Calchus

Calchus is a big fish in a small pond, an exiled Athenian aristocrat who has achieved power and riches in a small Euxine (Black Sea) town.

Exile was a powerful tool in the ancient world, as most men and women had no safety and no rights at all outside their homeland, and could easily be sold into slavery or killed. However, by the fourth century, the complex ties of guest friendship and trade guaranteed most Athenians of any social status some places to go and live, retaining freedom and even improving their fortunes. This widening of the social and political horizon was an important part of the Hellenistic world, and it was a good thing, because the hothouse politics of Greece in the 4^th century BCE led to a great many exiles roaming about — many of them aristocrats and failed tyrants. Alexander ordered all of the exiles restored to their cities in 324 BC. His intention was to put the conservative rich in power, as they were, generally, friendlier to his tyranny than the democrats.

Calchus is one such, a rich man, a conservative man, and a bit of a pompous twit. Nonetheless, he also shows the bonds of guest friendship, maintaining a dozen dangerous mercenaries for a month on his farms, and welcoming Kineas, a boyhood friend. However pompous Calchus seems, the reader should remember that he is behaving very well towards his friend — in fact, he is a model of piety and hospitality. I tried to base him a little bit on Xenophon.