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Philotas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other people named Philotas, seePhilotas (disambiguation).
General

Philotas
Native name
Φιλώτας
Born365 BC
Died330 BC (aged 34-35)
AllegianceMacedonia
RankCommander of the Companion Cavalry
Commands heldCompanion Cavalry
Battles/warsWars of Alexander the Great
RelationsParmenion(father),

Nikanor and Hector (brothers),

AsanderandAgathon(uncles)

Philotas(Greek:Φιλώτας;365 BC – October 330 BC) was the eldest son ofParmenion,one ofAlexander the Great'smost experienced and talented generals.[1]He rose to command theCompanion Cavalry,but was accused of conspiring against Alexander and executed.[2]

Biography[edit]

When Alexander became king ofMacedonia(336 BC) withParmenion'ssupport,[3]he and his relations were rewarded with offices and commissions.[4]Philotas was promoted, from a commander of a cavalry squadron to commander of theCompanions,the corps of Macedonian cavalry that also provided bodyguards and attendants to the King.[3][5]In battle, Alexander rode with and led this cavalry corps; they were, literally, his "companions," hence the name. Philotas, though a highly capable officer, was widely perceived as arrogant and pompous; he was never able to master the role of courtier, was often a center of conflict, and often earned the King's disfavour.[2]He would serve alongside Alexander in numerous battles, fighting at theBattle of the Granicus,theSiege of Miletus,and theSiege of Tyre.[5]

In the latter part of 330 BC, while with Alexander in the area of today'sAfghanistanduring the conquest of theAchaemenid Empire,Philotas was accused of conspiring against Alexander, due to being aware ofDimnus'splot and not informing Alexander.[3][6]He had been subject to similar reports previously, though the case against him in 330 BC was more serious; his accusers included the commanderCoenus,who was married to Philotas' sister. Philotas was tried and convicted, tortured to reveal the extent of the conspiracy, implicating his father, then stoned or speared to death with other convicted plotters.[5]The execution of Philotas necessitated the removal of Parmenion, who, while innocent of any plotting, was judged unreliable once his son and heir had been put to death. Alexander sent assassins to kill Parmenion before the news of his son's execution reached him.[2][7][8]Following his execution, command of the Companions was split between two officers.[9]

In literature and film[edit]

The story of Philotas was dramatized in 1604 by the English poet and playwrightSamuel Daniel.A performance of the eponymously named play earned Daniel the unwelcome scrutiny of thePrivy Council,because of a perceived resemblance between the play's protagonist andRobert Devereux, Earl of Essex,executed for rebellion and treason in 1601. In 1731 a second play about his lifePhilotaswas written byPhilip Frowdeand performed in London.

In the filmAlexander(2004), Philotas is played byJoseph Morgan;[10]in the 1961 television version ofTerence Rattigan's playAdventure Story,Philotas is played byLyndon Brook;[11]and in the filmAlexander the Great(1956), Philotas is played by Rubén Rojo.[12]

Philotasby Gotthold Ephraim Lessing[edit]

The German dramatist and criticGotthold Ephraim Lessingalso adapted the story; his playPhilotasdates to 1759. It was written during theEnlightenmentand whenPrussiawas a major player inGermany.

The drama was also written during theSeven Years' War(1756–1763) betweenPrussiaandHannover,againstFrance,Austria,Switzerland,andSpainfor control over regions such asSilesiaandSaxony.

The play tells the story of prince-commander Philotas, a young and impulsive heir, who is made prisoner during his first battle. While captive, Philotas is visited by King Arideus, a former friend of his father. While in warm dialogue with Philotas, Arideus tells him that his own son has also been made captive by the other side, and that both kings are planning an exchange of prisoners.

Soon afterwards, Philotas is seen by Parmenio, his father's messenger, who asks him about when the exchange of prisoners will take place. Philotas pleas with Parmenio for more time, and requests an extra day prior to the exchange.

Philotas then begins a heavy monologue, filled with moral and ethical questions, about whether remaining alive would better serve his father's interests, especially considering that he is in possession of Arideus' son.

Philotas concludes that the most appropriate thing to do is to kill himself, to preserve his father's dominion over the lands in dispute. He then manages to obtain a sword from Arideus, claiming it would 'fit him better' before meeting the squadron, something Arideus has asked him to do.

The legitimacy of Philotas' suicide is a subject of discussion in modern theatre and ethics education. A common question is whether Philotas' suicide was necessary, and whether Lessing desired to praise, or else criticise, the strong moral codes that dominated Prussia during the 18th century, which according to many scholars were key to the survival of the Prussian empire.

Among the values exalted by the Prussian morale were: prudence, modesty, hard work, honesty, fairness, courage, strictness with oneself, order, duty, punctuality, integrity, austerity, loyalty, and subordination to power.

References[edit]

  1. ^Heckel, Waldemar (2005-10-26).The Marshals of Alexander's Empire.Routledge.ISBN978-1-134-94265-7.
  2. ^abcSanchez, Juan Pablo (September 27, 2018)."How suspicion and intrigue eroded Alexander's empire".History Magazine.National Geographic. Archived fromthe originalon January 27, 2019.Retrieved27 January2019.
  3. ^abcHanson, Victor Davis (2007-12-18).Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power.Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.ISBN978-0-307-42518-8.
  4. ^Smith, William (2005-10-26) [1867]."Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, page 65 (v. 1)".Archived fromthe originalon 2005-10-26.Retrieved2020-08-28.
  5. ^abcLendering, Jona (13 March 2019) [1997]."Philotas".livius.org.Retrieved2020-08-28.
  6. ^Curteis, Arthur Mapletoft (April 23, 2012) [1893].Rise of the Macedonian Empire.University of California: C. Scribner's Sons.
  7. ^Roisman, Joseph (2011-12-19).Ancient Greece from Homer to Alexander: The Evidence.John Wiley & Sons.ISBN978-1-118-30095-4.
  8. ^Bowden, Hugh (2014-07-24).Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction.OUP Oxford.ISBN978-0-19-101636-3.
  9. ^Grote, George (1907).A History of Greece: From the Earliest Period to the Close of the Generation Contemporary with Alexander the Great.John Murray.ISBN9780598582911.
  10. ^Alexander (2004) - IMDb,retrieved2020-08-28
  11. ^Adventure Story (TV Movie 1961) - IMDb,retrieved2020-08-28
  12. ^Alexander the Great (1956) - IMDb,retrieved2020-08-28

External links[edit]

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