The Diadochi Hellenistic period

the distribution of satrapies in macedonian empire after settlement in babylon (323 bc).

when alexander great died (june 10, 323 bc), left behind huge empire composed of many autonomous territories called satrapies. without chosen successor there immediate disputes among generals should king of macedon. these generals became known diadochi (greek: Διάδοχοι, diadokhoi, meaning successors ).

meleager , infantry supported candidacy of alexander s half-brother, philip arrhidaeus, while perdiccas, leading cavalry commander, supported waiting until birth of alexander s child roxana. after infantry stormed palace of babylon, compromise arranged – arrhidaeus (as philip iii) should become king, , should rule jointly roxana s child, assuming boy (as was, becoming alexander iv). perdiccas himself become regent (epimeletes) of empire, , meleager lieutenant. soon, however, perdiccas had meleager , other infantry leaders murdered, , assumed full control. generals had supported perdiccas rewarded in partition of babylon becoming satraps of various parts of empire, perdiccas position shaky, because, arrian writes, suspicious of him, , of them .

the first of diadochi wars broke out when perdiccas planned marry alexander s sister cleopatra , began question antigonus monophthalmus leadership in asia minor. antigonus fled greece, , then, antipater , craterus (the satrap of cilicia had been in greece fighting lamian war) invaded anatolia. rebels supported lysimachus, satrap of thrace , ptolemy, satrap of egypt. although eumenes, satrap of cappadocia, defeated rebels in asia minor, perdiccas himself murdered own generals peithon, seleucus, , antigenes (possibly ptolemy s aid) during invasion of egypt (c. 21 may 19 june, 320 bc). ptolemy came terms perdiccas s murderers, making peithon , arrhidaeus regents in place, these came new agreement antipater @ treaty of triparadisus. antipater made regent of empire, , 2 kings moved macedon. antigonus remained in charge of asia minor, ptolemy retained egypt, lysimachus retained thrace , seleucus controlled babylon.

the second diadochi war began following death of antipater in 319 bc. passing on own son, cassander, antipater had declared polyperchon successor regent. cassander rose in revolt against polyperchon (who joined eumenes) , supported antigonus, lysimachus , ptolemy. in 317, cassander invaded macedonia, attaining control of macedon, sentencing olympias death , capturing boy king alexander iv, , mother. in asia, eumenes betrayed own men after years of campaign , given antigonus had him executed.

the kingdoms of antigonos , rivals c. 303 bc.

the third war of diadochi broke out because of growing power , ambition of antigonus. began removing , appointing satraps if king , raided royal treasuries in ecbatana, persepolis , susa, making off 25,000 talents. seleucus forced flee egypt , antigonus @ war ptolemy, lysimachus, , cassander. invaded phoenicia, laid siege tyre, stormed gaza , began building fleet. ptolemy invaded syria , defeated antigonus son, demetrius poliorcetes, in battle of gaza of 312 bc allowed seleucus secure control of babylonia, , eastern satrapies. in 310, cassander had young king alexander iv , mother roxane murdered, ending argead dynasty had ruled macedon several centuries.

antigonus sent son demetrius regain control of greece. in 307 took athens, expelling demetrius of phaleron, cassander s governor, , proclaiming city free again. demetrius turned attention ptolemy, defeating fleet @ battle of salamis , taking control of cyprus. in aftermath of victory, antigonus took title of king (basileus) , bestowed on son demetrius poliorcetes, rest of diadochi followed suit. demetrius continued campaigns laying siege rhodes , conquering of greece in 302, creating league against cassander s macedon.

the decisive engagement of war came when lysimachus invaded , overran of western anatolia, isolated antigonus , demetrius near ipsus in phrygia. seleucus arrived in time save lysimachus , utterly crushed antigonus @ battle of ipsus in 301 bc. seleucus war elephants proved decisive, antigonus killed, , demetrius fled greece attempt preserve remnants of rule there recapturing rebellious athens. meanwhile, lysimachus took on ionia, seleucus took cilicia, , ptolemy captured cyprus.

kingdoms of diadochi after battle of ipsus, c. 301 bc.

after cassander s death in 298 bc, however, demetrius, still maintained sizable loyal army , fleet, invaded macedon, seized macedonian throne (294) , conquered thessaly , of central greece (293-291). defeated in 288 bc when lysimachus of thrace , pyrrhus of epirus invaded macedon on 2 fronts, , carved kingdom themselves. demetrius fled central greece mercenaries , began build support there , in northern peloponnese. once again laid siege athens after turned on him, struck treaty athenians , ptolemy, allowed him cross on asia minor , wage war on lysimachus holdings in ionia, leaving son antigonus gonatas in greece. after initial successes, forced surrender seleucus in 285 , later died in captivity. lysimachus, had seized macedon , thessaly himself, forced war when seleucus invaded territories in asia minor , defeated , killed in 281 bc @ battle of corupedium, near sardis. seleucus attempted conquer lysimachus european territories in thrace , macedon, assassinated ptolemy ceraunus ( thunderbolt ), had taken refuge @ seleucid court , had himself acclaimed king of macedon. ptolemy killed when macedon invaded gauls in 279—his head stuck on spear—and country fell anarchy. antigonus ii gonatas invaded thrace in summer of 277 , defeated large force of 18,000 gauls. hailed king of macedon , went on rule 35 years.

at point tripartite territorial division of hellenistic age in place, main hellenistic powers being macedon under demetrius s son antigonus ii gonatas, ptolemaic kingdom under aged ptolemy , seleucid empire under seleucus son antiochus soter.