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Leonnatus
Leonnatus
Leonnatus
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Leonnatus (Greek: Λεοννάτος; 356 BC – 322 BC) was a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great and one of the diadochi.

Early life and background

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Leonnatus was a member of the royal house of Lyncestis, a small Greek kingdom that had been included in Macedonia by King Philip II of Macedon. The Suda records that Leonnatus was related to Eurydice I, mother of Philip II of Macedon.[1]

Career

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Service under Philip II and under Alexander the Great

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Leonnatus served under Philip II as one of his bodyguards, or somatophylakes. Shortly after Philip II was assassinated by Pausanias, Leonnatus helped kill Pausanias while he attempted to flee. Leonnatus was the same age as Alexander and was very close to him. Later, he was one of Alexander's seven bodyguards.

After Alexander's death

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After Alexander died in 323 BC, the regent, Perdiccas, made Leonnatus satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia.[2]

Diodorus (Book XVII.37-38) tells us that during the Battle of Issus, the immediate family of Darius had been captured by the Macedonian Army. Darius' family was hysterical that they would suffer a dreadful fate. However, Leonnatus was able to explain to them, on behalf of Alexander, that this would not be the case. In fact, Alexander promised to respect them as royalty, increase their household servants and to raise Darius' 6-year-old boy as his own.

Leonnatus crushed the rebellion of Oritians in India, while losing only a few men.[3]

Alexander's sister Cleopatra, the widow of King Alexander I of Epirus, offered her hand to Leonnatus. When the Athenians heard that Alexander had died, they revolted against Macedonia and the new regent, Antipater. Leonnatus led an army of 20,000 infantry with 1,500 cavalry to relieve Antipater during the siege in Lamia (see Lamian War). He intervened probably with the ambition to usurp Antipater's power.[4] A victory in battle against the Athenians would have certainly enhanced his claim to the throne. Leonnatus was killed in battle against the Athenians and his marriage with Cleopatra never took place.

Notes

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Leonnatus

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Leonnatus (Greek: Λεοννάτος; 356–322 BC) was a Macedonian nobleman of the royal house of Lyncestis, son of Anteas, and a distant relative of through his mother's Lyncestian lineage, who served as one of the king's seven (elite bodyguards) and participated prominently in the conquest of the Persian Empire and campaigns in . Appointed somatophylax around 332/1 BC following a vacancy in , Leonnatus accompanied from the outset of the Persian campaign, commanding forces in sieges such as after 327 BC and a Gandaran village in spring 326 BC, where he sustained wounds, and decisively saving Alexander's life during the siege in January 325 BC. He also earned recognition for defeating Oreitan tribes in spring 324 BC, receiving a as a mark of royal favor, and earlier informed the captive family of of the Persian king's survival after the in November 333 BC. After Alexander's death in June 323 BC, Leonnatus aligned with among the and was assigned as of ; in spring 322 BC, he crossed into with an army to aid the regent against Greek rebels in the but perished in cavalry combat against superior forces.

Origins and Early Career

Family Background and Birth

Leonnatus was born around 356 BC, contemporaneously with , in the kingdom of Macedon. He hailed from the region of Lyncestis in Upper Macedonia, a district in the valley of the Crna River that had been annexed by the under . The son of Anteas, Leonnatus belonged to the royal house of Lyncestis, which traced its lineage to local nobility with ties to the broader Macedonian elite. This connection extended to the royal through of Lyncestis, 's mother, positioning Leonnatus as a distant relative within the extended dynastic network that facilitated his early integration into court circles. No primary records specify his exact birthplace beyond Macedonian territories, though his family's status suggests upbringing amid the aristocratic milieu of or regional strongholds.

Service under Philip II

Leonnatus served as one of the somatophylakes, or personal bodyguards, to , a role reserved for nobles of high standing within the Macedonian elite. This position placed him in close proximity to the king during public events and military activities, reflecting his early integration into the royal circle amid Philip's campaigns of consolidation in . On 20 July 336 BC, during Philip's at Aegae while entering the theater for the wedding celebrations of his daughter , Leonnatus was among the bodyguards present. Alongside and Attalus, he pursued the assassin as he attempted to flee, ultimately striking him down before he could escape the grounds; this immediate response prevented further chaos but highlighted vulnerabilities in Philip's security despite the presence of elite guards. Following the incident, III briefly demoted Leonnatus and his fellow guards to the ranks, possibly as a precautionary measure against suspicions, though they were soon restored. Historical accounts, primarily derived from later ancient authors like and Justin, emphasize this event as Leonnatus's primary documented action under , with scant details on prior military engagements; such gaps likely stem from the focus of sources on Philip's later years and the overshadowing of subordinates by the king himself. No records indicate Leonnatus held independent commands or participated in key battles like (338 BC), suggesting his role remained protective rather than operational during Philip's reign.

