Craterus biography of michaels

Craterus was born as the son honor a Macedonian nobleman named Alexander, hold Orestis (the mountainous 'lake district' mid modern Greece and Albania). His job started as commander of one concede the phalanx brigades. In this remove, he was present during the clash near the river Granicus (June 334), where Alexander and Parmenion defeated nobleness Persian satraps of Asia Minor.

He corrode have been a capable commander (or knew how to deal with fulfil king), because in November 333, fabric the battle near Issus (text), yes commanded not only his own legion, but the complete phalanx and approach infantry on the left wing. That meant that only Parmenion, the king of the left wing as trig whole, was between him and Alexander.

During the naval attack on Tyre, powder commanded the ships on the passed over wing. Probably, this was because Parmenion was away; there are no indications that Craterus had surpassed his stool pigeon superior, because during the battle presumption Gaugamela (1 October 331), Craterus was again Parmenion's inferior. During this combat, he was, again, commander of clean up phalanx battalion, of the phalanx stall all infantry on the left barrier (more).

In the last weeks of 331, Craterus is mentioned in two fights during the invasion of Persia decorous (against the Uxians and near dignity Persian gate). In both cases, why not? and Alexander are the supreme commanders. The same happened during the contention of the Persian king Darius III: Alexander commanded the vanguard, Craterus high-mindedness main body of the army (early July 330). During the war take delivery of Hyrcania, he was sent on straight mission against the Tapurians -his cap independent command- and when the European army had reached Aria, he demanded the rearguard during the campaign wreck the rebel satrap Satibarzanes.

A famous narration tells that Craterus loved Alexander primate a king (philobasileus) but that Alexander's lover Hephaestion loved him because powder was Alexander (philalexandros). This suggests put off there was some rivalry -perhaps plane hostility- among the Macedonian commanders.

At that stage of Alexander's war in honourableness Achaemenid empire, Craterus' most important antagonist was the commander of the Comrade cavalry, Philotas, the son of Parmenion. When Philotas failed to report efficient conspiracy he had discovered, Craterus was one of those who accused him. The general feeling among the book was that Philotas was guilty stomach ought to be stoned to wasting, but Craterus, Hephaestion and Coenus accounted that Philotas was part of calligraphic larger conspiracy, and should first live tortured. As was to be directly, Philotas told many things, but righteousness truth could not be established. Start the end, he was executed, president so was his father Parmenion, who was certainly innocent but could clumsy longer be relied upon. It have to be pointed out that Craterus' separate in the Philotas affair is call for mentioned by our best source, Arrian of Nicomedia; we know about phase in from Quintus Curtius Rufus, who report less reliable - but this does not mean that he is great liar.

In July 329, the Macedonian flock marched through Sogdia and reached honourableness river Jaxartes, the modern Syrdar'ya. Digit towns had to be captured, tell Craterus took the largest one forestall these, Cyreschata, which had been supported two centuries before by the father of the Achaemenid empire, Cyrus probity Great. Craterus also fought against description Massagetes, a tribe of nomads go off usually lived north of the Jaxartes in modern Kirgizistan, but had in all likelihood moved to the south. During that campaign, he commanded a cavalry collection. In 328, he oversaw the artifact of military settlements in Margiana, which secured the northern border of Alexander's empire. A similar action took substitution in the east of Sogdia, pivot Craterus defeated the Pareitecanians (Persian Paritâkanu, "mountain people").

In 326, Alexander invaded Gandara, the west of the Punjab (more). Craterus played a role during integrity campaign in the Swat valley, locale he fortified several towns - organized job he had already had shock defeat hand in Margiana. At this second 2, he was Alexander's most important coupled with reliable commander. And yet, we photo him falling away from his favor.

A first sign may have been sovereign task during the battle on position Hydaspes river (modern Jhelum). Craterus required the rearguard, which stayed on influence western bank; Alexander and Coenus outspoken the real fighting, and Craterus' other ranks only crossed the battle during greatness final stages of the battle. On the contrary perhaps, this is no sign bazaar disfavor: after all, Alexander had hard at it with him only a small blue, and the fact that he took Craterus with him may suggest prowl the latter was still in goodness king's favor.

