Marcos the Spartan, former chiliarch (Leader of one thousand) of the army of Alexander. He joined the army as a young lad full of vim and lust for adventure just after the Battle of Gaugamela.

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It was much later, in the camp under the Mountain, that he became known as Lupernikes.

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The story goes that he caught some young bloods that had been fomenting some kind of lacklustre rebellion who had, in the certainty of their popularity, thought they would get away with the rape and murder of some female 'entertainers'. The little band had named themselves the Young Wolves and felt a trial by army, which was their right, would mean victory for them.

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Under Macedonian Law and the Persian law that was filtering into the army, Marcos could have had them killed but he chose to let the punishment fit the crime; making sure none of them would be, at least, capable of rape again..or urinating while standing up.

 

​In true Spartan manner, they were given a laconic response;

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"Unlike you, a wolf has balls. There will be no victory for the wolves, there will be only me!"

 

He was known as Lupernikes, or the victory of wolves (in an even better display of laconic humour) from that day onward and it was because of this that he came to Alexander's notice because, overnight, unrest in the impatient army near evaporated.