figure in the conspiracy, whereas Curtius and Plutarch strongly refute this claim. 3 Ultimately,
all the ancient sources are somewhat problematic. For instance, Arrian admits that there are
no entirely trus tworthy accounts of the Page’s Conspiracy, and that he has recorded the
event ‘in connection with the affair between Clitus and Alexander, thinking them to be more
relevant here to my narrative.’ 4 Likewise, Curtius’ depiction of Alexander in Hermolaus’
speech is arguably a reflection of Roman perspectives of the power of a monarch, or in
Alexander’s case a tyrant. Thus, it is important to remember the ancient authors accounting
this event are not infallible, and their word is neither fact nor contemporary opinion.
In respect of this, the scholarly assumptions about the ‘trigger’ can be explored. In
Macedonian society there was an inherent link between hunting, masculinity, and manhood.
Athenaeus accounts that a Macedonian could not recline at a banquet before he had killed a
wild boar without a net. 5 This Macedonian tradition has led scholars, including Elizabeth
Carney, to believe that the Page’s Conspiracy emerged because Alexander had wrongfully
punished Hermolaus for simply trying to earn the right of adulthood. 6 Carney argues that the
Pages joined the conspiracy because Alexander had tarnished a vital Macedonian hunting
tradition for all Pages which could impact their progression in society. 7 However, there is a
fundamental issue with this notion, it is entirely based on conjecture. No ancient source
3 Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 4.13.5-7; Curtius, History of Alexander 8.8.20-22 & Plutarch, Lives of Alexander 55.2-5
4 Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 4.14.3-4 5 Athenaeus, The Learned Banqueters 1.18a
6 Eli zabeth Carney, ‘Hunting and the Macedonian Elite: Sharing the Rivalry of the Chase’, in The Hellenistic World: New Perspectives , Ed. Daniel Ogden (Swansea: Classical Press of Wales, 2002), pp. 59-80 (p. 62); Elizabeth Carney, King and Court in Ancient Macedonia: Rivalry, Treason and Conspiracy (Swansea: The Classical Press of Wales, 2015), p. 215; Christos K. Sokos, M. Nils Peterson, Periklis K. Birtsas, Nikolas D. Hasanagas, ‘Insights for Contemporary Hunting from Ancient Hellenic Culture’, Wildlife Society Bulletin, 38. 3 (2014), pp. 451 – 457 (p. 453) 7 Carney, ‘Hunting’ , p. 63; Carney, King , p. 215; Lara O’Sullivan, ‘Court intrigue and the death of Callisthenes’, Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies, 59. 4 (2019), pp. 596-620 (p. 611)
82
Made with FlippingBook HTML5