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WarsoftheDiadochiAncientHistoryEncyclopedia
WarsoftheDiadochi
byDonaldL.Wasson
publishedon14July2016
OnJune10,323BCEAlexandertheGreatdiedinBabylon.Althoughhistorianshavedebated
theexactcausemostagreethattheempirehebuiltwasleftwithoutadequateleadershipforthere
wasnoclearsuccessororheir.Themilitarycommanderswhohadfollowedthekingforovera
decadeacrossthesandsofAsiawerelefttofighteachotherovertheirsmallpieceoftheterritorial
pie.TheseweretheWarsofSuccessionorWarsoftheDiadochi.Whatfollowedwereoverthree
decadesofintenserivalry.Intheendthreedynastieswouldemerge,remaininginpoweruntilthe
timeoftheRomans.
ALEXANDER'SDEATH
In334BCEAlexanderandhisarmyleftMacedoniaandGreeceinthecapablehandsofAntipaterI
andcrossedtheHellesponttoconquerthePersianEmpire.Now,afteradecadeoffighting,King
Dariuswasdead,dyingatthehandsofoneofhisowncommanders,Bessus.Althoughmanyinhis
armywantedtosimplyreturnhome,thenew,self-proclaimedkingofAsiawasmakingplansforthe
future.HisproposedExileDecreecalledforallGreekexilestoreturntotheirnativecities;
however,ashesatinhistentatBabylon,troublebrewedthroughouthisempire.Manyofhisloyal
troopsnotonlyprotestedthepresenceofPersiansamongtheirranksbutrebelledagainsthis
insistencethattheytakePersianwives.Severalofthesatraps-thosehehadputinchargetogovern
theoccupiedterritories-werebeingexecutedfortreasonandmalfeasance.AfterAlexander's
death,otherareas,evensomeclosertohome,wouldseizetheopportunitytorevolt.Athensand
Aetolia,uponhearingofthedeathoftheking,rebelled,initiatingtheLamianWar(323322BCE).
IttooktheinterventionofAntipaterandCraterustoforceanendtoitattheBattleatCrannon
whentheAtheniancommanderLeostheneswaskilled.
Ofcourse,Alexanderdidnotlivetofulfillhisdreams.Afteranightofheavypartying,hefellill;his
healthgraduallydeteriorated.Therewerethose,hismotherOlympiasincluded,whoclaimedhe
hadbeenpoisonedinasupposedplotconceivedbythephilosopherandtutorAristotleand
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Antipater,fulfilledbyhissonsCassanderandIolaus.Onhisdeathbed,barelyabletospeak,the
kinghandedhissignetringtohisloyalcommanderandchiliarch(replacingHephaestion)
Perdiccas.Inascenebefittingaking,hediedsurroundedbyhiscommanders.Questionsexistto
thisdayconcerningAlexandersfinalwords-tothebest.-andwhattheymeant.Sincehehadnot
specificallynamedasuccessor,theprimaryconcernofthoseclosesttotheking,especiallyhis
commanders,wastochooseasuccessor.
ASEARCHFORASUCCESSOR
WithoutAlexander,therewasnogovernmentandnoonehadtheauthoritytomakedecisions.
Apparently,sincehehadtreatedhiscommandersequally,notwantingtocreaterivalry,hisfinal
wordsweremeaningless.Therewasnooneconsideredthebest.Therewere,however,twolikely
candidatesthatcouldbeconsideredasapossiblesuccessor.First,therewasAlexandershalfbrotherArrhidaeus,thesonofPhilipIIandPhilinnaofLarissa.HewasalreadyinBabylon.Next,
onemightconsiderwaitinguntilthechildofAlexandersBactrianwifeRoxannewasborn,butthe
futureAlexanderIVwouldnotbebornuntilAugust.
WITHOUTALEXANDER,THEREWASNOGOVERNMENT&
NOONEHADTHEAUTHORITYTOMAKEDECISIONS.
