Aristonous of Pella

For other persons with the same name, see Aristonous

Aristonous of Pella, son of Peisaeus, was one of the somatophylakes bodyguards of Alexander the Great, distinguished himself greatly on one occasion in India. On the death of Alexander, he was one of the first to propose that the supreme power should be entrusted to Perdiccas. He was subsequently the general of Olympias in the war with Cassander; and when Olympias was taken prisoner in 316 BC, he was put to death by order of Cassander. Aristonus is described as both Pellaean (Arrian, Anabasis 6.28.4) and of Eordaean origin (Arrian, Indica 18.5), which must mean that he was from Eordaea but raised at the court in Pella. According to Plutarch, a certain Aristophanes (somatophylax), took away Alexander's sword when he was quarreling with Cleitus the Black, but it seems to be confused with Aristonous.