[Hellenistic Armies] What were the ranks?

[QuintusSertorius]

Something I've not really been able to gather through the easy sources, what were the ranks from the lowliest footslogger all the way up to strategos?

I know of the strategos (equivalent to a general), hipparchos (basically commander of cavalry) and chiliarch (sort of sub-general or brigade commander). Does anyone have a full list?

How easy was it to get promotion? Could someone feasibly work their way up from ranker to officer, or did you need wealth and influence for the higher echelons (as it has been throughout history)?

[Arjos]

Each polis had its own, more or less, iirc...
And was something usually class or birth related...
I remember few names like Taxiarchos, Lochagos, Polemarchos...

[Ludens]

In the appendix of "Greek Warfare: Myths and Realities" Hans van Wees discusses the ranks within Athenian and Spartan armies. I am not sure if there is substantial information available on the ranks of other poleis. The book's thesis is that hoplite warfare was not a static method of war, but changed over time as cities grew more powerful and warfare became more intensive. In this vein, van Wees argues that the confusion over the Spartan military hierarchy is due to organisational changes reflecting Sparta's military fortunes.

Of course the militaries of Alexander's successors may have been based on a very different system; and there too we cannot assume it stayed constant over time and space.

[QuintusSertorius]

To add them into a ladder, I think it goes something thus (from highest to lowest):

Polemarchos
Strategos
Taxiarchos
Chiliarch/Epihipparch
Hipparchos?
Lochagos

That goes from top down to mid-level officer.

[stratigos vasilios]

Aww man, now I need to change my name...

[Arjos]

Just remembered about "promotion", which is more by battlefield, veterans gained the first or last row positions...

[Lysimachos]

Some assorted military ranks:

Chiliarchès (GR): ‘commander of thousand’; officer.
Dekarchos (GR): ‘leader of ten’; junior officer; squad leader.
Dilochitès (GR): double-file leader; junior officer.
Dimoirites (GR): half-file leader; NCO.
Enoomotarchès (GR): commander of an enoomotia (GR); junior officer.
Eparchos (GR): officer.
Epimelètès (GR): officer.
Hèmilochitès (GR): half-file-leader; NCO.
Hekatontarchès (GR): ‘commander of hundred’; officer.
Hyparchos (GR): officer.
Hypèretès (GR): officer.
Ilarchès (GR): ‘wing commander’; cavalry officer.
Keleusthès (GR): naval officer responsible for setting and maintaining the rowing speed.
Lochagos (GR): (1) unit commander; (2) file leader.
Nauarchos (GR): admiral.
Polemarchos (GR): senior officer.
Taxiarchès (GR): officer.
Taxiarchos (GR): officer.
Tetrarchès (GR): commander of four files.
Trièrarchos (GR): (1) captain commanding a trireme; (2) wealthy citizen providing a trireme at his cost.
Zooiarchos (GR): elephant commander.

If you ask nicely, I'll even reveal my source :-)