Military Service under Alexander

Appointment as Somatophylax

Leonnatus was elevated to the rank of somatophylax, one of 's elite royal bodyguards, during the winter of 332/331 BC, replacing Arybbas who had died of illness in . This appointment, recorded by , occurred as Alexander consolidated control over following his victory at Issus and the siege of Tyre, positioning Leonnatus among most trusted Macedonian nobles who combined personal protection duties with command of military units. The somatophylakes formed an inner circle of companionship and authority, often acting as the king's proxies in battle and administration; Leonnatus' selection at approximately age 24 reflected his demonstrated valor in earlier campaigns and possible familial ties to the through his Elimiote origins. Prior to this, Leonnatus had served under Philip II, including aiding in the pursuit of the assassin Pausanias in 336 BC, which likely contributed to his rapid advancement under despite the competitive nature of such promotions among the hetairoi. The role enhanced his proximity to the king, enabling direct influence on decisions during the ongoing Persian campaign.

Key Campaigns and Battles

Leonnatus served as one of seven somatophylakes, the elite royal bodyguards, placing him at the forefront of major engagements during the invasion of the Persian Empire. Although primary accounts do not detail unique exploits at the on May 334 BC or the on 1 October 331 BC, his position ensured participation in these decisive victories, which routed Persian forces numbering over 100,000 at Gaugamela according to Arrian's estimates derived from . Following the in November 333 BC, where 40,000 troops defeated Darius III's larger army, Leonnatus was dispatched to the captured Persian royal tent to inform Darius' mother and wife, Stateira, of the king's survival, demonstrating his trusted status in sensitive diplomatic-military roles. In the Indian campaigns, Leonnatus commanded a in the Macedonian fleet assembled on the in 325 BC, supporting operations after the against King in May 326 BC. His most distinguished battlefield action came during the from November 326 to February 325 BC, when , leading a storming party of about 500 men against a fortified Mallian town, was struck by arrows and a club, collapsing critically wounded. Leonnatus, alongside Peucestas bearing the sacred and Limnaeus, scaled the walls to shield the king, fighting hand-to-hand against Mallian defenders; Leonnatus himself suffered a severe neck wound while repelling assailants. This defense, amid an assault on a population of roughly 10,000 Mallians, preserved 's life and contributed to the subjugation of the region, though it highlighted the high risks borne by the in close-quarters combat. As of from circa 323 BC, Leonnatus undertook an independent expedition in spring 322 BC under distant oversight, crossing into with 20,000 and 1,500 to reinforce against Greek unrest. He decisively defeated a rebel force of 8,000 and 400 , as reported in his letter to , securing Macedonian control before the full outbreak of the . This victory underscored Leonnatus' tactical acumen in suppressing opposition without direct royal command, though it foreshadowed his ambitions in the post- era.

Heroic Actions and Distinctions

Leonnatus earned distinction as one of Alexander's seven somatophylakes, an elite cadre of royal bodyguards selected for proven loyalty and martial prowess, a role he assumed early in the campaigns following service under Philip II. This appointment positioned him at the forefront of key engagements, including the Battle of the Granicus in May 334 BC, where the somatophylakes accompanied Alexander's hypaspists and Companion cavalry in the hazardous river crossing and uphill charge against entrenched Persian forces led by satraps such as Arsites and Spithridates. Their rapid assault shattered the Persian line, contributing to the Macedonian victory despite heavy casualties among the Greek mercenaries opposing them. The pinnacle of Leonnatus's heroic service under came during the in late 325 BC, amid operations along the . Leading a detachment to storm a fortified Mallian town, scaled the walls with a small , only to face fierce resistance; an arrow pierced his lung in the ensuing melee, leaving him gravely wounded and surrounded. Leonnatus, alongside Peucestas, interposed themselves as human shields, using their bodies and shields to protect the king from further blows while Macedonian reinforcements arrived to extricate him. This act of valor, risking death to preserve 's life, exemplified the ' oath-bound duty and directly averted a potential collapse of command. In recognition of this bravery, rewarded Leonnatus and Peucestas with lavish honors, including golden crowns and elevated status upon the army's return to in 324 BC, underscoring their pivotal role in sustaining the expedition's momentum. Leonnatus's consistent proximity to the king in battles such as Issus (333 BC) and Gaugamela (331 BC) further highlighted his reliability, though ancient accounts emphasize the Mallian incident as the defining testament to his courage amid the campaigns' grueling final phases.

