Chronology of the Diadoch Wars
The chronology of the Diadoch Wars gives an overview of the most important events of the Diadoch Wars in the form of a time table, i.e. the decades-long succession of military conflicts in Asia and Europe that began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. Had broken out among the Diadochi . Alexander's companions fought in these wars for his successor (Greek: diadochē ) in the world empire he had conquered or for the division of this empire. As a result of these wars, the " Alexander Empire " fell apart and the Hellenistic world of states of the eastern Mediterranean region emerged.
actors
| Royal family | Leading diadochi | Subordinate Diadochi |
|---|---|---|
| King Philip III Arrhidaios , half-brother of Alexander King Alexander IV. Aigos , son of Alexander Olympias , mother of Alexander Roxane , first wife of Alexander Stateira , second wife of Alexander Barsine , mistress of Alexander Heracles , illegitimate son of Alexander Kynane , sister of Alexander Cleopatra , sister of Alexander Thessalonike , sister of Alexander Eurydice , wife Philip III |
Antipater Perdiccas Krateros Antigonos Monophthalmos Eumenes Polyperchon Ptolemaios Lysimachos Seleukos Kassander , son of Antipater Demetrios Poliorketes , son of Antigonus Pyrrhus |
Meleagros Alketas , brother of Perdiccas Leonnatos Kleitos the white Arrhidaios Peithon Antigenes Peukestas Asandros Phoinix Nikanor Ophellas Alexander , son of Polyperchon Telesphoros , nephew of Antigonos Ptolemaios , nephew of Antigonos Menelaus , brother of Ptolemaios |
leader
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 10, 323 BC Chr. | Alexander the Great dies in Babylon | ||
| Summer 323 BC Chr. | - Successor dispute in the Alexandrian army : the infantry under Meleagros proclaimed Philip III. Arrhidaios as king against the will of the cavalry under Perdickas - Perdickas eliminates Meleagros and is recognized as sole commander in chief and imperial regent - Imperial order of Babylon : Perdickas sets u. a. Ptolemy in Egypt and Lysimachus in Thrace as governors; Leonnatos , Antigonos and Eumenes are tasked with conquering Cappadocia - Roxane murders Stateira - Krateros marches on with the veterans to Europe |
- Lamish war : the Greeks under Athens rise against the Macedonian hegemony under Antipater | |
| Late year 323 BC Chr. | - Leonnatus marches to Europe - Antigonus refuses to accept Perdiccas' orders - October: Alexander IV. Aigos is born |
- The Greeks occupied Thermopylae and advanced to Thessaly - Antipater holed up in Lamia and was besieged there |
|
| Spring 322 BC Chr. | - Perdiccas moves with the army to eastern Asia Minor - Eumenes conquers Cappadocia |
- Battle of Lamia: The Greeks defeat Leonnatos (†) - Antipater is able to escape from Lamia |
|
| Summer 322 BC Chr. | - Kynane moves to Asia Minor and is murdered by Alketas - Perdiccas has to marry Eurydice with Philip III. Accept Arrhidaios - Perdiccas agrees to a marriage with a daughter of Antipater - Ptolemy occupies Cyrene and installs Ophellas as governor |
- Antipatros unites with Krateros - Sea battle at Amorgos : Kleitos the White defeats the Greeks - August 6th Battle of Krannon : Despite a stalemate, the Greeks are defeated |
|
| Late year 322 BC Chr. | - Alexander IV. Aigos is proclaimed king - Perdiccas subdues the Pisidians |
- Antipater occupies Piraeus ; Demosthenes commits suicide - the Macedonians march against the Aitolians - Aristotle dies |
|
| Spring 321 BC Chr. | - Cleopatra appears in Sardis and offers himself to Perdiccas for marriage - Antigonus flees to Europe - Ptolemy diverts Alexander's funeral procession to Egypt |
- Antigonus appears in Macedonia and informs Antipater of an impending ascension of Perdiccas |
|
First Diadoch War
| Constellation: Antipater , Krateros , Ptolemaios versus Perdiccas | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 321 BC Chr. | - Antipater, Krateros and Ptolemy ally against Perdiccas - Rome is subject to the Samnites in the battle of the Kaudin passes |
||
| Autumn 321 BC Chr. | - Antipatros and Krateros begin their march to Asia - Polyperchon defeats the Aitolians in Thessaly |
||
| Spring 320 BC Chr. | - Perdiccas marches with the imperial army to Egypt - Antipater follows him through Asia Minor - Battle of the Hellespont : Eumenes defeats Krateros (†) - Perdiccas fails with the crossing on the Nile and is murdered by his own officers - Ptolemy takes over the imperial army and moves to Syria |
||
Fight against the Perdiccans
| Constellation: Antigonus versus Alketas , Eumenes | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 320 BC Chr. | - Conference of Triparadeisos : Antipater is recognized as the new Imperial Regent; Antigonus is appointed commander in chief in Asia; Seleucus becomes governor of Babylon; Eumenes and Alketas are outlawed | ||
