Alexander (son of Polyperchon)

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Alexander (

Before Alexander's arrival, Nicanor strengthening his position on Munychia with fresh troops and had also treacherously seized Piraeus. Alexander had the same intentions, intentions which he had probably formed before he had any communication with Phocion, though Diodorus^[3] seems to imply the contrary. The Athenians, however, looked on Phocion as the author of the design, and their suspicions and anger were further excited by the private conferences between Alexander and Nicanor. As a result, Phocion was accused of treason, and, fleeing with several of his friends to Alexander, was despatched by Alexander to Polyperchon.^[4]

Cassander arrived in Athens soon after and occupied Piraeus. There he was besieged by Polyperchon with a large force. However, Polyperchon's forces lacked adequate supplies, so he was obliged to withdraw a portion of his army. Polyperchon used this army to attempt the reduction of Megalopolis, while Alexander was left in command of the remaining forces in Athens.^[5] However, it appears he achieved little, until the treaty and capitulation of Athens to Cassander^[6].

When Polyperchon, baffled at Megalopolis,

In 315 BC, Antigonus, whose growing power had led Cassander, Lysimachus, Asander, and Ptolemy to form a coalition against him, sent Aristodemus into the Peloponnese to secure an alliance with Polyperchon and his son Alexander. Alexander traveled to Asia to meet Antigonus in person, where an agreement was made at Tyre. Antigonus provided Alexander with 500 talents and promised significant support.^[12] However, later that same year, Alexander broke with Antigonus and aligned himself with Cassander, who offered him the title of strategos (military governor) of the Peloponnese.^[13]

Although Cassander had previously been at war with Polyperchon, the appointment of Alexander was part of a formal agreement that placed all of Cassander's Peloponnesian holdings under Alexander's command, including cities previously held by Cassander's garrisons.^[14] This allowed Alexander to exercise authority across nearly the entire peninsula. Polyperchon, now advanced in age, had likely stepped aside due to his unwillingness to subordinate himself to the much younger Cassander and had handed command to his son.^[14]

In the ensuing year,

• Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Alexander"^[usurped], Boston, (1867)

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Alexander". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. pp. 125–126.