Diadochi and Successor Kingdoms

The Greek World After Alexander

Aftermath of Alexander’s Death:Question of Succession

Internal Disputes and Near Civil War Perdiccas and cavalry support the unborn child of

Roxanne (Alexander IV) Meleager and infantry support Philip II’s bastard son

Arrhidaeus (Philip III) Joint Successors, Alexander IV and Philip III as puppets

of the generals

Diadochi’s Struggles for Supremacy

Principal Players: Perdiccas (senior cavalry officer); Ptolemy and Leonatus (related to Argeads); Meleager (senior infantry officer); Peucestas (satrap of Persis and Susiana); Lysimachus (Alexander’s confidant); Seleucus (commander of hypaspists); Eumenes of Cardia (court secretary); Antipater (regent in Macedonia); Cassander (son of Antipater); Craterus; Antigonus (satrap of Phrygia)

Perdiccas’ failed attempt at reconciliation and unity (323-320 BCE) Perdiccas murdered in Egypt in 320 BCE Settlement at Triparadeisis in northern Syria in 320 BCE = Antipater in

Macedonia and Greece; Antigonus in Asia; Seleucus in Syria; Ptolemy in Egypt

Settlement of 311 BCE: Cassander regent in Europe; Lysimachus controls Thrace; Ptolemy in Egypt; Antigonus controls Asia

On the Settlement of 311 BCE

When Simonides was archon at Athens, the Romans elected to the consulship Marcus Valerius and Publius Decius. While these held office, Cassander, Ptolemy, and Lysimachus came to terms with Antigonus and made a treaty. In this it was provided that Cassander be general of Europe until Alexander, son of Roxanne, should come of age; that Lysimachus rule Thrace, and that Ptolemy rule Egypt and the cities adjacent to it in Libya and Arabia; that Antigonus have first place in all Asia; and that the Greeks be autonomous. However, they did not abide by these agreements but each of them, putting forward plausible excuses, kept seeking to increase his own power.

~Diodorus, 19.105.1-2

Antigonus Monopthalmos (“One-Eyed”)

Defeat of Eumenes and control of Asia Minor (= power imbalance)

Defeat of Antigonus’ son, Demetrius, at the hands of Ptolemy at Gaza; Seleucus recovers Babylon (312 BCE)

Settlement of 311 BCE Public Acknowledgement of the New Order:

Elimination of Philip III (317 BCE) and Alexander IV (310 BCE?)

Diadochi assume the royal title (basileus) in 306/5 BCE

Principal Hellenistic Powers in 303 BCE

Coalition of Cassander, Lysimachus, and Seleucus against Antigonus and Demetrius

Battle of Ipsus in Phrygia in 301 BCE: Death of Antigonus Restoration of Power Balance

Demetrius I Poliorcetes neutralized by Lysimachus and Pyrrhus of Epirus; captive of Seleucus from 285-283 BCE

Post-Ipsus: Ptolemy in Egypt (and Coele Syria); Seleucus in Babylonia and northern Syria; Lysimachus in northern Anatolia and Thrace

Coin, Seleucus I Nicator (?), celebrating the defeat of Antigonus and Demetrius at Ipsus in 301 BCE

Macedonia and Greece: Transition from Argeads to Antigonids

Lysimachus’ attempted annexation (288-282 BCE); defeated by Seleucus at Corupedium in Lydia (281 BCE); Ptolemy Ceraunos’ assassination of Seleucus

Galatian Invasion; Aetolians at Delphi and the Soteiria (279 BCE)

Counterweight Powers in Greece: Achaean and Aetolian Confederations

Antigonus Gonatas, son of Demetrius Poliorcetes (Antigonids): 279-239 BCE

Hellenistic Powers:Seleucid Syria, Ptolemaic Egypt, Antigonid Macedonia

Cities and KingsPatrons and Clients

O son of the most mighty god Poseidon and of Aphrodite, hail! For other gods are either far away or do not have ears, or do not exist, or do not pay attention to us at all; but you we can see in your presence, not in wood and not in stone, but in truth. And so we pray to you.

~Athenian hymn to Demetrius I Poliorcetes

(Atheneaus, 6.253e)

Euergetism and Debt Relief:Hephaestion of Callatis, 200-150 BCE (Austin #102)

Resolved by the council and the [people]; Dionysius [son of] Hieron was magistrate; the councilors [moved]: since Hephaestion [son of Matris]/ from Callatis, when the city owed him for [many] years for a [loan] made by his father 300 gold pieces [according to] a written agreement, and [considerable] interests had accumulated,/ he proved himself a good and honorable man and showed [understanding] for the difficulties facing the city, and remitted [the] interest which amounted to 400 [gold pieces], and [agreed] to recover the sum that was owed him/ according to the [written] agreement, which amounted to 300 gold pieces, without interest [over] a period of two [years]; for [these services] Hephaestion son of Matris from [Callatis] should be praised.

