Michael Matthew Groat PhD's Genealogical Database
Individuals: 97,713 Families: 61,838
Gedcom Last Modified: December 14, 2025 00:59:10
Balacrus ben Nicanor
- Preferred Name: Balacrus ben Nicanor
- Gender: M
- FSID: G9YV-DM5
- MilitaryService: killed in battle against the PisidiansABT 323 BC
- Death: 323 BC
- MilitaryService: Somatophylakes (bodyguard) of Alexander the Great
- MilitaryService: fought in the Battle of Issus333 BC
- http://familysearch.org/v1/TitleOfNobility: appointed Satrap of Cilicia332 BC
- Notes:
=== Life Sketch ===
Balakros (Greek: Bάλακρoς), also 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 succeeded to the last Achaemenid satrap of Cilicia, Arsames.
Balakros completed the conquest of Asia Minor together with Calas, satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia, and Antigonus, satrap of Phrygia.
It was probably this Balacrus who married Phila, the daughter of Antipater, and subsequently the wife of Craterus.
He was probably supervised by Menes from 331 BC, who held the position of Hyparch or Strategoi for the area from Babylon to the satrapies of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cilicia.
He fell in battle against the Pisidians in the lifetime of Alexander. His death is variously placed circa 328 BC or 323 BC.
Coinage
Balacrus is among several Hellenistic satraps who continued to use an Achaemenid type for their coinage, complete with the local deity of Tarsus, Baal. His coinage bore his name, and later only his initial "B". This coinage is said to have influenced Alexander's imperial coinage, which was initially minted in the same mints. The Imperial coinage of Alexander is often said to have been started in Tarsos circa 333–327, under the rule of either Balacrus or Menes.
Family 1: Phila bint Antipater of Macedonia I, d. 287 BC in Cassandreia, Néa Potídhaia, Moudania, Chalkidiki, Greece
Master Index
Please send genealogical corrections, additions, or comments to Michael Matthew Groat PhD
Created by GIMMWebService Version 1.0.3 (Program Information), Copyright 2023 © Michael Groat
(Web design layout and pedigree indentation subroutine) Copyright 1996 © Randy Winch (gumby@edge.net) and Tim Doyle (tdoyle@doit.com)
(Internal GEDCOM data structures and GEDCOM file parsing) Copyright 2014-2021 © Giulio Genovese (giulio.genovese@gmail.com)
Like the program that you see? Any support is appreciated!
