Arrian on Alexander's courtiers

In his Indikê, Arrian of Nicomedia describes the seaborne return of the army of Alexander. His source is the Indikê of admiral Nearchus. One of the most important sections is the catalogue of trierarchs in chapter 18. The trierarchs were courtiers who helped the construction of the navy from their own resources. Therefore, the list is also a catalogue of Alexander's most important courtiers.

The translation was made by E. Iliff Robson.

Alexander's courtiers

For Alexander, when his fleet was made ready on the banks of the Hydaspes, collected together all the Phoenicians and all the Cyprians and Egyptians who had followed the northern expedition. From these he manned his ships, picking out as crews and rowers for them any who were skilled in seafaring. There were also a good many islanders in the army, who understood these things, and Ionians and Hellespontines. As commanders of triremes were appointed:

from the Macedonians,

• Hephaestion son of Amyntor,^note[Alexander's most intimate friend and former lover.]
• Leonnatus son of Anteas,
• Lysimachus son of Agathocles,
• Asclepiodorus son of Timander,
• Archon son of Cleinias,
• Demonicus son of Athenaeus,
• Archias son of Anaxidotus,
• Ophellas son of Silenus,
• and Timanthes son of Pantiades; all these were of Pella.

From Amphipolis these were appointed officers:

• Nearchus son of Androtimus, who wrote the account of the voyage,
• Laomedon son of Larichus,
• and Androsthenes son of Callistratus.

And from Orestis:

• Craterus son of Alexander
• and Perdiccas son of Orontes.

Of Eordaea:

• Ptolemy son of Lagos
• and Aristonous son of Peisaeus.

From Pydna:

• Metron son of Epicharmus
• and Nicarchides son of Simus.

Then besides:

• Attalus son of Andromenes, of Stympha,
• Peucestas son of Alexander, from Mieza,
• Peithon son of Crateuas, of Alcomenae,
• Leonnatus son of Antipater, of Aegae,
• Pantauchus son of Nicolaus, of Aloris,
• Mylleas son of Zoilus, of Beroea; all these being Macedonians.

Of the Greeks

• Medius son of Oxynthemis, of Larisa,^note[Alexander's cup-bearer.]
• Eumenes son of Hieronymus, from Cardia,^note[Alexander's secretary.]
• Critobulus, son of Plato, of Cos,
• Thoas son of Menodorus,
• Maeander, son of Mandrogenes, of Magnesia,
• and Andron son of Cabeleus, of Teos.

Of the Cyprians:

• Nicocles son of Pasicrates, of Soli,
• and Nithaphon son of Pnytagoras, of Salamis.

Alexander appointed also a Persian trierarch, Bagoas son of Pharnuces.^note[Alexander's Persian translator and lover.]

Of Alexander's own ship the helmsman was Onesicritus of Astypalaea; and the accountant of the whole fleet was Euagoras son of Eucleon, of Corinth. As admiral was appointed Nearchus, son of Androtimus, Cretan by race, and he lived in Amphipolis on the Strymon.