The document summarizes the succession struggles following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. It describes the major successors who divided Alexander's empire among themselves, including Perdiccas, Antipater, Ptolemy, Antigonus, Seleucus, Cassander, Lysimachus, and Pyrrhus. It provides brief biographies of each outlining their roles in the wars between the Diadochi as they fought for control of the territories formerly ruled by Alexander.

1. THE SUCCESSORS
Διάδοχοι
(Diadochoi, Successors)
κοσµοπολις
(Cosmopolis, World State)

2. The Diadochi were as much competitors in heroism with Alexander as mediators,
and the posthumous fragmentation of his empire was the result of their desire to
equal his achievement rather than to propagate it. His essentially unstable
system was held in equilibrium only by his day-to-day efforts; when his death
disturbed the balance, both army and empire fell apart.
Keegan, p. 318

3. SUCCESSION STRIFE
the problem with any sort of one-man rule is determining the strongman’s
successor. America’s democratic constitutional process, which seems so “messy”
to us, is a historically rare, peaceful exception
traditional solutions fall in two broad categories:
dynastic--an adult male heir, preferably seen as competent, with political support
a new strongman--usually from the military, who can collect political support
323-276 BC-lacking the first, Alexander’s new empire would be racked with the
second alternative, until, with the death of the last Successor, the Hellenistic era
would take shape as a series of rival dynastic states

4. DIADOCHOI--PART I
“The First Rank”
Perdiccas
Antipater
!
!
!
!
“The Second Rank”
Somatophylakes (Bodyguards)
Ptolemy I Sotēr
Macedonian satraps
Antigonus I Monopthalmus,
Seleucus I Nicator

5. DIADOCHOI--PART II
Other Successors
Royal Family
Philip iii of Macedon, Alexander iv of Macedon, Olympias, Euridice ii & Cleopatra of Macedon
Non-Macedonian Satraps and Generals
Eumenes of Cardia & Pyrrhus of Epirus
Sons of the Diadochoi
Cassander, Demetrius Poliorcetes & Ptolemy Keraunos
we will only examine the fate of those in
bold type

6. THE PARTITION OF
BABYLON--
is the distribution of the territories of Alexander the Great between his generals
after his death.
The partition was a result of a compromise, essentially brokered by Eumenes,
following a conflict of opinion between the party of Meleager, who wished to
give full power to Philip III of Macedon [Alexander’s half-witted brother], and
the party of Perdiccas, who wished to wait for the birth of the heir of
Alexander (the future Alexander IV of Macedon) to give him the throne under
the control of a regent. Under the agreement, Philip III became king, but
Perdiccas, as a regent, ruled. Perdiccas, as regent, managed the repartition of
the territories between the former generals and satraps of Alexander. Meleager
and about 300 of his partisans were eliminated by Perdiccas soon after.
Wikipedia

7. The Initial Situation

8. commanded a battalion of the Macedonian phalanx. Distinguished
in the Indian campaign
324-when Hephaestion [Alexander’s “Patroclus”] died suddenly,
Perdiccas was appointed his successor as commander of the
Companions
323-at Alexander’s death, he was appointed regent for the two
potential heirs to the empire, the unborn son & the half-wit
322-he broke off his engagement to Antipater’s daughter because
Olympias offered him the hand of her daughter Cleopatra,
Alexander’s half-sister. Antipater allied with Ptolemy &
Antigonus
war broke out, he moved against Egypt. “A botched attempt to
cross the Nile at the wrong place cost 2,000 men to drowning and
crocodiles. This was no successor to Alexander.”--Green
he was assassinated by his own officers, including Seleucus
Perdiccas
Περδίκκας, Perdikkas
died 321/320 BC
No
image
available

9. 334-323-he had been Alexander’s “regent” in Greece
323-was left in control of the Balkans by Perdiccas
321-after Perdiccas’ death, became regent, guardian of
Alexander's half-wit brother Philip III and now-born son
Having quelled a mutiny of his troops, he commissioned
Antigonus to continue the war against Eumenes and the
other partisans of Perdiccas
320-Antipater returned to Macedonia. Soon after, he was
seized by an illness which terminated his active career
319-died, leaving the regency to the aged Polyperchon,
passing over his own son, Cassander, a measure which gave
rise to much later strife
was he the assassin of Alexander? All the ancient sources
mention this rumor, most, only to deny it
Antipater
Ἀντίπατρος Antipatros
c. 397 BC – 319 BC

10. 340s-son of Antipater, taught by the philosopher Aristotle at
Mieza in Macedonia. He was educated alongside the Crown
Prince Alexander in a group that included Hephaestion and
Ptolemy
319-Cassander rejected his father’s decision to give the regency
to Polyperchon, and immediately went to seek the support of
Antigonus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus as allies
317-after waging war on Polyperchon, and destroying his fleet,
Cassander put Athens under the control of Demetrius of
Phaleron, and declared himself Regent
Alexander IV, Roxana, and Alexander’s supposed illegitimate
son Heracles were all executed on Cassander's orders, and a
guarantee to Olympias to spare her life was not respected
301-after the Battle of Ipsus, in which Antigonus was killed,
he was undisputed in his control of Macedonia; however, he
had little time to savor the fact, dying of dropsy in 297
coin of Cassander
British Museum
Cassander Κάσσανδρος Ἀντίπατρος,
Kassandros Antipatros
ca. 350 – 297
king of Macedon (305–297).

