The Novels of Alexander the Great: Fire From Heaven, the Persian Boy, and Funeral Games

Principal Persons

INVENTED CHARACTERS ARE ITALICIZED; all those in roman type are historical. Persons marked * are dead before the story opens. Minor characters making a brief appearance are omitted.

ALEXANDER III

The Great. All further references to Alexander refer to him unless his son, Alexander IV, is specified.

ALEXANDER IV

His posthumous son by Roxane.

ALKETAS

Brother of Perdikkas, the general.

*AMYNTAS

Son of Philip II’s elder brother, King Perdikkas. An infant when Perdikkas died, he was passed over in favor of Philip, after whose murder he was executed for treason. Husband of Kynna, father of Eurydike.

ANTIGONOS

General of Alexander; Satrap of Phrygia. Later a king, and founder of the Antigonid dynasty.

ANTIPATROS

Regent of Macedon during Alexander’s years in Asia, and at the time of his death.

ARISTONOUS

A staff officer of Alexander; later loyal to Alexander IV.

ARRIDAIOS

See Philip III.

ARYBBAS

A Macedonian nobleman, designer of Alexander’s funeral car. His real name was Arridaios; he is here given a rather similar Epirote name to distinguish him from Philip Arridaios.

Badia

A former concubine of King Artaxerxes Ochos of Persia.

BAGOAS

A young Persian eunuch, favorite successively of Darius III and Alexander. Though a real person, he vanishes from history after Alexander’s death, and his appearance in this Story is fictional.

*

DARIUS III

The last Persian Great King; murdered by his generals after his defeat by Alexander at Gaugamela.

DEMETRIOS

Son of Antigonos. (Later known as The Besieger, he became King of Macedon after Kassandros’ death.)

DRYPETIS

Younger daughter of Darius III; widow of Hephaistion.

EUMENES

Chief Secretary and general of Alexander; loyal to the royal house.

EURYDIKE

D

aughter of Amyntas and Kynna. Her given name was Adeia; Eurydike was the dynastic name conferred on her at her marriage (or betrothal) to Philip III. She was the granddaughter of Philip II and of Perdikkas III, his brother.

*HEPHAISTION

Alexander’s lifelong friend, who died a few months before him.

IOLLAS

Son of Antipatros the Regent of Macedon, younger brother of Kassandros; formerly Alexander’s cupbearer.

KASSANDROS

Eldest son of Antipatros; lifelong enemy of Alexander. (Became King of Macedon after the murder of Alexander IV.)

Kebes

Tutor to the boy Alexander IV.

KLEOPATRA

Daughter of Philip II and Olympias, sister of Alexander. Married to King Alexandres of Molossia, which she ruled after his death in Italy. Her father, Philip, was assassinated in her wedding procession.

Konon

A Macedonian veteran, attendant on Philip Arriddios.

KRATEROS

Alexander’s highest-ranking officer, absent on a mission to Macedon when Alexander died.

KYNNA

Daughter of Philip II by an Illyrian princess, from whom she learned the skills of war. Widow of Amyntas, mother of Eurydike.

LEONNATOS

Staff officer and kinsman of Alexander; betrothed to Kleopatra before his death in battle.

MELEAGER

(Greek spelling Meleagros.) A Macedonian officer, enemy of Perdikkas, supporter of Philip III.

NIARCHOS

Boyhood friend and admiral of Alexander.

NIKAIA

Daughter of the Regent Antipatros, married and divorced by Perdikkas.

NIKANOR

Brother of Kassandros; general in Eurydike’s army.

*OCHOS

(King Artaxerxes Ochos.) Great King of Persia before the short reign of Darius III.

OLYMPIAS

D

aughter of King Neoptolemos of Molossia; widow of Philip II; mother of Alexander.

PEITHON

Staff officer of Alexander, later of Perdikkas.

PERDIKKAS

Second in command to Alexander after Hephaistion’s death. Betrothed to Kleopatra after death of Leonnatos.

*PERDIKKAS iii

Elder brother of Philip II, who succeeded him after his death in battle. (See Amyntas.)

PEUKESTES

Staff officer of Alexander; Satrap of Persia.

*PHILIP II

The founder of Macedonian supremacy in Greece; father of Alexander.

PHILIP III

(Philip Arridaios.) His son by Philinna, a minor wife. The royal name of Philip was conferred at his accession.

POLYPERCHON

Staff officer of Alexander; Regent of Macedon after Antipatros’ death.

PTOLEMY

(Greek spelling Ptolemaios.) Staff officer, kinsman, and reputed half-brother of Alexander. Later King of Egypt, founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and author of a history of Alexander extensively used by Arrian.

ROXANE

Wife of Alexander, married on campaign in Bactria. Mother of Alexander IV.

SELEUKOS

Staff officer of Alexander. (Later King of the Seleucid empire in nearer Asia.)

SISYGAMBIS

Mother of Darius III, befriended by Alexander.

STATEIRA

Daughter of Darius III, married in state by Alexander at Susa.

THEOPHRASTOS

Aristotle’s successor as head of the Lyceum University at Athens, patronized by Kassandros.

THESSALONIKE

Daughter of Philip II by a minor wife; later wife of Kassandros.