# Taxiarch

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The word **taxiarch** (Greek: ταξίαρχος (masculine); none: ταξιάρχη (feminine)) is used in the [Greek language](/source/Greek_language) to mean "[brigadier](/source/Brigadier)". The term derives , in military context meaning 'an ordered formation'. It is cognate with the scientific term [taxonomy](/source/Taxonomy). In turn, the rank has given rise to the Greek term for [brigade](/source/Brigade), *taxiarchia*. In [Greek Orthodox Church](/source/Greek_Orthodox_Church) usage, the term is also applied to the [archangels](/source/Archangel) [Michael](/source/Michael_(archangel)) and [Gabriel](/source/Gabriel), as leaders of the [heavenly host](/source/Heavenly_host), and several locations in Greece are [named](/source/Taxiarches_(disambiguation)) after them.

## Ancient use

In [ancient Greece](/source/Ancient_Greece), the title or rank was held by a number of officers in the armies of several but not all [city-states](/source/City-state), with [Sparta](/source/Sparta) being a notable exception. In [Classical Athens](/source/Classical_Athens), there were ten taxiarchs, one for each of the city's tribes (*[phylai](/source/Phyle)*), a subordinate to the respective *[strategos](/source/Strategos)*.

## Byzantine use

The term first appears in use in the [Byzantine army](/source/Byzantine_army) in the late 6th-century [*Strategikon*](/source/Strategikon_of_Maurice) of emperor [Maurice](/source/Maurice_(emperor)), where it is reserved for the commander of the elite *[Optimatoi](/source/Optimatoi)* mercenary corps.[1] In the 10th-century, the term was revived and refers to the commander of one of the new type of infantry brigade (*taxiarchia*), composed of 500 heavy infantry, 300 archers and 200 light infantry. On account of their numerical size, these units were also known as *chiliarchia*, and their commander correspondingly as *[chiliarchos](/source/Chiliarch)*, and are also equated to the thematic *droungos* under a *[droungarios](/source/Droungarios)*.[1][2] During the 11th century, with the demise of the [thematic](/source/Theme_(Byzantine_district)) armies, the rank rose in importance, and eventually surpassed and replaced that of *[tourmarches](/source/Tourmarches)*, so that in the [Komnenian-era army](/source/Komnenian_army), the *taxiarchia* was the largest-scale permanent infantry formation.

## Modern use

In the modern [Hellenic Army](/source/Hellenic_Army) the rank of *Taxiarchos* (abbreviated Ταξχος) is equivalent to [Brigadier General](/source/Brigadier_General) with a NATO Code OF-6.[3] The rank was introduced in the Greek military by royal decree on 5 June 1946,[4] and the insignia instituted later in the same year.[5] It is superior to a *[Syntagmatarchis](/source/Syntagmatarchis)* ([Colonel](/source/Colonel)) and inferior to an *[Ypostratigos](/source/Strategos)* ([Major General](/source/Major_General)). The rank's insignia consists of a [flaming grenade](/source/Flaming_grenade) (replacing the crown borne under the [Greek monarchy](/source/Greek_monarchy)), a crossed sword and baton device and a six-pointed star. A *Taxiarchos* typically serves as the commanding officer of a brigade or as the [executive officer](/source/Executive_officer) of a [division](/source/Division_(military)).

In the [Hellenic Air Force](/source/Hellenic_Air_Force), which otherwise uses a unique system of ranks (that differ from those of the army), the equivalent rank is *Taxiarchos tis Aeroporias* or simply *Taxiarchos*.[6] While *Taxiarchos tis Aeroporias* in English, is literally "Air Force Brigadier", due to historical links with the [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) (RAF), it is sometimes translated into English as [Air Commodore](/source/Air_Commodore) – the RAF equivalent. Like other Hellenic Air Force ranks, the insignia are also based on those of its RAF equivalent.

The rank is also used by the [Hellenic Police](/source/Hellenic_Police) (and the [Greek Gendarmerie](/source/Greek_Gendarmerie) before) and the [Cypriot National Guard](/source/Cypriot_National_Guard).

## References

1. Kazhdan, Alexander (ed.) (1991). *[Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium](/source/Oxford_Dictionary_of_Byzantium)*. Oxford University Press. p. 2018. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6.

1. Haldon, John F. (1999). *Warfare, state and society in the Byzantine world, 565–1204*. Routledge. p. 115. ISBN 1-85728-494-1.

1. STANAG 2116: "NATO codes for grades of military personnel", 6th edition, 2010, page A-2

1. "Η ιστορία της οργάνωσης του Ελληνικού Στρατου (1821-1954)", *Hellenic Army General Staff*, Athens, 2005, p. 410

1. "Η ιστορία της οργάνωσης του Ελληνικού Στρατου (1821-1954)", *Hellenic Army General Staff*, Athens, 2005, p. 427

1. STANAG 2116: "NATO codes for grades of military personnel", 6th edition, 2010, page C-2

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Taxiarch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxiarch) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxiarch?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.