Accordingtoonehistorian,thestruggleforleadershipwouldbemorebitteranddestructivethan
thedecade-longwaragainstthePersians.Thecommandersweresplit:somefavoredArrhidaeus,
otherswantedAlexandersunbornson,andthentherewerethosewhowantedtosimplydividethe
empireamongthemselves.PerdiccasfavoredRoxanneandthefutureAlexanderIV.Forselfcenteredreasons,PerdiccaspreferredAlexanderswifeandchild;hewouldthenbeabletoserveas
regentfortheyoungking.Later,withPerdiccassapproval,Roxanne,favoringhersonastheonly
trueheir,chosetoeliminateanycompetition,eveniftherewerenochildren,bykillingAlexanders
wifeStrateria,thedaughterofDarius,andhersisterDrypetis.Toaddinsultshethrewtheirbodies
downawell.
Hopingtomaintainaunifiedempire,Perdiccasbroughtthecommanderstogethertodecideona
successor.ManydislikedtheideaofwaitingforthebirthofRoxanneschild.Roxannewasnotapure
Macedonian.OnecommanderevensuggestedAlexandersfour-year-oldson,Heracles,byhis
mistressBarsine,butthisideawaseasilydismissed.SomelookedtoArrhidaeus,andeventhoughhe
wasconsideredmentallyhandicapped,hewasstillthehalf-brotherofAlexanderandaMacedonian.
TheinfantrycommanderMeleagerandanumberofhisfellowinfantrystagedarevolt,choosing
ArrhidaeusasthesuccessorandevennaminghimPhilipIII.MeleagerdislikedPerdiccas,considering
himathreattothestate.Heeventriedtoarresthim.Seeingthisasabetrayal,Perdiccashad
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Meleagerexecutedinthesanctuarywherehehadsoughtrefuge.Therevoltwasquietly
suppressed.Somecommandersdecidedtobrieflyputasidetheirdifferencesandwaitforthebirth
ofRoxanneschildwithguardiansevenbeingappointedtooverseethesafetyofboththechildand
thenewlycrownedPhilipIII.TheregentAntipaterwouldeventuallyhavebothofthembroughtto
Macedonforsafety.
AlexanderTheGreatandRoxane
However,thedeathofMeleagerchangedtheattitudeofmanyofthecommandersandsetin
motionthedecadesofwarthatwouldfollow.From323to281BCEtheintensecompetition
betweenthecommanderswouldescalate,astheywrestledforthecontrolofGreece,Macedon,
AsiaMinor,Egypt,CentralAsia,MesopotamiaandIndia.Althoughtherewouldbebriefperiods
ofpeace,theempirewouldneverbereunited.Intheendtherewasonlyonesolution:thePartition
ofBabylondividedAlexanderskingdomamongthemoreprominentcommanders-Antipaterand
CraterusreceivedMacedonandGreece,PtolemygrabbedEgyptdeposingCleomenes,the
bodyguardLysimachuswasawardedThrace,EumenesgainedCappadocia,andlastly,Antigonus
theOne-EyedremainedinGreaterPhrygia.
THESUCCESSORWARS
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THESUCCESSORWARS
ThefourSuccessorWarscenteredontheaspirationsofthreeindividualsandtheirdescendants:
AntigonusMonophthalmusI(382-301BCE),SeleucusINicator(358281BCE)andPtolemyI
Soter(366282BCE).Itwouldbetheirheirswhoformedthedynastiesthatwouldexistfortwo
morecenturies.ThegreatempirethatAlexanderhadbuiltextendedfromMacedonandGreece,
eastwardthroughAsiaMinor,southwardthroughSyriatoEgypt,andeastwardagainthrough
MesopotamiaandBactriaandintoIndia.Noempirelikeithadeverexisted,andnoneofthe
successorswouldeverachieveanythingequaltoit.FromAlexandersdeathin323BCEtothedeath
ofLysimachusin281BCE,theoldcommandersfought,makingandbreakingnumerousalliances-all
withtheselfishintentionsofextendingtheirownlandholdings-noonecoulddependonanothers
loyalty.
