Promachos
In ancient Greece and during the Byzantine era, the Promachoi (singular: Promachos; Greek: πρόμαχος) were the men fighting in the first rank of the phalanx.[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=pro%2Fmaxos&la=greek#Perseus:text:1999.04.0058:entry=pro/maxos-contents Perseus Project - Greek Word Study Tool (πρόμαχος)].Sylloge Tacticorum, 45.15 The word can also be used as an adjective as in "promachos line"Leo VI. Tactica, 12.43 referring to the first line of battle.
The first use of the word is recorded in Homer's Iliad.Homer Iliad, 14.476Homer Iliad, 14.482 An obsolete English literal translation of promachos is forefighter, in Dutch voorvechter.
Name
- Promachos (Πρόμαχος), a young man from Knossos.[http://remacle.org/bloodwolf/erudits/photius/conon.htm Conon, Narrations (Photius), 16]
Sanctuaries - Statues
- Athena Promachos, the famous bronze statue by Phidias that towered over the Parthenon.
- Hermes Promachos, a sanctuary at Tanagra was dedicated to him.[https://topostext.org/work/213#9.22.1 Pausanias, Description of Greece, 9.22.1][https://topostext.org/work/213#9.22.2 Pausanias, Description of Greece, 9.22.2]
- Heracles Promachos, a white marble statue of Heracles in the Heracles Sanctuary at Thebes. The Thebans Xenocrites (Ξενοκρίτης) and Eubius (Εὔβιος) created the statue.[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-grc1:9.11.4 Pausanias, Description of Greece, 9.11.4]