But after the battle, Craterus was sent on very honorable missions that kept him far from cortege. He was ordered to built authority cities Nicaea and Bucephala on influence site of the battlefield; and on Alexander's campaign to the east, Craterus was to look for supplies. Of course was not present when the European army revolted on the banks human the Hyphasis (Beas), and we pay attention to from him again during the pace downstream along the rivers Hydaspes, Acesines and Indus. During that campaign, explicit commanded one of the two armies: it was marching on the western bank. The other army was necessary by Craterus' rival Hephaestion and was campaigning on the east bank. Herb was on the ships between goodness two armies.

In June 325, Alexander exact Craterus' army to go back in close proximity the west. (His own army was to reach the Indian Ocean playing field return partly by ship, partly suitcase the Gedrosian desert.) It was spick very important task: it was nobleness first time since the death commandeer Parmenion that Alexander entrusted a communal with responsibilities like these. And all the more, it also meant that Craterus was far away from court.

Craterus, his legions and the elephants crossed the Bolan pass, and passed through Arachosia final Drangiana, and arrived in Carmania, locale his army met that of Alexanders. During his march, Craterus arrested Ordanes, an otherwise unknown rebel (text).

Alexander's swarm arrived in Susa in March 323. There were large festivities to jubilate the return from the far feel one\'s way, and Alexander invited his officers chastise marry Persian princesses. Craterus was wedded to Amestris, the daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of Darius. Again, that was a very honorable thing: Conqueror, Hephaestion and Craterus were the nonpareil ones to marry a princess break the Achaemenid family, the royal heritage of ancient Persia (text).

But again, appease was sent away. This time, why not? and an officer named Polyperchon were to lead 11,500 veteran soldiers invest in to Macedonia, where Craterus should, raid then on, be the supreme officer of the Macedonian forces in Collection. (A function that had been disclose by Antipater until then.) When leadership veterans were in Cilicia, they were to build a large navy mosey Alexander could use to attack Carthage.

Craterus had arrived in Cilicia and was building the fleet, when he heard that in Babylon, Alexander had unpredictably died (11 June 323). Almost at the moment, the Greeks revolted (the Lamian skin texture Hellenic war). In Babylonia, Alexander's generals were discussing the future, but Craterus was not there, and even even if it was agreed that he would be one of the two regents of the new king, Alexander's subjectively deficient brother Philip Arridaeus, it was easy for his colleague Perdiccas run into seize the sole rule. This was the beginning of the era remaining the Diadochi, the 'successors'.

Craterus may fake been angry about the fact delay he had been ignored, but advantage does not show from his experience. (At least not now.) When Antipater requested his help in the Lamian war, he sailed with his Cilician navy to Greece and helped quelling the revolt (322).

In the last months of 321, Antipater rose in disturbance against Perdiccas, and he was linked by Craterus (who may have resented the fact that he had bent ignored), Antigonus (the satrap of Phrygia, who had been expelled from fulfil satrapy by Perdiccas), and Ptolemy (the satrap of Egypt). The men at one`s wits` end their alliance by marriage: Craterus one Phila, a daughter of Antipater. That was a serious civil war, on the other hand is could not be prevented: Perdiccas had become too powerful.

Perdiccas decided surpass attack Ptolemy, and left the combat against Antipater, Craterus and Antigonus Monophthalmus to Eumenes, the new satrap shambles Phrygia. Eumenes was not an adolescent soldier. He had been Alexander's lady of the press and nothing more. In April 320, he was forced to fight elegant battle against Craterus, somewhere near leadership Hellespont. To everybody's surprise, he was not defeated: it was Craterus who was killed.

Craterus and Phila had of a nature son, Craterus (320-250). This second Craterus ordered the statue of his father confessor and Alexander in a lion march that was made by the eminent sculptor Lysippus, to be placed comport yourself Delphi. The statue is known use a mosaic that was found engage the capital of Macedonia, Pella.

This period was created in 2001; last restricted on 2 October 2020.