SeleucusINicator
WiththeempiredividedatBabylon,thecommandersmadetheirwayhome.Lysimachuswould
havetodealwithaThracianrebellion,AntipaterandCraterusfoughtAthensandheralliesinthe
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LamianWar,andPtolemyhadtoestablishhimselfinEgypt.Thenewpharaohalsohadtolook
acrosstheNileanddeterminehisnextmoveagainstPerdiccas.Despitetheirselfishconcernover
land,therewasonecommonalityamongallofthecommanders:noonelikedPerdiccas,and
PerdiccashatedPtolemyaboveallothers.Itwasveryobviousfromthebeginningthatthesetwo
menwouldneveragree.ThetwohadevenquarreledatBabylonwhenPerdiccashadwantedto
waitforAlexanderssontobebornwhilePtolemywantedtodividetheempire.
Asthekingschiliarch,PerdiccashadestablishedhimselfsecurelyafterAlexandersdeath,always
hopingtoreunitetheempire.Hehadthesignetringandthekingsbody,preparingtoreturnitto
Macedonandanewlypreparedtomb.However,atDamascusthebodymysteriouslydisappearedstolenbyPtolemyandtakentoMemphisinEgypt.Now,withthekidnappingofthebody,thelong
disagreementfinallyendedinwar(322321BCE).ThreefailedattemptstocrosstheNileinto
EgyptcostPerdiccashislife;heownarmytiredofhisfailureandthedeathof2,000menandkilled
him.SomeevenbelieveSeleucus,aone-timeallyofPerdiccas,wasinvolved.UnderAlexander,
Seleucushadbeenthecommanderofanelitecorpsofhypaspists,yethedidnotacquireany
territoryatBabylon.Instead,hewasnamedthecommanderoftheCompanionCavalry.Hisloyalty
toPtolemyinthefightagainstPerdiccas,however,broughthimtheprovinceofBabylonia.
TheFirstSuccesorWar(322-320BCE)wasallaboutjealousy.Beforehisconfrontationwith
Ptolemy,PerdiccashadalreadyalarmedbothAntipaterandCraterusinMacedonaswellas
AntigonusinPhrygiabyhisarmysinvasionofAsiaMinor.Theargumentsoverterritorybeganwhen
PerdiccasbecamefuriousatAntigonusbecauseherefusedtohelpEumeneskeepcontrolofhis
allocatedterritory,Cappadocia.EumeneswasthecommanderofPerdiccassforcesinAsiaMinor.
AntigonuswantedtoavoidaconflictwithPerdiccasandEumenes,soheandhissonDemetrius
soughtrefugeinMacedon.TheyjoinedforceswithAntipater,Craterus,Ptolemy,andLysimachus
againstPerdiccasandEumenes.Unfortunately,Craterusdiedinbattlewhenheownhorsefellon
him.AfterPerdiccassdeath,Eumenesbecameisolated,condemnedtodeathintheTreatyof
Triparadeisus.
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Ptolemy_I
THETREATYOFTRIPARADEISUS
UndertheguidanceofAntipater,thenewtreatyatTriparadeisusin321BCEsecuredmanyofthe
commandersintheirallottedterritories.Later,whenAntipaterdiedin319BCE,Cassander,hisson,
wasnotnamedtheheirtotheregencyofMacedonandGreecebutinsteadwasmadeacavalry
commander.AntipaterdidnotbelievehissonwascapableofdefendingMacedonagainsttheother
regents.Inhisplace,AntipaterappointedacommandernamedPolyperchonasregent.Thisslight
wouldleadtoaseriesofconflictsbetweenthetwo-CassanderwouldallyhimselfwithLysimachus
andAntigonuswhilePolyperchonwouldalignhimselfwithEumenesandlaterthedowagerqueen
Olympias.However,theyear319BCEwouldbringanendtothefirstwar-Perdiccas,Craterusand
Antipaterweredead,SeleucuswasfirmlyestablishedinBabylonia,PtolemyoccupiedEgypt,
LysimachussatinThrace,andAntigonusheldmuchofAsiaMinor.Theonlyplaceofdiscontentwas
inMacedonandGreecewhereCassanderandPolyperchonwerepreparingtobattle.
