The Struggle for Succession

1. The Struggle forSuccession The Diadochoior successors to Alexander through the balance of power established after Ipsos (301 BCE)

2. Essay assignmentDue in Blackboard by 5pm Thursday • Alexander’s approach to world conquest was complex and varied with the circumstances – the timing, the location, the people involved, and, of course, the stakes. Analyze Alexander’s method for conquest and offer a critique of his approach. Include specific details about his campaign from the destruction of Thebes in 335 until his death in 323/2. Cite HCW and any primary sources we examine where appropriate – i.e., HWAR 4-25)

3. Friday’s class • What are the three most imporant issues in the reading, and why? • What two pieces of evidence in HWAR are most germane, and why? • 1-35: Arnush (HWAR 32, 38) • 28-50: Kyl, Andrew, Adam, Chris, Dana • 51-76: Dylan, Margaret, Tyler, Z, Shawna • 77-103: Elizabeth, Kristina, Sam, Kate, Joanna • 103-119: Becca, Krista, Callie, Emily • 119-142: Daniel, Matthew, Jessica, Sarabell

4. Final project discussion & primary sources • Building on the short essay you wrote on Alexander’s approach to world conquest, deepen your study and analysis by drawing on the following primary sources (in addition to HWAR 4-25) • Plutarch Life of Alexander • DiodorusSiculusBibliotheke17.1-18.45 • Justin Epitome of the Philippic History of PompeiusTrogus9-12

5. Debate between Macedonians and Persians: what should we do now that Alexander has died? • Macedonians: Elizabeth, Sam, Dylan, Kyl, Kristina, Joanna, Dana, Callie, Sarabell, Jessica, Chris • Persians: Becca, Margaret, Tyler, Adam, Emily, Daniel, Matthew, Krista, Andrew, Shawna, Kate, Z • Who are the stakeholders? • What is at stake?

6. Alexander’s conquests and his empire, 323 BCE

7. Kingdoms in 310 BCE: Antigonus(Asia Minor), Ptolemy (Egypt), Seleucus (Asia), Cassander (Macedonia), Lysimachus (Thrace) Cassander Lysimachus Antigonus Seleucus Ptolemy

8. Kingdoms in 270 BCE: Antigonids(Macedonia, Greece), Ptolemies(Egypt, Syria, Cilicia), Seleucids (Asia/Persia), Independents (Aetolians, Achaeans, Pergamon) Antigonids Aetolians Galatia Pergamon Achaeans Seleucids Ptolemies

9. The Struggle following Alexander • Alexander’s last words: the kingdom should be left “to the strongest” • Leads to a struggle among the diadochoior “successors” • Crisis over succession • Alexander’s unborn son by Roxane, later Alexander IV (his rights supported in advance by infantry) • His mentally challenged half-brother, Philip III Arrhidaios(supported by cavalry) • Compromise and regency • Perdiccasarranges for Alexander IV and Philip III to be proclaimed joint kings • Keeps power for himself as regent

10. The Diadochoi • 40+ year struggle between his actual successors (322-276) • First Phase: Perdiccas, the regent for the kings, tries to rule through them • Second Phase: the empire formally divided among Alexander’s leading generals, who subsequently fight among themselves • Third Phase: equilibrium is reached with major Hellenistic kingdoms established in Macedonia, Syria-Mesopotamia, and Egypt

11. Response to the Succession Crisis • Asians remain passive observers of Macedonian disunity • Greeks in central Asia revolt and start to march home • They are defeated and forced to return to their garrisons and colonies • From these emerges the great Greek kingdom of Bactria • Greeks at home revolt: Lamian War (323-322 BCE) • Harpagus’ flight to Athens, Demosthenes’ agitation • A general Greek revolt locks Antipater up in the Thessalian fortress of Lamia • Macedonian forces returning from the East under crateros defeat Greek rebels at Crannon • Greeks surrender, Demosthenes executed, Athens becomes a broad oligarchy

12. Perdikkas’ Regency • Perdiccas allies with Antipater and Crateros, strongest Macedonian leaders • Perdiccas and Craterosboth marry daughters of Antipater • Imperial expansion ended • Satrapies reorganized and reallocated • Recognizes strength of the regional generals • AntigonusMonophtholmus (“One-Eyed”) rebels against Perdiccas • Flees to Macedonia and splits Antipater from the regency • Ptolemy, satrap of Egypt, intercepts Alexander’s funeral cortege • Alexander’s body used as a propaganda tool • Perdiccas killed while invading Egypt (320 BCE)

13. Settlement of Triparadeisos • Antipater, most senior and powerful Macedonian leader, imposes a settlement • Antipater invades Asia, meets leading Macedonian generals at Triparadeisos in Syria (320 BCE) • Antipater reconfirmed as strategosof Europe • Brings the kings home to Macedonia under the control of Antipater & Cassander • Serves as regent • Antigonusappointed strategosof Asia • Takes over Perdiccas’ supervision of Asia • Aspires to independent kingship and soon fights with the other generals • Antipater dies • Antipater’s son Cassander succeeds in Macedonia • Antigonus’ “Decree of Macedonians” in 315 BCE • Cassander, Antipater’s son, to give up kings • Greeks “free” • Ptolemy given Egypt; Seleucus given Babylonia

14. Territorial Holdings of the Original Diadochoi • Macedonia: Antipater & kings; Cassander • Thrace: Lysimachos • Egypt: Ptolemy • Asia Minor /Syria: Antigonus& son Demetrius • Babylonia and the East: Seleucus

15. Shifting Tides of Power • Antigonusand his son adopt title basileus • Kings killed (c. 310 BCE) • Kings not of places, but individual monarchs • Byzantine Suda:“It is neither descent nor legitimacy that gives monarchies to men, but the ability to command an army and handle affairs competently.” • Others follow suit, the empire officially ends • Battle of Ipsos (301 BCE) • Antigonos killed • Ptolemy gains coasts of Phoeneciaand Palestine, but “Coele-Syria” (“Hollow-Syria”) a point of contention between Ptolemy and Seleucus • Demetrius son of Antigonus escapes, on the loose as a “king without a kingdom” (but a powerful navy) • later captured by Seleucus, dies in captivity • Antigonus’ grandson, AntigonusII Gonatos, recoups the family’s losses • Lands in Europe and defeats invading Gauls • Becomes king in Macedonia (276 BCE)

16. Hellenistic World, Final Divisions • Antigonid Macedonia • Dominates most of Greece, although independent leagues arise • Seleucid Syria • Adds Asia Minor but soon loses much of the East • Ptolemaic Egypt

17. Hellenistic Cities • Kings increasingly establish Greek cities in their realms • A new wave of Greek colonization throughout the Near East • Serve as both centers of cultural Hellenization and sources of military manpower • “Independent” but in the control of the kings • Focus more on “Greekness” in terms of Greek culture and institutions, such as the gymnasium • Still, the institutions of the Greek polis are faithfully recreated • Often bear dynastic names • E.g. Alexandria, Cassandreia, Seleuceia, Antiocheia (Antioch)

18. Debate between Macedonians and Persians: what should we do now that Alexander has died? • Macedonians: Elizabeth, Sam, Dylan, Kyl, Kristina, Joanna, Dana, Callie, Sarabell, Jessica, Chris • Persians: Becca, Margaret, Tyler, Adam, Emily, Daniel, Matthew, Krista, Andrew, Shawna, Kate, Z • Who are the stakeholders? • What is at stake?