Great Patrons and Public Calamities:Protogenes of Olbia, ca. 200 BCE (Austin #97)

Deserters were reporting that the Galatians (Celts) and the Sciri had formed an alliance, that a large force had been collected and would be coming during the winter, / and in addition that the Thisamatae, Scythians and Saudaratae were anxious to seize the fort, as they themselves were equally terrified of the cruelty of the Galatians. Because of this many were in despair and prepared/ to abandon the city... The people met in assembly in deep despair, as they saw before them the/ danger that lay ahead and the terrors in store, and called on all who were able-bodied to help and not to allow their native city, after it had been preserved for many years, to be subjected by the enemy. When no one would volunteer/ for all or part of the demands of the people, (Protogenes) promised he himself would build both the walls and would advance the whole cost of construction, although not less than 1,500 gold pieces had been advanced by him.

When the people expelled the soldiers from the city, but the fort on the/ Mouseion was still occupied, and war raged in the countryside because of the (soldiers) from the Piraeus, and Demetrius was coming with his army from the Peloponnesus against the city, Callias, on hearing of the danger threatening the city, selected 1,000 of the soldiers/ who were posted with him at Andros, gave them their wages and food rations, and immediately came to the rescue of the people in the city, acting in accordance with the goodwill of King Ptolemy (I) towards the people, and leading out into the countryside the soldiers who were following him, he protected/ the gathering of the grain, making every effort to ensure that as much grain as possible should be brought into the city.

Callias of Sphettus, Athens

Polis’s Rewards

Gold Crown Bronze and Marble Statues in Public Places Prohedria = Seat of Honor at Games and Festivals Honorific Inscriptions in Public Places

Emergence of Hellenistic Monarchs and Royal Power: Super Patrons

Access to King Difficult Kings as Founders of Cities (Alexander and Alexandria) Kings Re-establish Old Cities: synoecism Kings Restore Existing Cities: Demetrius and Sicyon in 302

BCE Kings as Super Patrons: Relief at Rhodes in 227-226 BCE

Autonomy and Freedom

Aristotle on Freedom: “To be in no way under the constraint of another.” (Rhetoric 1367a32-33)

Hellenistic Monarchs as Protectors of Freedom and Autonomy

Polis-Freedom in Context of Hellenistic Monarchy Rhetoric:

Immunity from taxation Freedom from garrisons

Reality: From taxation to syntaxis (free-will contributions) Epistates in the polis (protector of king’s interests)

Grand Procession of Ptolemy Philadelphus at Alexandria (271/270 BCE)

136 Ethiopian sheep, 300 Arabian, 20 Euboean; 26 Indian oxen, all white, 8 Ethiopian, 1 large white she-bear, 14 leopards, 16 panthers, 4 lynxes, 3 young panthers, 1 giraffe, 1 Ethiopian rhinoceros. Next, on a four-wheeled carriage Dionysus at the altar of Rhea, having taken refuge when pursued by Hera, with a golden crown, and Priapus standing next to him wearing a golden ivy-crown. Then statues of Alexander and Ptolemy, wearing ivy-crowns made of gold. The statue of Virtue standing next to Ptolemy had an olive-crown made of gold. Priapus stood next to them with a golden ivy-crown. The city of Corinth, standing next to Ptolemy, was crowned with a golden diadem. Beside all these were placed a stand for drinking vessels full of golden cups and a golden mixing bowl with a capacity of 5 measures. This four-wheeled carriage was followed by women wearing expensive clothes and ornaments; they were given the names of cities, some from Ionia and the rest Greek cities established in Asia and the islands, which had been under Persian rule; they all wore golden crowns. On other four-wheeled carts were carried a Bacchic thyrsus of gold, 135 feet long and a silver lance 90 feet long, and on another one a golden phallus 180 feet long, painted over and bound with fillets, with a gold star at its extremity, the circumference of which was 9 feet.

Euhemerus’ Account of the Gods (Diodorus, 6.1.2-10)

Concerning the gods…men of ancient times have handed down to later generations two different conceptions. Some, they say, are eternal and indestructible, such as the sun, the moon and the other stars in the heavens, and also the winds and all other bodies which have the same nature as these. For each of these is everlasting in genesis and duration. Other gods, they say, were earthly beings who achieved immortal honor and fame through their benefactions to mankind, such as Heracles, Dionysus, Aristaeus, and others like them.

Suda s.v. Basilea (2)

Monarchy. It is neither descent nor legitimacy which gives monarchies to men, but the ability to command an army and to handle affairs competently. Such was the case with Philip and the Successors of Alexander. For Alexander’s natural son was in no way helped by his kinship with him, because of his weakness of spirit, while those who had no connection with Alexander became kings of almost the whole inhabited world.

Kingship in Greek History

Mycenaean Age: wanax>basileus Poleis and tyrants: constitutional monarchy (cf. Spartan

dual kingship) Tension between Individual and Community

Fifth century (Themistocles, Pericles, Alcibiades, Brasidas)

Fourth century (Epaminondas, Jason of Pherae, Dionysius of Syracuse)

Macedonian “Homeric” Kingship