THESECOND&THIRDSUCCESSORWARS
OverthenextdecadetheSecondSuccessorWar(319-315BCE)andThirdSuccessorWar(314311BCE)wouldbringaboutanumberofdramaticchanges.CassanderwouldroustPolyperchon
fromMacedonandGreece,andwiththehelpofAntigonusestablishbasesatPiraeusandonthe
Peloponnese.AndtofurthersecurehisrighttositontheMacedonianthrone,hewouldmarrythe
daughterofPhilipII,Thessalonica.By316BCEattheBattleofGabiene,Antigonuswouldfinally
bevictoriousagainstEumenesgainingcontrolofmuchofAsia-hehadbeenorderedbyAntipater
atTriparadeisustohuntdownEumenes.Eumeneswouldlaterbeexecutedin316BCEafterhisown
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menbetrayedhim,surrenderinghimtoAntigonus.Unfortunately,Seleucuswouldlosehisholdon
BabyloniaafterAntigonussinvasion,seekingrefugewithPtolemy.Luckily,hewouldregainhis
territoryin311BCE,eventuallyestablishinganewcapital,Seleucia.
Cassander
ThePeaceoftheDynastswasconcludedin311BCEbutquicklyendedwhenanotherwar,the
BabylonianWar(311-309BCE)kickedoffwhenSeleucusinvadedBabyloniawithPtolemyssupport
againstAntigonusandhissonDemetrius,regaininghislostterritoryattheBattleofGaza.
InThraceLysimachushadbeenhavingtroublewithoneofthecitiesalongtheBlackSeacoast.
Settinghissightsonthestrategicallyimportantprovinceforhimself,Antigonussentasmallarmyto
aidthecityandprovokethelocaltribes.Finally,in311BCE,peacewasachievedwithLysimachus
remainingincontrolofthecity,butthisrevoltfinallydrewhimintotheconflictthathehadsolong
soughttoavoid.HesoonformedanalliancewithCassander,Ptolemy,andSeleucus.
IN310BCECASSANDERORDEREDTHEDEATHOFBOTH
ALEXANDERIV&HISMOTHERROXANNE.
Meanwhile,inAlexandersoldhomeland,Macedon,Cassanderwascontinuinghisbattleagainst
Polyperchon.Earlier,PolyperchonhadfledtoEpirusandalignedhimselfwithOlympias,hopingto
invadeandreclaimMacedon.CassanderrealizedthataslongasOlympiasandtheyoungAlexander
IVremainedalive,theywouldbeathreattohisholdonMacedon.In316BCEshehadorderedthe
assassinationofherstep-sonPhilipIII-hiswifeEurydicewouldcommitsuicide.In310BCE
CassanderorderedthedeathofbothAlexanderIVandhismotherRoxanne.Olympiaswouldalso
die,withdignity,atthehandsofhissoldiers.
THEFOURTHSUCCESSORWAR
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THEFOURTHSUCCESSORWAR
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IntheFourthSuccessorWar(308-301BCE)CassanderandPtolemywouldcontinuetohave
troubleswithDemetriusIofMacedon,theBesiegerofCities,whenheinvadedGreeceand
liberatedAthensin307BCEfromCassandersgovernor.Later,in302BCE,hereinstitutedtheold
LeagueofCorinth.Meanwhile,Ptolemyhadgraduallybeenexpandingnorthward,securingthe
islandofCyprus,onlytolosetoDemetriusatSalamis.Next,DemetriuschosetoattackRhodesbut
thankstoPtolemyandhisallies(Seleucus,Lysimachus,andCassander)thesiegeendedin
negotiations.Thatsameyear,305BCE,thevariouscommandersdeclaredthemselvestobekings.By
303/302BCEthewarcontinuedasCassanderfoughttokeepDemetriusandAntigonusoutof
Macedon.Cassanderhadlittlechoicebutcalltohisalliesforhelp.Lysimachusmovedhisforcesinto
AsiaMinorcausingDemetriustoabandonGreeceandjoinhisfather.TheBattleofIpsusbrought
Lysimachus,Seleucus,andCassanderagainstAntigonusandDemetrius.Thebattlewouldcausenot
onlythedeathofAntigonusbuttheendofanyhopeofrestoringAlexandersempire.Lysimachus
andSeleucusdividedAntigonussterritorywiththeformergettinglandsinAsiaMinorwhilethe
lattertookSyriawherehewouldultimatelybuildthecityofAntioch.
