The title of chiliarch, by which the Greeks had described the great king's chief minister, in accordance with the Persian title which described him as " commander of a thousand," i.e.
The resettlement of dignities made in Babylon in 32 3, while it left the eastern commands practically undisturbed as well as that of Antipater in Europe, placed Perdiccas (whether as regent or as chiliarch) in possession of the kings' persons, and this was a position which the other Macedonian lords could not suffer.
In the settlement made after Alexander's death (323) it was finally agreed that Philip Arrhidaeus, an insane son of the great Philip, and Roxana's unborn child (if a son) should be recognized as joint kings, Perdiccas being appointed, according to one account, guardian and regent, according to another, chiliarch under Craterus.
As early as 465 B.C., Xerxes was assassinated by his powerful vizier (chiliarch) Artabanus, who attempted to seize the reins of empire in fact, if not in name.