#abdalonymus

[paintingsandhistory]

Abdalomino Hailed as King of Sidon after the Conquest by Alexander of Macedon

Artist: George Scherer

Date: 1853

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: National Gallery of Parma, Parma, Italy

Description

Abdalonymus was a Phoenician botanist and gardener of royal descent, who became King of Sidon under Alexander the Great in 332 BC.

After Alexander the Great had subdued Sidon, he gave permission to Hephaestion to bestow its crown on whom he pleased. Hephaestion offered it to two brothers with whom he lodged, but they declined it, alleging that according to their laws it could only be worn by one of royal blood. Instead, they named Abdalonymus, who, notwithstanding his birth, had fallen into such poverty that he supported himself by the cultivation of a kitchen garden.

Hephaestion directed the brothers to carry the royal crown and robes to Abdalonymus. They obeyed and found him weeding in his garden. After causing him to wash, they invested him with the ensigns of royalty and conducted him to Alexander. This prince, who discerned in him an aspect not unworthy of his origin, turning to those around him, said "I wish to know how he bore his poverty."—"Would to heaven," replied Abdalonymus, "I may as well bear my prosperity! These hands have ministered to all my necessities, and as I possessed nothing, I wanted nothing." Alexander was so well pleased with this reply, that he confirmed the nomination of Hephaestion, and gave the new king the palace and private estate of Strato his predecessor, and even augmented his dominions from the neighboring country.

[jeannereames]

#Hephaistion as diplomatic officer. His very first (known) assignment was of this type. Quick overview of this side of his career under #AlexandertheGreat #Hephaestion #classicstiktok #ancienthistory #militaryhistory #ancientmilitaryhistory #ancientgreece #ancientmacedonia #cincinnatus #abdalonymus

Fourth video on Hephaistion, this time as diplomatic officer. Some discussion here of the appointment of Abdalonymos as king of Sidon, and why we can't trust the details.

So, more on the examination of Hephaistion for HIMSELF, not just as ATG's lover.

[eosphoroz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is the only direct quote we have from Hephaistion and I think it speaks volumes about his character and about his relationship to Alexander the Great (taking into consideration he later became Alexander's second-in-command).

Quote from Quintus Curtius Rufus, 'The History of Alexander', Book 4, 1.18

[jeannereames]

So do you think Hephaistion really selected Abdolonymus as King of Sidon? Is the entire story a vehicle for Curtius moralising, or do you think that Hephaistion *was* given the task of finding a new king, and Curtius just decided to embellish it?

I already answered this? Yes, I think he selected him. But yes, I also think Curtius embellished it.

[jeannereames]

What do you make of Curtius' account of Hephaistion saying 'Accept my congratulations, since you have been the first to understand how much greater it is to disdain royal power than to receive it' to his two hosts whilst he was choosing a new king for Sidon? Do you think he really said that? If he did, was it specifically meant in reference to his views on the Sidon affair; it seems an odd maxim for Alexander's right hand (even if he wasn't so high up at the time). Or is Curtius just moralising?

That entire STORY is probably Curtius moralizing. Ha. If Hephaistion probably did pick Abdalonymus (he was, in fact, the king of SIdon under Alexander), I pretty much take everything else in the account with a grain of salt (or maybe the whole salt shaker).

Go and compare that storyt to the one of Cincinnatus’s first grant of the dictatorship in Livy. He, also, was out plowing his field! It’s a motif, not a real tale of how Hephaistion located him.

Again, NEVER trust a verbatim quote in ancient sources. They’re almost always put in the mouths of the players by the text’s author. :-)

So short answer...that’s TOTALLY Curtius speaking there.