12. founder of the longest-lasting Ptolemaic dynasty
323-one of the organizers of the Partition. Became
satrap of Egypt, nominally under the two kings
without authorization, he quickly annexed Cyrenaica
to the west (modern eastern Libya)
320-he then organized the war against Perdiccas
318-he secured Syria and Cyprus
315-when Antigonus One-Eye showed dangerous
ambition, he joined the coalition against him
311-309--a brief peace interrupted the wars
Marble bust in the Louvre
3rd century BC
Ptolemy I Soter
Πτολεµαῖος Σωτήρ, Ptolemaĩos Sōtḗr,
Ptolemy the Savior
c. 367 BC – c. 283 BC

13. founder of the Antigonid dynasty
321-with the death of Perdiccas, a new attempt at
division of the empire took place. Antigonus found himself
entrusted with the command of the war against Eumenes,
who had joined Perdiccas against the coalition of
Antipater, Antigonus, Ptolemy, Craterus, and the other
generals
319-Antigonus and the other dynasts refused to recognize
Polyperchon, since it would undermine their own
ambitions. Once again, war broke out
315-Antigonus now was in possession of the empire's Asian
territories, his authority stretching from the eastern
satrapies to Syria and Asia Minor in the west. He seized the
treasures at Susa and entered Babylon. The governor of the
city, Seleucus fled to Ptolemy and entered into a league
with him, Lysimachus and Cassander against Antigonus
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Ἀντίγονος ὁ Μονόφθαλµος, "Antigonus the
One-eyed"
382 BC – 301 BC

14. son of Antigonus Monophthalmus (One-eyed)
315-At the age of twenty-two he was left by his father to
defend Syria against Ptolemy. He was defeated at the
Battle of Gaza, his first (unsuccessful) siege
310-he was soundly defeated when he tried to expel
Seleucus Nicator from Babylon; his father was defeated
in the autumn. As a result of this Babylonian War,
Antigonus lost almost two thirds of his empire: all
eastern satrapies became Seleucus'
Marble bust, Roman, 1st century AD of a Greek
original from 3rd century BC
Demetrius I ( Δηµήτριος, 337 – 283 )
Poliorcetes ( Πολιορκητής - "The
Besieger")
king of Macedon (294–288).

15. Antigonus
Cassander
Ptolemy
Seleucus
Lysymachus
Ἀλεξάνδρεια Ἐσχάτη
Alexandria Eschatē
the farthest Alexandria
these colonists made the first
major interaction between an
urbanized Indo-European
culture and the Chinese
civilization. This led to the
opening of the Silk Road in
the 1st century BC
Wikipedia

16. son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus (One-eyed)
315-At the age of twenty-two he was left by his father to
defend Syria against Ptolemy. He was defeated at the Battle
of Gaza, his first and last unsuccessful siege
310-he was soundly defeated when he tried to expel
Seleucus I Nicator from Babylon; his father was defeated in
the autumn. As a result of this Babylonian War, Antigonus
lost almost two thirds of his empire: all eastern satrapies
became Seleucus'
After several campaigns against Ptolemy on the coasts of
Cilicia and Cyprus, Demetrius sailed with a fleet of 250
ships to Athens. He freed the city from the power of
Cassander and Ptolemy, expelled the garrison which
had been stationed there under Demetrius of Phalerum
307-besieged and took Munychia. After these victories he
was worshipped by the Athenians as a tutelary deity under
the title of Soter (σωτήρ) ("Preserver") [or “Savior”]Marble bust, Roman copy, 1st century AD of a
Greek original from 3rd century BC
Demetrius I ( Δηµήτριος, 337 – 283 )
Poliorcetes ( Πολιορκητής - "The
Besieger")
king of Macedon (294–288).

17. Antigonus clearly meant to secure firm control of the eastern Mediterranean
sea routes, since he at once sent Demetrius to reduce that...great naval bastion,
Rhodes, then under Ptolemy’s control….
For over a year (305/4), Demetrius assaulted the island’s capital with a fearsome
array of siege engines, fire arrows, rams and torsion catapults. Ptolemy’s ships
ran the blockade to supply the defenders, and in the end Demetrius was forced to
leave the Rhodians independent. His title of “the Besieger” thus had a decidedly
ironic flavor about it. The Rhodians celebrated by erecting a colossal statue of
Helios at the harbor entrance, paid for by the sale of Demetrius’ abandoned
siege-gear. They also bestowed on Ptolemy the title of “Savior.”
Green, The Hellenistic Age, pp. 36-37

18. The Colossus of Rhodes
was a statue of the Greek
Titan Helios, erected
during the 280’s BC. It is
considered one of the
Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World. • Before its
destruction in 226 BC -
due to an earthquake - it
stood over 107 ft high,
making it one of the tallest
statues of the ancient
world.

