Chiliarch
Encyclopedia
Chiliarch in the Greek
army of the Hellenistic period, was a commander of a 1,000 men unit, roughly equivalent to a modern battalion
. The office was an adaptation by Alexander the Great of the Persian Achaemenid empire's hazarapatish. A chiliarch held duties both martial and civil. Alexander the Great first awarded this rank to Hephaestion Amyntoros
, but after Hephaestion's death it was awarded to Perdiccas
. The rank continued in use in later ages: Greek writers wrote of "chiliarchs" when referring to the Roman legionary tribune
s, and in the Byzantine army
, the title was used as an alternative to that of the droungarios and the taxiarches. Later still, during the Greek Revolution, the title was given as a rank to significant kapetans, leaders of the irregular bands that made up most of the Greek rebels' army.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
army of the Hellenistic period, was a commander of a 1,000 men unit, roughly equivalent to a modern battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
. The office was an adaptation by Alexander the Great of the Persian Achaemenid empire's hazarapatish. A chiliarch held duties both martial and civil. Alexander the Great first awarded this rank to Hephaestion Amyntoros
Hephaestion
Hephaestion , son of Amyntor, was a Macedonian nobleman and a general in the army of Alexander the Great...
, but after Hephaestion's death it was awarded to Perdiccas
Perdiccas
Perdiccas was one of Alexander the Great's generals. After Alexander's death in 323 BC he became regent of all Alexander's empire.Arrian tells us he was son of Orontes, a descendant of the independent princes of the Macedonian province of Orestis...
. The rank continued in use in later ages: Greek writers wrote of "chiliarchs" when referring to the Roman legionary tribune
Tribune
Tribune was a title shared by elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. They were sacrosanct, in the sense that any assault on their person was...
s, and in the Byzantine army
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
, the title was used as an alternative to that of the droungarios and the taxiarches. Later still, during the Greek Revolution, the title was given as a rank to significant kapetans, leaders of the irregular bands that made up most of the Greek rebels' army.