The Wars of the Successors(Diodochi)

Ilan DavidowitzTully, period 5

2-23-12

The Death of Alexander

• 323 BCE: Alexander the Great dies in Babylon, a month from his 33rd birthday

• Poisoning?• Malaria?• Alcohol Poisoning?• Q: Who did he name as his heir??

A: NO ONE

• Who inherits his vast empire?

• Let’s review some of the candidates…

Seleukos “Nicator”Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ

• Macedonian Officer to Alexander• Takes control of Babylon, Eastern Conquests

all the way to Annatolia• Death: Murdered in 281

Seleucid Empire

Ptolemy “Soter”Πτολεμαῖος Σωτήρ

• Another Macedonian General• Takes control of Egypt; parts of Arabia, Libya,

Annatolia, Palestine• Death: Peacefully, in 283

Ptolemaic Empire

Antigonus “Monopthalmus”Ἀντίγονος ὁ Μονόφθαλμος

• Macedonian General, Nobleman, Satrap• Takes control of Annatolia, Palestine,

eventually just Macedonia• Death: Killed at Battle of Ipsus in 301

Antigonid Empire

Antipater & CassanderἈντίπατρος, Κάσσανδρος

• Regent of Macedon during conquests• Macedonia, with son Cassander• Deaths: Antipater- Peacefully, in 319,

Cassander- peacefully, in 297

Macedonia and Greece

PolyperchonΠολυπέρχων

• One of Alexander’s Lieutenants• Regent of Macedonia after Antipater’s death,

driven out by Cassander• Death: Shortly after being driven from

Macedonia

LysimachusΛυσίμαχος

• One of Alexander’s Generals• Annatolia and Thrace• Death: killed at Battle of Corupedium against

Seleukos

Lysimachus

PerdiccasΠερδίκκας

• One of Alexander’s Generals• Guardian of Alexander’s child and half-

brother• Death: Assassinated by Seleukos and others

CraterusΚρατερός

• One of Alexander’s Generals• Proclaimed successor to Antipater by

Alexander• Death: Killed in battle against Eumenes

Eumenes of CardiaΕὐμένης

• Personal secretary of Alexander• Installed by Perdiccas in Cappadocia, tried to

re-unify empire• Death: Betrayed to Antigonus, killed

40 years of conflicts

• Antigonus, Lysimachus, Craterus, Cassander, Polyperchon, Seleukos, Ptolemy, Eumenes, Perdiccas, et. al. fight endlessly

• Wars carried over several generations• Alliances, counter-alliances, betrayals,

assassinations, battles, the works

Timeline of Events (from Warfare in the Classical World)

• 323: Alexander dies in Babylon, leaving no successor• 323/2: – Perdiccas regent of Asiatic Empire, – Antipater and Craterus joint regents of west, – Greeks revolt, Antipater defeats them

• 321: – Perdiccas killed by mutinous troops– Seleukos becomes satrap (governor) of Babylonia– Craterus killed in battle against Eumenes of Cardia

Timeline of Events (from Warfare in the Classical World)

• 319:– Antipater dies, Polyperchon recommended

successor– Eumenes tries to maintain unity of Alexander’s

empire– Cassander drives Polyperchon from Macedonia

• 317– Eumenes defeated by Antigonus– Conquest of Macedonia and Greece by Cassander

Timeline of Events (from Warfare in the Classical World)

• 317 cont.– Eumenes betrayed to Antigonus and put to death– Cassander wins Greece from Polyperchon– Seleukos, driven from Babylon, seeks refuge in

Egypt• 315:– Alliance of Successors against Antigonus

• 314– Polyperchon’s son defies Antigonus’ and

Cassander’s troops in the Peloponnesus

Timeline of Events (from Warfare in the Classical World)

• 313:– Rhodians ally with Antigonus

• 312:– Demetrius defeated by Ptolemy at Gaza– Seleukos recover’s Babylon w/ Ptolemy’s help

• 306:– Demetrius defeats Ptolemy at Salamis in Cyprus

• 305:– Demetrius besieges Rhodes– Seleukos tries to recover Alexander’s Indian

conquests

Timeline of Events (from Warfare in the Classical World)

• 304:– Demetrius abandons siege of Rhodes, Rhodians use his

derelict siege engine (the Heliopolis) to make Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World

• 303:– Seleukos, repelled in India, makes treaty

• 302:– Cassander, Lysimachus, and Ptolemy ally with Seleukos

against Antigonus• 301:– Antigonus killed at Battle of Ipsus

• It goes on…

The Last Ones Standing…

• In 197 BCE Romans take control of Greece after routing Macedonian army at Cynoscephylae

• Seleucids defeated by Rome at Thermopylae and Magnesia, empire overthrown by Parthians

• Macedon under complete Roman control after battle of Pydna in 168 BCE

The Last Ones Standing…

• Ptolemaic Egypt remains ally of Rome until Octavian declares war on Antony and Cleopatra

• Octavian annexes Egypt in 31-30 BCE after defeating Antony and Cleopatra at Actium

• Last Successor State gone, Mediterranean Sea now Roman Lake

Pictures!

PezhetairoiWar Elephant

Heavily armored Cataphract Cavalry

Heliopolis at Rhodes

Bibliography• Sheppard, Ruth. Alexander the Great at War: His Army, His Battles, His

Enemies. Oxford: Osprey, 2008. Print.• Warry, John Gibson. Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated

Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors, and Warfare in the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome. Norman: University of Oklahoma, 1995.

Print.• Waterfield, Robin. Dividing the Spoils: The War for Alexander the Great's

Empire. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.