Involvement in the Wars of the Diadochi

Appointment as Satrap

In the immediate aftermath of Alexander the Great's death in Babylon on 11 June 323 BC, the Macedonian high command assembled to address the succession and provisional governance of the empire. , appointed chiliarch (regent) over the royal council, orchestrated the initial distribution of satrapies among Alexander's senior generals and companions to maintain stability amid competing ambitions. Leonnatus, a trusted somatophylax () and close associate of the late king, received —a coastal satrapy in northwestern encompassing areas around the Hellespont strait, previously administered by Calas under Alexander and then by the interim governor Demarchus. This assignment, documented in Arrian's account derived from Ptolemy's memoirs, positioned Leonnatus to control key crossing points between and , enhancing his influence near Macedonia and the Aegean. Curtius Rufus notes that Leonnatus had briefly been eyed as tutor (guardian) for Roxane's unborn son—Alexander IV—but reassigned him to the satrapy, likely to balance power among the somatophylakes and avert factional strife. corroborates the allocation in his enumeration of the Babylonian settlement, emphasizing ' role in confirming satrapal appointments to loyalists. The satrapy, rich in resources and strategically vital for maritime trade and military transit, aligned with Leonnatus' status as a high-ranking noble from Orestis, though ancient sources like —drawing on eyewitness contemporaries—portray the partition as provisional, subject to ratification by distant governors and prone to revision amid emerging rivalries. Leonnatus accepted the post without immediate challenge, focusing initially on consolidating control, but his tenure proved short-lived due to subsequent calls for aid in .

Political Ambitions and Alliances

Following his appointment as of in the in 323 BC, Leonnatus pursued elevated status amid the fragmenting empire, seeking alliances that could position him as a contender for royal authority. He received competing marriage proposals: offered his daughter Phila to secure military aid against the Greek revolt, while proposed , Alexander's full sister, which would have tied Leonnatus to the Argead bloodline and enhanced pretensions to the Macedonian throne. These overtures underscored Leonnatus's strategic value, as acceptance of either would forge powerful coalitions against rivals like , the regent; marriage to , in particular, carried dynastic weight, reflecting ambitions influenced by her status as a surviving royal. Leonnatus weighed the options, recognizing that allying with via Phila would counter Perdiccas's dominance in , whereas Cleopatra's hand promised legitimacy in Macedonia and . Before crossing to , Leonnatus attempted to recruit , the royal secretary newly tasked with conquering , by offering to mediate conflicts with neighboring satraps like Ariarathes, aiming to build a personal faction independent of Perdiccas's directives. In spring 322 BC, he marched from with his army toward to relieve 's siege by the Greek confederacy, but contemporaries assessed this as driven by intent to supplant upon victory, thereby consolidating power in . No formal alliance materialized before his death in battle against the , leaving his ambitions unrealized and the proposed marriages unconsummated.

Campaign in Greece and Death

In 322 BC, amid the —a Greek revolt against Macedonian dominance following the Great's death the previous year— faced a at by coalition forces led initially by Leosthenes and later by Antiphilus after Leosthenes' death. 's envoy, Hecataeus, urged , satrap of , to provide urgent military relief to the Macedonians. pledged support, crossing from into Europe and rallying forces in Macedonia. Leonnatus assembled an expeditionary force surpassing 20,000 and 1,500 , including an elite squadron of hetairoi , before advancing southward through toward the Greek army. The opposing , under Antiphilus, commanded approximately 22,000 and 3,500 , bolstered by 2,000 Thessalian horsemen renowned for their skill. Contemporary accounts suggest Leonnatus' motivations extended beyond mere alliance with ; he had received overtures, including a prospective to , Alexander's sister, potentially positioning him to claim regency or kingship in Macedonia. The campaign culminated in a fierce cavalry engagement in , likely near Lake Xynias or the Enipeus valley, where Thessalian horsemen exploited terrain advantages, driving Leonnatus' riders into marshy ground. Leonnatus sustained severe wounds in the and perished on the field; his companions retrieved his body and conveyed it to the baggage train amid the Macedonian retreat. His death prevented the relief of and eliminated him as a rival to , who subsequently incorporated the remnants of Leonnatus' army into his own forces.

