CHILIARCH AT THE COURTS OF THE ACHEMENID AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT

The office of chiliarch (from ancient Greek “head of a thousand”) at the courts of the Achemenid Persian dynasty and Alexander the Great is considered. The sources include the ancient authors such as works of Arrian, Quintus Curtius Rufus, Cornelius Nepos, Xenophon Plutarch, Aelian, Justin etc., which contain materials on Persian Empire of Achemenid and on Alexander the Great activity. There are no works in the Russian historiography, specially devoted to this topic, but in foreign literature this topic has been studied by A.W. Collins, A. Meus, A.P. Keaveney. The status of chiliarch, its functions and duties are considered. The position of chiliarch in the Persian and Alexander’s Empires are also compared. The development of the office of chiliarch in the process of Alexander’s Empire creation in the East is described. It is concluded that under the Persians the chiliarch usually controlled an access to the King and observance of court ceremonials and under Alexander the chiliarch was a less influenced person and carried out the military tasks ordered by the Macedonian King.

chiliarch, Achaermenids, Alexander the Great, royal court, Greeks, Persians