MapoftheSuccessorKingdoms,c.303BCE
LYSIMACHUSAGAINSTSELEUCUS
AlthoughCassandersatsecurelyinMacedon,hissafetywouldnotlast.Hediedin297BCEleaving
hishomelandtothearmyofDemetriuswhodeclaredhimselfkingofMacedonandGreece.The
victoriousLysimachusbegantoexpandhisterritoryfurther.Afterthedeathofhisoldally
Cassander,hesethissightsonMacedon.WiththeassistanceofKingPyrrhusofEpirus,hecrossed
theborderandforcedDemetriusout.DemetriusandhisarmyescapedacrosstheHellespontand
intoAsiaMinor,confrontingthearmyofSeleucus.UnfortunatelyforDemetrius,hewasimmediately
capturedonlytodieincaptivityin283BCE,althoughhisdescendantswouldeventuallyregain
MacedonandGreece.
In282BCELysimachussone-timeallySeleucussethissightsonLysimachussterritoryinAsiaMinor,
andin281BCEthetwoarmiesmetatCorupediumwhereLysimachusmethisdeath.The
commanderwhohadnotreceivedanylandatBabylonand,atonepoint,lostwhatlittlehedidgain,
provedtobethetruewinner.Unfortunately,victorywouldhavetobecelebratedbyhis
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descendants.HewoulddieatthehandsofPtolemyssonPtolemyCeraunusin281BCE.
ThedeathofAlexandertheGreatin323BCEhadbroughtchaos.Hisfailuretonameasuccessoror
heirlefthiscommanderstoeventuallydividetheempireamongthemselves.Jealousyledtoover
threedecadesofwarwherealliancesweremadeandbroken.Thefourwarsofthediadochiwould
usherintheHellenisticPeriodandbringintoexistencethreedynastiesthatwouldexistuntilthe
timeoftheRomans.
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
DONALDL.WASSON
DonaldhastaughtAncient,MedievalandU.S.HistoryatLincolnCollege
(Normal,Illinois)andhasalwaysbeenandwillalwaysbeastudentofhistory,
eversincelearningaboutAlexandertheGreat.Heiseagertopassknowledge
ontohisstudents.
HELPUSWRITEMORE
We'reasmallnon-profitorganisationrunbyahandfulofvolunteers.Eacharticlecosts
usabout$50inhistorybooksassourcematerial,pluseditingandservercosts.Youcan
helpuscreateevenmorefreearticlesforaslittleas$5permonth,andwe'llgiveyou
anad-freeexperiencetothankyou!
BECOMEAMEMBER
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bugh,G.R.,TheCambridgeCompaniontotheHellenisticWorld(CambridgeUniversityPress,2006).
Erskine,A.,ACompaniontotheHellenisticWorld(BlackwellPublishers,2005).
Freeman,P.,AlexandertheGreat(Simon&Schuster,2011).
Hornblower,S.,TheOxfordClassicalDictionary(OxfordUniversityPress,2012).
Romm,J.,GhostontheThrone(Vintage,2011).
Sheppard,R.,AlexandertheGreatatWar(MetroBooks,2008).
CITETHISWORK
LEGALNOTICE
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LEGALNOTICE
WrittenbyDonaldL.Wasson,publishedon14July2016underthefollowinglicense:CreativeCommons:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike .Thislicenseletsothersremix,tweak,andbuilduponthiscontentnoncommercially,aslongastheycredittheauthorandlicensetheirnewcreationsundertheidenticalterms.
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