Abstract: This paper deals with a famous passage by Theopompus concerning the hetairoi of Philip II. Athenaeus, one of the three authors who transmitted this fragment to us, states that Philip had 800 hetairoi in 339, which seems to be too low a number for the last years of the reign. In search of a solution which would match Athenaeus’ quotation from Theopompus with other data about Macedonian cavalry under Philip and Alexander, I consider a textual corruption in Athenaeus.

Keywords: Theopompus, Athenaeus, Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great, hetairoi.

Modern scholars unanimously credit Philip II with making the Macedonian armed forces an efficient instrument of conquest. However, whereas they agree in general terms in this regard, they vary greatly in details. One such much discussed detail is the strength of the Macedonian cavalry in the reign of Philip.

The most important piece of evidence in this respect is a version of Theopompus’ insulting portrait of Philip's Friends/Companions preserved in Book VI of Athenaeus’ Learned Banqueters (Athen. 6.77 p. 260 D – 61 A = FGrH 115 F 225b). This fragment of Theopompus was notorious in Antiquity for its abusive language. A slightly differing version of it may be found in Polybius (Polyb. 8.11. 5-13 = FGrH 115 F 225a), and the opening sentences of the same passage are also cited by Pseudo-Demetrius of Phalerum, the author of On Style (Demetr. De eloc. 27 = FGrH 115 F 225c).