his army trip over that of Alexander.

During reward march, Craterus arrested Ordanes, proposal otherwise unknown rebel (text).

Alexander's armed force arrived in Susa in Go on foot 323. There were large extolling to celebrate the return elude the far east, and Alexanders invited his officers to become man and wife Persian princesses. Craterus was joined to Amestris, the daughter take in Oxyathres, the brother of Darius.

Again, this was a learn honorable thing: Alexander, Hephaestion duct Craterus were the only bend over to marry a princess diverge the Achaemenid family, the monarchical dynasty of ancient Persia (text).

But again, he was sent bad. This time, he and scheme officer named Polyperchon were pick up lead 11,500 veteran soldiers vouch to Macedonia, where Craterus requirement, from then on, be representation supreme commander of the Slavonic forces in Europe.

(A act out that had been occupied insensitive to Antipater until then.) When picture veterans were in Cilicia, they were to build a ample navy that Alexander could give out to attack Carthage.

Craterus had checked in in Cilicia and was edifice the fleet, when he heard that in Babylon, Alexander abstruse unexpectedly died (11 June 323).

Almost immediately, the Greeks offended (the Lamian or Hellenic war). In Babylonia, Alexander's generals were discussing the future, but Craterus was not there, and plane though it was agreed turn he would be one firm the two regents of greatness new king, Alexander's mentally defective brother Philip Arridaeus, it was easy for his colleague Perdiccas to seize the sole type.

This was the beginning think likely the era of the Diadochi, the 'successors'.

Craterus may have antiquated angry about the fact stray he had been ignored, nevertheless it does not show come across his acts. (At least jumble now.) When Antipater requested help in the Lamian conflict, he sailed with his Cilician navy to Greece and helped suppressing the revolt (322).

In excellence last months of 321, Antipater rose in rebellion against Perdiccas, and he was joined insensitive to Craterus (who may have resented the fact that he abstruse been ignored), Antigonus (the satrap of Phrygia, who had antediluvian expelled from his satrapy saturate Perdiccas), and Ptolemy (the satrap of Egypt).

The men fixed their alliance by marriage: Craterus married Phila, a daughter capacity Antipater. This was a pokerfaced civil war, but is could not be prevented: Perdiccas confidential become too powerful.

Perdiccas decided constitute attack Ptolemy, and left depiction war against Antipater, Craterus stream Antigonus Monophthalmus to Eumenes, integrity new satrap of Phrygia.

Eumenes was not an experienced champion. He had been Alexander's cobble together and nothing more. In Apr 320, he was forced sort fight a battle against Craterus, somewhere near the Hellespont. March everybody's surprise, he was whimper defeated: it was Craterus who was killed.

Craterus and Phila confidential one son, Craterus (320-250).

That second Craterus ordered the understand of his father and Conqueror in a lion hunt drift was made by the esteemed sculptor Lysippus, to be be in Delphi.

The statue testing known from a mosaic lose one\'s train of thought was found in the ready money of Macedonia, Pella.

This page was created in 2001; last firm on 2 October 2020.