Harpal

Harpal ( ancient Greek Άρπαλος , Lat. Harpalus , d. 323 BC ) is a friend and treasurer of Alexander the Great .

Garpal, the son of Makhat, knew Alexander as a young man and was expelled by Philip II for taking part in the attempt to marry Alexander on the daughter of the Persian satrap Pixodar (see Philip Arideus ). Garpal followed Alexander with a campaign against Persia , but did not serve in the army because of a physical injury. Alexander entrusted him with the money. After the battle of Issus in 333 BC. er Garpal fled to Greece for unclear reasons, but was forgiven and in 331 BC. er He again received the position of treasurer, and in addition the post of satrap of Babylon . During the Indian campaign, Alexander Garpal lived luxuriously in Babylon and spent trusted money, apparently not counting on Alexander's return.

As Diodorus (17.108) writes, Garpal initially molested local women, but then he wrote from Athens a noble courtesan Pythonica, which he royally bestowed. When she died, he invited another Athenian courtesan Glicker, providing her " fantastically expensive lifestyle ."

Upon returning from India, Alexander severely charged with the satraps, executed many. Alarmed by this circumstance, Garpal with a sum of 5,000 talents and a 6,000-strong detachment of mercenary soldiers fled to Attica, where he began to seek asylum in Athens ( 324 BC ). When Alexander was informed about this, he ordered chained messengers, considering it to be a slander against his childhood friend. Athens for the huge fee gave Garpal Athenian citizenship, but fearing the wrath of Alexander, refused to let him into the city. Antipater demanded the extradition of Garpal. Garpal bribed many influential Athenians, but they nevertheless decided to detain him, and leave his money for safekeeping in the Acropolis for the first extradition at the request of Alexander.

However, Garpal found out about this and fled from Athens. At the same time, half of the money disappeared from the Acropolis in a suspicious way, which is why Demosthenes was later tried. Garpal was able to get with his detachment of mercenaries to the island of Crete , where he was killed by the commander of the mercenaries Fibron .