Parmenion

Parmenion (also Parmenio; Ancient Greek: Παρμενίων; c. 400 – 330 BC), son of Philotas, was a Macedonian general in the service of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great.

[1] In 336 BC, Phillip II sent Parmenion, with Amyntas, Andromenes and Attalus, and an army of 10,000 men into Anatolia to make preparations to free the Greeks living on the western coast and islands from Persian rule.

The Greek cities on the western coast of Anatolia revolted until the news arrived that Philip had been murdered and had been succeeded by his young son Alexander.

Parmenion's oldest son Philotas was made commander of the Companion cavalry, a unit of 1,800 horsemen that was Macedonia's most effective weapon in its battles.

For instance, according to Arrian's Anabasis of Alexander, at the Battle of Granicus, Parmenion suggested delay before the attack, as the army had already marched all day, always presenting the cautious path and often resulting in his being ignored by the King.

However the Persian king with his large army had crossed the Amanus Mountains, captured Issus and then cut off the only Macedonian line of supply.

During the battle, Parmenion led the Pezhetairos on the left flank which had been hurt by an opening made by Alexander's speedy advance with the cavalry.

[9] In Plutarch's Parallel Lives it is further suggested the escape of Darius was due to Parmenion's "sluggish and ineffectual"[14] leadership, or even that he was jealous of Alexander's successes.

A steady hand commanding the left was critical in the overall Macedonian scheme and philosophy of battle, allowing the king to strike the decisive blow.

Alexander therefore acted swiftly and sent Cleander and Sitalces on racing camels across the desert by the most direct route possible to assassinate Parmenion.

[17] In the 1956 film Alexander the Great, directed by Robert Rossen, Parmenion was played by Irish actor Niall MacGinnis.

[20] In the 2004 film Alexander, directed by Oliver Stone, Parmenion (played by John Kavanagh) is depicted as a trusted but conservative commander and is slightly marginalized.

The film depicts him as being assassinated by Cleitus the Black and Antigonus just after reading from their letter informing him of his son's execution (instead of by Cleander and Sitalces before he learns of it as is historically accurate).