Legacy and Assessment

Historical Sources and Reliability

The primary ancient sources for Leonnatus derive from the historiographical traditions concerning the Great's campaigns and the ensuing , with no dedicated contemporary or epigraphic attestation surviving. Arrian's Anabasis Alexandri (c. 130–160 AD), reliant on the lost accounts of (a fellow somatophylax and successor) and Aristobulus (engineer-participant), records Leonnatus as a royal from early in the Asian expedition, noting his presence at key engagements such as the Granicus River (334 BC) and the Hydaspes (326 BC), and crediting him with shielding Alexander from arrows during the Mallian assault in late 326 BC. This "good" tradition, as distinguished from more dramatized alternatives, benefits from eyewitness foundations but reflects Ptolemy's potential self-aggrandizement, as he minimized rivals' roles where they overlapped with his own. Diodorus Siculus' Bibliotheca historica (c. 60–30 BC), Books XVII for Alexander's era and XVIII for the successors, details Leonnatus' promotions, including his satrapy of (323 BC), and his fatal intervention in , where he marched with 20,000 and 1,500 to aid but perished in a cavalry clash near Lamia amid marshy terrain during the (spring 322 BC). For Diadochi events, Diodorus channels of Cardia (c. ), a near-contemporary embedded in the era's courts, whose factual reportage—despite a pro-West favoring Antigonus—cross-verifies with fragments like those in Photius' summaries of Arrian's lost Events after Alexander. Quintus Curtius Rufus' Historiae Alexandri Magni (c. 41–54 AD) supplements with Leonnatus' noble Macedonian lineage, his exposure of a pages' conspiracy (c. 327 BC), and a reported triumph over 8,000 Oreitan infantry and 400 cavalry (c. 325 BC), but stems from the "vulgate" lineage via Cleitarchus (late 4th century BC), emphasizing dramatic speeches and heroic feats at the expense of chronological precision or tactical accuracy. Plutarch's Life of Alexander (c. 100 AD) and add personal vignettes, such as Leonnatus relaying 's mercy to Darius III's family post-Issus (333 BC) and negotiating betrothal to (sister of ) amid Antipater's plea for aid, prioritizing illustrative character traits over verifiable sequence. These texts exhibit consistency on Leonnatus' trajectory—from Philip II's courtier to inner circle, satrapal command, and battlefield demise—but diverge in ancillary details, attributable to intermediary losses (e.g., no full Ptolemaic survives) and authors' agendas, such as Roman-era moralizing or Hellenistic partisanship. As a peripheral figure amid dominant narratives, his portrayal risks underemphasis or idealization as a loyal hetairos; modern prosopographical analyses, like those reconciling variants across , Diodorus, and Curtius, affirm core facts via mutual corroboration while discounting unconfirmed embellishments, absent countervailing archaeological .

Evaluations of Character and Abilities

Leonnatus exhibited exceptional personal bravery during Alexander's campaign against the Mallians in 326 BC, where he collaborated with Peucestas and Abreas to shield the severely wounded king using the sacred shield from , thereby preserving Alexander's life amid intense combat. This incident, attested by Curtius Rufus (9.10.19) and (Anabasis 6.10.4–5), exemplified his role as a somatophylax and his unwavering loyalty to , earning him distinction among the king's inner circle of trusted companions born the same year as the conqueror. As of from 323 BC, Leonnatus demonstrated competent administrative and military leadership by suppressing local unrest, including a over 8,000 and 400 rebels, which he reported directly to shortly before the king's death. In spring 322 BC, he mobilized and commanded a substantial force of 20,000 and 1,500 to intervene in on behalf of during the , showcasing his logistical acumen in rapid deployment from Asia Minor. However, his tactical decisions in the ensuing engagement against Greek allies led to his death; (18.14–15), drawing from of Cardia, recounts Leonnatus leading a bold charge that initially pressured the enemy but ultimately exposed him to overwhelming numbers, resulting in him being unhorsed and slain after fierce hand-to-hand fighting. Leonnatus's character combined fierce loyalty to Alexander—evident in his long service from II's , where he the assassin Pausanias, through the Asian conquests—with pronounced ambition in the post-Alexander . He marriage to , Alexander's full sister, claiming a prior written assurance from her, as a means to legitimize royal aspirations and forge an alliance with against , reflecting strategic opportunism rather than mere sentiment. Ancient accounts, such as those in Diodorus and Justin (derived from earlier Hellenistic sources), portray this as a calculated bid for supremacy, though it unraveled due to his battlefield demise before the union could occur. Overall, historians like and Curtius emphasize his valor and reliability under Alexander, while Diadochi-era narratives highlight ambition as a driver of division, without ascribing moral failings beyond the competitive norms of Macedonian elites. Modern assessments affirm his status as a valiant commander and loyal subordinate, crediting his early successes to tactical prowess tempered by the era's martial culture.

References

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  13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6089630/
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  16. https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-3647
  17. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/diodorus_siculus/18a*.html
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  19. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/18A*.html#14
  20. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/18A*.html#15
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  23. https://www.worldhistory.org/Cleopatra_of_Macedon/
  24. https://worldhistoryedu.com/most-trusted-generals-of-alexander-the-great/
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