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Cleitus was a Macedonian general who served under Alexander the Great during his campaigns in Asia. He was a trusted commander and was given charge of one of the two sections of the elite Companion cavalry.1

However, Cleitus's life ended tragically. During a drunken quarrel at Maracanda (modern Samarkand), Alexander murdered Cleitus. This event deeply remorseful for Alexander, and the army subsequently passed a decree convicting Cleitus of treason posthumously. This incident marked a turning point in Alexander's reign, signaling his increasing adoption of Eastern absolutist practices.1

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