Balacrus
Encyclopedia
Balacrus the son of Nicanor
, one of Alexander the Great's "Somatophylakes
" (bodyguards), was appointed satrap
of Cilicia
after the battle of Issus
, 333 BC. He fell in battle against the Pisidians in the life-time of Alexander. It was probably this Balacrus who married Phila
, the daughter of Antipater
, and subsequently the wife of Craterus
.
Nicanor of Macedon
Nicanor was the father of Balacrus, the Macedonian satrap of Cilicia. It is probably this Nicanor who is alluded to in an anecdote related by Plutarch of Philip II of Macedon, as a person of some distinction during the reign of that monarch.-References:*Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and...
, one of Alexander the Great's "Somatophylakes
Somatophylakes
Somatophylakes , 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,...
" (bodyguards), was appointed satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
of Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
after the battle of Issus
Battle of Issus
The Battle of Issus occurred in southern Anatolia, in November 333 BC. The invading troops, led by the young Alexander of Macedonia, defeated the army personally led by Darius III of Achaemenid Persia in the second great battle for primacy in Asia...
, 333 BC. He fell in battle against the Pisidians in the life-time of Alexander. It was probably this Balacrus who married Phila
Phila of Macedonia
For other persons named Phila, see PhilaPhila , daughter of Antipater, the regent of Macedonia, is celebrated by the ancient sources as one of the noblest and most virtuous women of the age in which she lived...
, the daughter of Antipater
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
, and subsequently the wife of Craterus
Craterus
Craterus was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi.He was the son of a Macedonian nobleman named Alexander from Orestis and brother of admiral Amphoterus. Craterus commanded the phalanx and all infantry on the left wing in Battle of Issus...
.