Pentakosiarch


Pentakosiarch, meaning "commander of 500", is a Greek military rank, first adopted in the infantry of the Army of Macedon. The pentakosiarch commanded a pentakosiarchy of 512 men, composed of two ta of 256. Two pentakosiarchies in turn formed a chiliarchy and were commanded by a chiliarch.
During the time of Alexander the Great, selection of the pentakosiarch was based on merit. An account, for instance, described a contest of valor at Sittakene for hypaspists where six pentakosiarch and three chilliarch were selected. The rank was revived for the irregular forces of the Greek rebels during the Greek War of Independence.
On 14 December 1868, a Royal Decree authorized the creation of thirty independent pentakosiarchies of volunteer light infantry, intended to serve as a militia. Numbering consecutively from 1 to 30, each was in turn composed of four hecatontarchies of 150 soldiers and 10 officers and NCOs each. With the pentakosiarchy commander and six other soldiers, including a flag-bearer, each pentakosiarchy numbered a total of 647 men.
In the Roman army, the equivalent of pentakosiarch was the primicerius, who led 512 men.