Somatophylakes (Greek: Σωματοφύλακες; singular: somatophylax, σωματοφύλαξ), in its literal English translation from Greek, means "bodyguards".
The most famous body of somatophylakes were those of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great. They consisted of seven men, drawn from the Macedonian nobility, who also acted as high-ranking military officers, holding command positions such as general or chiliarch. Alexander the Great appointed Peucestas as eighth somatophylax after the siege of Malli.
Somatophylakes of Alexander the Great
336–334
Aristonous of Pella, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Balacrus, Demetrius, Ptolemy.
333,
Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Balacrus, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
332
Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Arybbas, Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
331
Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Menes, Demetrius, Hephaestion.
330–327
Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy I Soter, Hephaestion.
326–324
Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy I Soter, Hephaestion, Peucestas
323
Aristonous, Lysimachus, Peithon, Leonnatus, Perdiccas, Ptolemy I Soter, Peucestas.
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