Callisthenes and Proskynesis

Callisthenes and Proskynesis

330BC Murder of Philotas and Parmenio

328BC Murder of Cleitus

327BC Proskynesis

327BC Pages Conspiracy

326BC Mutiny at Beas

Key people that were involved and an explanation of who they are:

• Callisthenes - was a Greek philosopher and the grand-nephew of Aristotle. He was also the historian on the trip. He was a “powerful speaker, but one lacking common sense. But in matter of the Prokynesis at any rate he acted resolutely and like a true philosopher in rejecting it.” – (Plutarch)

• Alexander...

• Persians – did not regard their king as a God, therefore by performing Prokynesis they were not acknowledging Alexander as a god.

• Greeks and Macedonians – would only perform Prokynesis towards their God therefore if they did it to Alexander they were acknowledging him as a god which they were not prepared to do.

Why did Alexander want his fellow Macedonians to prostrate themselves before him?

-He wanted to bring the Macedonians and Persians together to be able to rule more easily. So he needed to appear to treat them equally and follow the same customs for both groups, even if he may have been closer to his own men, it was an aspect of his policy of fusion.

-One of these customs was proskynesis. He did not want to forbid the Persians from prostrating themselves before him as they would not think of him as their true king if he did so, therefore making it harder for him to rule the Persians. Therefore the Macedonians needed to prostrate themselves before Alex, even if they didn’t believe he was a Persian god-king. It is probable this custom also appealed to Alexander’s megalomania.

The incident

-Alexander decided to try proskynesis at an exclusive dinner in early spring 327 BC with his Macedonian companions. It is likely that Alex’s closest companion Hephaestion would have explained this before the dinner.

-After a meal, each man was required to make a libation with wine at the altar, drink from the cup, prostrate themselves before Alexander and in return he would kiss them.

-All the men there followed this custom, except for Callisthenes who would not prostrate himself before Alex. He did not want to do it because

1. It was alien to Macedonian/Greek custom
2. degrading
3. Barbaric custom
4. Implied worship

-Alexander would not kiss Callisthenes.

-Callisthenes moved on, saying in a loud and sarcastic manner, “I shall go the poorer by a kiss’

-Alexander was offended and angry that his plans had been spoilt.

Callisthenes Speech

-One evening he made an impromptu speech praising the Macedonians

-Alexander wanted to set a trap for Callisthenes – he commented that ‘it was easy to speak positively about Macedonians but was he talented enough to speak against them?’

-Rising to the challenge and falling into the trap at the same time, Callisthenes spoke strongly about the downfalls of the Macedonians and how Phillip was not the cause of his own successes.

-Macedonians were enraged – Alexander had his revenge!

Problems caused for Alexander and his solutions/reactions to these:

• To the Persians Proskynesis (Prostration) was a social, not a religious gesture and was performed by all Persians to their king as a sign of their deepest respect. However since the Persians did not regard their king as a god, unlike the Egyptians, this did not signify worship. To the Greeks and Macedonians Proskynesis was only performed before a god, therefore by doing this they were acknowledging Alexander as a god.
• Although Alexander must have known it would be a dangerous move introducing this Eastern custom to the Greeks, he still attempted to try it with the Macedonians and the Greeks in order to introduce a common court and show the equal position of the Persians and Macedonians.
• Although Alexander tried the procedure out with close associates at dinner and the Macedonians showed no real objection or opposition, their anger and displeasure at this move were obvious especially in the older Macedonians who were disgusted at all aspects of Alexander’s orientalism.
• One of the first Greeks to be called upon to perform Proskynesis was Callisthenes, however he refused to perform Proskynesis. Even though Callisthenes stressed that Alexander was fit for any honour a man could earn, he also encouraged Alexander not to forget the difference between honouring a man and worshipping a god.
• Alexander was very frustrated at Callisthenes speech, however he told the Macedonians to forget the matter and they would not be called upon again to prostrate themselves.
• The tie between Alexander and Callisthenes was from here on broken and the king now regarded him as the head of the opposition.

Quotes

‘There were plenty of people moreover who, to flatter him, submitted to this sterile behaviour’ --Arrian

The only man to express in public the resentment which all the oldest and best of the Macedonians felt in private.’ –Plutarch