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Herodotus · Histories §7.81.1

Summary of the Infantry and Hierarchical Command Structure

Passage 1144 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

This section summarizes the land nations serving in the infantry and explains the hierarchical appointment of officers from commanders of ten thousands down to commanders of tens.

§7.81.1ταῦτα ἦν τὰ κατʼ ἤπειρον στρατευόμενά τε ἔθνεα καὶ τεταγμένα ἐς τὸν πεζόν.
These were the nations that marched by land and were marshaled into the infantry.
τούτου ὦν τοῦ στρατοῦ ἦρχον μὲν οὗτοι οἵ περ εἰρέαται, καὶ οἱ διατάξαντες καὶ ἐξαριθμήσαντες οὗτοι ἦσαν καὶ χιλιάρχας τε καὶ μυριάρχας ἀποδέξαντες, ἑκατοντάρχας δὲ καὶ δεκάρχας οἱ μυριάρχαι.
Therefore, the commanders of this army were indeed these very men who have been mentioned, and these were the ones who marshaled and numbered them, and who appointed the commanders of thousands and commanders of ten thousands; but the commanders of hundreds and commanders of tens were appointed by the commanders of ten thousands.
τελέων δὲ καὶ ἐθνέων ἦσαν ἄλλοι σημάντορες.
There were other officers for the divisions and the nations.

Notes

  1. §7.81.1εἰρέαται — Ionic dialectal form corresponding to Attic εἴρηνται (3rd person plural perfect passive of λέγω). The ending -νται becomes -αται after a diphthong in the Ionic dialect.
  2. §7.81.1ἑκατοντάρχας δὲ καὶ δεκάρχας οἱ μυριάρχαι — A clause with an omitted verb. A verb meaning 'appointed' (such as ἀπέδεξαν, corresponding to the preceding participle ἀποδέξαντες) must be supplied. The nominative οἱ μυριάρχαι is the subject, and the accusatives ἑκατοντάρχας δὲ καὶ δεκάρχας are the objects.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §7.81.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.81.1

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