So, do you believe Philotas was guilty or innocent?
Crisis and Opportunity: the Philotas Affair...Again
I actually wrote an article about it, called âCrisis and Opportunity: the Philotas AffairâŚAgain.â
Itâs part of a âconversationâ across articles that began with Ernst Badianâs 1960 âThe Death of Parmenio,â where Badian essentially accused Alexander of keeping a CIA style âfileâ on Philotas and using that to get rid of Parmenionâs whole family. In 1977, Rubinsohn replied with âThe Philotas Affair: a Reconsideration,â partly to Tarnâs original exoneration of Alexander, as well as to Badian, wherein he sensibly pointed out that Philotas had been an idiot, but not culpable. Waldemar Heckelâs âThe Conspiracy against Philotasâ also appeared in 1977 (so neither he nor Rubinsohn were talking to each other), where Heckel suggested it was the other Marshals (esp. Hephaistion, and a bit of Krateros) going after Philotas when the opportunity presented, based on âcui bonoâ (who benefits?).
In 2000, Badian came back with âConspiracies,â where he essentially reasserted his original argument (Alexander was after Parmenionâs family). Lindsay Adams answered in 2003, âThe Episode of Philotas: an Insight,â in which he asked âcui credititâ (who would believe) instead of âcui bono,â that both Badian and Heckel asked. His argument was that Alexander was willing to believe Philotas was guilty because heâd heard and kept silent, hoping the conspiracy would succeed, because ALEXANDER had known about the conpsiracy against Philip, and let it go forward, even if he didnât instigate it.
Last, in 2008, I put out the article linked above, wherein I basically pick up Rubinsohnâs arguement that Philotas Did a Dumb, and add to it the behavior of people in âCrisis Mode,â which is a different form of thinking from normal reasoning (based on my experiences doing on-call work in hospital ERs).
But read my argument, for the full discussion. I do think the other Marshals, especially Krateros, took swift advantage of the opportunity Philotas presented them, but I see Krateros as more culpable than either Hephaistion or Koinos. Of those three (who were behind Philotasâs torture), Krateros had the most to potentially gain, whereas both Hephaistion and Koinos had reasons besides personal advancement to be furious with Philotas (H. angry at the danger to Alexander, Koinos worried about being implicated as he was Philotasâs brother-in-law). I really donât think Hephaistion anticipated, or had reason to anticipate, his subsequent appointment to the Companions, whereas I do think Krateros believed heâd step into Parmenionâs shoes, or at least Philotasâs. (I donât know that any of them, at the time, foresaw it would all end in Parmenionâs murder.)