19. 320-After Alexander’s death, Seleucus was nominated as the satrap of Babylon
Antigonus forced Seleucus to flee from Babylon, but, supported by Ptolemy,
he was able to return in 312
Seleucus' later conquests include Persia and Media. He was defeated by the
emperor of India, Chandragupta Maurya and accepted a marriage alliance
(with a 500-elephant-dowry) after ceding the territories considered as part of
India
Seleucus defeated Antigonus in the battle of Ipsus in 301 BC and Lysimachus
in the battle of Corupedium in 281
He was assassinated by Ptolemy Ceraunus during the same year. His
successor was his son Antiochus I
established the Seleucid dynasty and empire. His kingdom would be one of the
last holdouts of Alexander's former empire to Roman rule. It was only outlived
by the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt by roughly 34 years. He founded many
cities, the most famous, Antioch, named for his son
Roman copy from a Greek original, from
Herculaneum. Now in the National
Archaeological Museum of Naples, Italy.
Seleucus I
(given the surname by later
generations of Nicator
Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, Seleucus the
Victor)
ca. 358 – 281

20. a second cousin of Alexander through Olympias. He was
brother-in law to Demetrius Poliorketes
302-first expelled from the throne by Cassander. Taken as
hostage to Alexandria where he married Ptolemy’s step-
daughter Antigone
297-briefly restored to Epirus by Ptolemy, Pyrrhus had his
co-ruler Neoptolemus II of Epirus, puppet of the now-
deceased Seleucus, murdered. Next, he went to war
against his former ally and brother-in-law Demetrius
by 286- he had taken control over the kingdom of Macedon.
Pyrrhus was driven out of Macedon by Lysimachus in 284
one of the strongest opponents of early Rome. Some of his
battles, though successful, cost him heavy losses, from
which the term "Pyrrhic victory" was coined
Pyrrhus or Pyrrhos
Πύρρος, Pyrros
319/318–272
king of Epirus (306-302 & 288–285)
king of Macedon (274–272)
Pyrrhus’ Wars Against Rome & Carthage
281-275 BC
Plutarch records that Hannibal ranked Pyrrhus as
the greatest commander the world had ever
seen, ..t.--Wikipedia

21. the eldest son of Ptolemy Soter, ruler of Egypt, and his third wife
Eurydice, daughter of the regent Antipater
His younger half-brother, also called Ptolemy, became heir apparent
and, in 282, ascended to the throne as Ptolemy II
Ptolemy Keraunos had left Egypt and arrived at the court of
Lysimachus. His half-sister, Arsinoe, was wife of Lysimachus
After Lysimachus' defeat and death in the Battle of Corupedium in
281 BC, against Seleucus Nicator, Ptolemy Keraunos murdered
Seleucus in order to gain the power of his former protector. He then
rushed to Lysimacheia where he had himself acclaimed king by the
Macedonian army. At this time he also formally relinquished his
claim to the Egyptian throne. To stabilize his throne, Ptolemy asked
his half-sister Arsinoe, the widow of Lysimachus, to marry him
279-he was captured and killed during the wars against the Gauls,
who conducted a series of mass raids against Macedon and the rest of
Greece.
Ptolemy Keraunos
Πτολεµαῖος Κεραυνός
died 279
His epithet Keraunos is Greek for
"Thunder" or "Thunderbolt"
king of Macedon (281–279)

22. The Gallic threat was brief, but it had significant consequences. The Gauls soon
transferred their terror to Anatolia, but only after being defeated at Delphi … by
the Aetolian League (the organization of the city-states of northwest Greece) and
Antigonus Gonatas (“Knock-knees”), the son of Demetrius Poliorcetes.
Their victories over the Gauls transformed the position of both the Aetolians
and Antigonus, legitimizing the emergence of the former as the preeminent
power in central Greece and the protector of Delphi and the latter as king of
Macedon. The final pieces of the new political system that had so gradually and
painfully emerged from the wreckage of Alexander’s empire had fallen into place.
Thus ended “Alexander’s funeral games.”
Pomeroy et al., Ancient Greece, p 476

23. So-called dying Gaul and his wife. Marble,
Roman copy after an Hellenistic original from a
monument built by Attalus I of Pergamon after
his victory over Gauls, ca. 220 BC

24. ...Alexander’s rejection of constitutional government, of civic militarism,
and of municipal autonomy ensured that his conquests would never
result in a stable Hellenic civilization in Asia, or even liberty in Greece--
but simply the Successor’s (Διάδοχι, Diadochi) kingdoms (323-31 B.C.) of
his like-minded marshals who followed. For three centuries theocrats--
Macedonians, Epirotes, Selucids, Ptolemies, Attalids--would rule, fight,
plunder and live in splendor amid a Hellenic veneer of court elites and
professionals in Asia and Africa until at last they were subdued by the
legions of republican Rome.
Hanson, Carnage and Culture, p. 82