Sitalces, commander of the Thracians

Apart from one single event told by Curtius, Arrian is the only ancient author to mention Sitalces by name. His origins remain relatively obscure, but he was apparently a prince, maybe even the son of King Cersobleptes of the Odrysian Thracians.

It was common practice in antiquity to take the sons of the kings as hostages to make sure that their fathers remained loyal to them at home. Alexander’s father had been such a hostage for several years in Thebes (see: Macedonia forged by Philip - Philip’s boyhood), and it is not unlikely that Sitalces shared the same fate.

Whatever the reason for his presence in Alexander’s army, Sitalces proved to be a competent commander who led the Thracian javelin men on more than one occasion.

The first time Arrian mentions the Thracians happens at the banks of the Granicus, where they supported the advance position on the left wing under Agathon, the Macedonian commander of the Thracian cavalry. This same cavalry was part of Alexander’s forces that marched to Miletus. During the siege of Miletus (see: Miletus, Alexander’s first siege in Asia), Alexander had made sure of the island of Lade by anchoring his fleet in its harbor and putting ashore “his Thracian contingent” (we don’t know how many), and some 4,000 mercenaries.

When in 331 BC, Alexander marched from Phaselis to join Parmenion in Gordion, he had to cross the challenging Climax Mountains (see: Alexander’s army crossing Mount Climax). He planned to send the bulk of his troops over difficult tracks across these mountains. He ordered his Thracian engineers ahead to cut out a path and steps in the rocks to make their march easier and faster. Traces of those steps and cuttings are still visible in some remote places today. Alexander took a shortcut with his smaller party, closely skirting the coastline.

The name of Sitalces is not mentioned so far but appears for the first time during the assault of Sagalassos. For this operation, the general command of Alexander’s left wing was assigned to Amyntas, whose troops were screened by the Thracian javelin battalions led by Sitalces.

Sitalces also accompanied Parmenion in 333 BC, when he was sent ahead to occupy the Syrian Gates in preparation for the confrontation with Darius at the Pinarus River. Again during the ensuing Battle of Issus, we find the Thracians under the command of Sitalces in the forefront of the Macedonian infantry on the left wing, together with Cretan archers.

It may be noteworthy that when Antipater sent reinforcement to Alexander in Memphis, these included beside 400 Greek mercenaries led by Menidas, a force of 500 Thracian cavalry commanded by a certain Asclepiodorus. It may not be a large contingency, but good cavalrymen were always highly appreciated.

The Thracians appear again at the Battle of Gaugamela. They were placed on the left at an angle with the main body of the Macedonian troops, under the command of Sitalces once again. They were, in turn, supported by allied cavalry under Coeranus and the Odrysian cavalry under Agathon. Arrian explicitly mentions that the Thracian infantry stood guard over the pack animals.

When, in 330 BC, Parmenion was stationed in Ecbatana to guard the enormous treasury Alexander had collected in Susa, Persepolis, and Pasargadae, the general had a force of 6,000 men at his disposal. After the plot and execution of Philotas later that year (see: The Philotas Affair – Part I – How the plot was revealed), the king dispatched Polydamas, one of his Companions, with a letter addressed to three generals that resided there under Parmenion’s command with instructions to kill the old general (see: The Philotas Affair – Part II – His judgment and execution). The three men to carry out Alexander’s orders were Cleander of Macedonia (brother of Coenus), Menidas, and Sitalces.

Just before reaching the Acesines River in India, Alexander learned that the Greek governor of Assacenia had been assassinated, and the people had revolted. At this time, Phrataphernes, satrap of Parthia and Hyrcania, rejoined Alexander with those Thracians left under his command. The Thracians were multipurpose troops that may have started as javelin-throwers and cavalry soldiers, but as the campaign went on, they were used successfully for all kinds of jobs.

We didn’t hear from Sitalces again until Alexander returned from India and joined Craterus in Carmania. Among the troops were the officers who had been with Parmenion in Ecbatana: Cleander, Heracon, Agathon, and Sitalces, with most of the men under their command. Cleander and Sitalces were accused of crimes like plundering temples, disturbing tombs, and other violent and tyrannical attacks against the natives. As these facts were reported to Alexander, he gave orders to execute all four generals (although Heracon may have been killed afterward when he arrived in Susa). Curtius mentions that these marshals were put in chains (to be killed, no doubt), and 600 of their followers were executed.

Well, Sitalces did not die the glorious death one would expect from the onset. Still, ten years of war and plundering, reaping wealth unheard of had definitely left their marks on everyone in the army, including Alexander. We don’t hear much about the common soldiers, except maybe their debaucheries in Babylon and the foreign women they took on the road, but foremost men like Harpalos, Philotas, and probably Parmenion paid their greed with their lives. So did Cleander, Heracon, Agathon, and Sitalces in this case.

All things considered, it is, however, surprising how loyal and how dedicated the gross of Alexander’s inner circle, his Companions and his generals, remained to him throughout the years.