Second War of the Diadochi

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Second War of the Diadochi
Date319–315 BC
Location
Alexander the Great's former empire
Result Cassander succeeds as Regent of the Macedon Empire
Territorial
changes
  • Antigonus takes over Eumenes' Asian territories, giving him a central location in Alexander's former empire, which leaves him vulnerable for the
    Third War of the Diadochi
    .
  • Cassander takes over Macedon as Regent
  • Polyperchon flees to the Peloponnesus, still in charge of Corinth and Sicyon.
Belligerents
Polyperchon's faction Cassander's faction
Commanders and leaders
  • Cassander
  • Antigonus
  • Ptolemy
  • Lysimachus
  • Eurydice Executed
  • Philip Arrhidaeus  Executed

    • The Second War of the Diadochi was the conflict between the coalition of Polyperchon (as Regent of the Empire), Olympias and Eumenes and the coalition of Cassander, Antigonus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus following the death of Cassander's father, Antipater (the old Regent).[1]

    Background

    The unexpected death of Alexander the Great left his vast, and newly created, empire without a clear successor. This lack of a clear arrangement for succession eventually led to war between his top generals, the Diadochi. In a series of shifting alliances they proceeded to carve out kingdoms and independent empires from Alexander's conquests.

    Following the first conflict, Antipater became the de facto ruler of Alexander's European territories, while Antigonus gained a similar position in Asia, a position Antigonus had to attain through hard campaigning and numerous battles (see: the battles of Orkynia and Cretopolis). In 319 BC, when Antipater died, he left his domain in the hands of his lieutenant, Polyperchon, as opposed to his son Cassander. Cassander, however, had the support of Antigonus, and Ptolemy (the current ruler of Egypt) while Polyperchon was supported by Eumenes (Philip and Alexander's former secretary) who commanded a small army in Cappadocia.

    The war

    At the start of 318 BC

    Arrhidaios, the governor of Hellespontine Phrygia, tried to take the city of Cyzicus.[2] Antigonus, as the Strategos of Asia, took this as a challenge to his authority and recalled his army from winter quarters. He sent an army against Arrhidaios while he himself marched with the main army into Lydia against its governor Cleitus, whom he drove out of his province.[3]

    Cleitus fled to

    Philip Arrhidaeus, Alexander's half-brother, having defected to Cassander's side at the prompting of his wife, Eurydice, was forced to flee, only to be captured in Amphipolis, resulting in the execution of himself and the forced suicide of his wife, both purportedly at the instigation of Olympias.[6] Cassander rallied once more, and seized Macedon. Olympias
    was murdered, and Cassander gained control of the infant King and his mother. Eventually Cassander became the dominant power in the European part of the Empire, ruling over Macedon and large parts of Greece.

    Meanwhile, Eumenes, who had gathered a small army in

    Media until they faced each other on a plain in the country of the Paraitakene in southern Media. There they fought a great battle (the battle of Paraitakene), which ended inconclusively.[12] The next year (315) they fought another great but inconclusive battle (the battle of Gabiene), during which some of Antigonus's troops plundered the enemy camp.[13] Using this plunder as a bargaining tool, Antigonus bribed the Agyraspides, who arrested and handed over Eumenes.[14] Antigonus had Eumenes and a couple of his officers executed.[14]
    With Eumenes's death, the war in the eastern part of the Empire ended.

    Antigonus and Cassander had won the war. Antigonus now controlled Asia Minor and the eastern provinces, Cassander, Macedon and large parts of Greece, Lysimachus Thrace, and Ptolemy, Egypt, Syria, Cyrene and Cyprus. Their enemies were either dead or seriously reduced in power and influence.

    Aftermath

    The war had shifted the balance of power to such a degree that Antigonus could pose a threat to any or all of the other Diadochi; this led to Cassander, Ptolemy (with

    Third War of the Diadochi. The territories now controlled by Antigonus would later form the basis of the Seleucid Empire
    .

    References

    1. ^ Wars of Alexander's Successors (Diadochi) Archived 2012-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
    2. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 51,1-7.
    3. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 52,5-8.
    4. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 64,1-68,1.
    5. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 68,2-72,1.
    6. ^ Pausanias, i. 11; Diodorus, xix. 11
    7. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 59,1-3.
    8. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 63,6.
    9. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 72,3-4.
    10. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XVIII 73,1-2.
    11. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XIX 15,1-2.
    12. Bibliotheca Historica
      , XIX 26,1-31,5.
    13. Polyainos, Strategemata
      IV 6,13.
    14. ^
      Bibliotheca Historica XIX 43,8-44,3; Plutarch, Parallel Lives Eumenes 17,1-19,1; Cornelius Nepos
      , Parallel Lives, Eumenes 10,3-13,1.
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