THE SUCCESSORS OF ALEXANDER THE GREATWestern Civ

THE DEATH OF ALEXANDER 323 BCE: Alexander the Great dies in

Babylon, a month from his 33rd birthday Poisoning? Malaria? Alcohol Poisoning? Q: Who did he name as his heir??

A: NO ONE• Who inherits his vast empire?

• Let’s review some of the candidates…

SELEUKOS “NICATOR”ΣΈΛΕΥΚΟΣ ΝΙΚΆΤΩΡ Macedonian Officer to Alexander Takes control of Babylon, Eastern Conquests

all the way to Annatolia Death: Murdered in 281

Seleucid Empire

PTOLEMY “SOTER”ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙ͂ΟΣ ΣΩΤΉ Another Macedonian General Takes control of Egypt; parts of Arabia, Libya,

Annatolia, Palestine Death: Peacefully, in 283

Ptolemaic Empire

ANTIGONUS “MONOPTHALMUS”ἈΝΤΊΓΟΝΟΣ Ὁ ΜΟΝΌΦΘΑΛΜΟΣ Macedonian General, Nobleman, Satrap Takes control of Annatolia, Palestine,

eventually just Macedonia Death: Killed at Battle of Ipsus in 301

Antigonid Empire

ANTIPATER & CASSANDERἈΝΤΊΠΑΤΡΟΣ, ΚΆΣΣΑΝΔΡΟΣ Regent of Macedon during conquests Macedonia, with son Cassander Deaths: Antipater- Peacefully, in 319,

Cassander- peacefully, in 297

Macedonia and Greece

40 YEARS OF CONFLICTS Antigonus, Lysimachus, Craterus, Cassander,

Polyperchon, Seleukos, Ptolemy, Eumenes, Perdiccas, et. al. fight endlessly

Wars carried over several generations Alliances, counter-alliances, betrayals,

assassinations, battles, the works

THE LAST ONES STANDING… In 197 BCE Romans take control of Greece

after routing Macedonian army at Cynoscephylae

Seleucids defeated by Rome at Thermopylae and Magnesia, empire overthrown by Parthians

Macedon under complete Roman control after battle of Pydna in 168 BCE

THE LAST ONES STANDING… Ptolemaic Egypt remains ally of Rome until

Octavian declares war on Antony and Cleopatra

Octavian annexes Egypt in 31-30 BCE after defeating Antony and Cleopatra at Actium

Last Successor State gone, Mediterranean Sea now Roman Lake

PICTURES!

PezhetairoiWar Elephant

Heavily armored Cataphract Cavalry

Heliopolis at Rhodes