Moreover, King Alexander not only pardoned him, but even made him his friend and raised him to high honors. He was first entrusted with the command of an army in
Thrace, and afterwards received the command of the
Thessalian cavalry. In this capacity he accompanied Alexander on his eastern expedition. In 334, when Alexander was laying at
Phaselis, he was informed that the Lyncestian was carrying on a secret correspondence with King
Darius III of Persia, and that a large sum of money was promised, for which he was to murder Alexander. The bearer of the letters from Darius was taken by
Parmenion and brought before Alexander, and the treachery was considered proven. Yet Alexander the Great, dreading to create any hostile feeling in
Antipater, the regent of Macedonia, whose daughter was married to Alexander Lyncestes, thought advisable not to put him to death, and had him merely deposed from his office and kept in custody. In this manner Alexander was dragged about for three years with the army in Asia, until in 330, when,
Philotas having been executed for similar crime, the Macedonians, led by the arguments of
Atarrhias, demanded that Alexander Lyncestes should likewise be tried and punished accordingly. Alexander the Great gave way, and as the traitor was unable to exculpate himself, he was put to death at
Alexandria Prophthasia, the capital of
Drangiana. Alexander's likely motive originally, was to gain possession of the throne of Macedonia, which previous to the reign of
Amyntas III of Macedon had for a time belonged to his family. ==See also==