| Autumn 320 BC Chr. | - Antipatros and the royal family move to Europe - Eumenes evades before him to Cappadocia - Alketas beats Asandros in Caria , but refuses an alliance with Eumenes |
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| Spring 319 BC Chr. | - Battle of Orkynia : Antigonus defeats Eumenes |
||
| Summer 319 BC Chr. | - Siege of Nora : Antigonus traps Eumenes in a mountain fortress - Battle of Cretopolis : Antigonus defeats Alketas (†) |
||
| Fall 319 BC Chr. | - Arrhidaios seizes Cyzicus | - Antipater dies in Macedonia; Polyperchon becomes his successor in will | |
| Spring 318 BC Chr. | - Antigonus drives Arrhidaios out of Kyzikos - Ptolemaios seizes Syria and Phenicia |
||
Second Diadoch War
| Constellation: Cassander , Antigonus versus Polyperchon , Eumenes | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 318 BC Chr. | - Cassander appears in Asia and allies with Antigonus against Polyperchon - Eumenes is allowed to withdraw from Nora and immediately allies himself with Polyperchon - Eumenes seizes the “silver shields” and part of the Alexander treasure in Cilicia - Eumenes occupies Phenicia and builds a fleet |
||
| Late year 318 BC Chr. | - Polyperchon moves ahead of Athens - Nikanor , commandant of Piraeus, does not join Polyperchon, but remains on the side of Cassander |
||
| Spring 317 BC Chr. | - Kassander sails into Piraeus | ||
| Summer 317 BC Chr. | - After the victory at Byzantion, Antigonus turns against Eumenes | - Polyperchon moves to the Peloponnese and proclaims the freedom of the Greeks against Cassander - Siege of Megalopolis : Polyperchon fails against the city loyal to Cassander - Battle of Byzantion : Nikanor and Antigonos defeat Kleitos the white (†) - Cassander has Nikanor executed |
|
| Late year 317 BC Chr. | - Eumenes' fleet goes over to Antigonus - Eumenes enters Mesopotamia ; Seleucus and Peithon refuse him |
- Athens under Demetrios von Phaleron confesses to Cassander - Cassander is appointed regent by Eurydike - Olympias lets Eurydice and Philip III. Assassinate Arrhidaios - Polyperchon occupies Thermopylae - Cassander bypasses him by sea and besieges Olympias in Pella |
|
| Spring 316 BC Chr. | - Eumenes enters Susa and allies himself with the governors of the upper provinces under Peukestas | - Cassander victory: Olympias surrenders and is executed; Alexander IV. Aigos and Roxane are taken into house arrest, Polyperchon withdraws to the Peloponnese | |
| Summer 316 BC Chr. | - June / July: Battle of the Kopratas : Eumenes defeats Antigonus | - Cassander married Thessalonica and founded Kassandreia - on Sicily seized Agathokles the rule over Syracuse |
|
| Late year 316 BC Chr. | - Battle of Paraitakene : stalemate between Eumenes and Antigonos - Battle of Gabiene : stalemate between Eumenes and Antigonos - Eumenes is betrayed by his own officers to Antigonus and dies in his captivity |
||
Third Diadoch War
| Constellation: Cassander , Ptolemy , Lysimachus versus Antigonus , Demetrios , Polyperchon | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 315 BC Chr. | - Antigonus is master of Asia: Peithon is executed, Peukestas deposed, Seleukos flees to Egypt | ||
| Summer 315 BC Chr. | - Rome is subject to the Samnites at the Battle of Lautulae | ||
| Late year 315 BC Chr. | - November: Antigonos retreats to winter camp in Cilicia - Cassander, Lysimachus and Ptolemaios gave Antigonus an ultimatum to divide his territory |
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| Spring 314 BC Chr. | - Antigonus sends Aristodemos to Greece, who agrees an alliance with Polyperchon - Antigonus marches into Phenicia and begins the siege of Tire |
||
| Summer 314 BC Chr. | - Antigonus conquers Joppa and Gaza - Ptolemy the nephew repulses an attempted invasion of Cassander in Asia Minor |
- Seleukos carries out sea operations in the Aegean Sea against Antigonus - Cassander passes through Thessaly and Boeotia on the Peloponnese - Lysimachus conquers Odessus |
|
| Late year 314 BC Chr. | - Proclamation by Tire: Antigonus has the formal imperial reign transferred from Polyperchon, Kassander is declared an enemy of the empire, the freedom of the Greeks is demanded - Ptolemy seizes Cyprus |
- Counter-offensive by Alexander and Aristodemus in the Peloponnese | |
| Spring 313 BC Chr. | - Ptolemy the nephew beats Asandros and Prepelaos | - Cassander in Messinia | |
| Summer 313 BC Chr. | - Tire surrenders to Antigonus - Ptolemy allies with Asandros |
- Cassander moves against the Aitolians and Illyrians - Athens carries out a sea operation against Lemnos , but fails against Dioskourides - Antigonus as hegemon of the newly founded Nesiotenbunds lord of the Aegean - Alexander goes over to Cassander's side - Aristodemos wins the Aitolians as an ally and drives Alexander from Peloponnese - Alexander is murdered |
|
| Late year 313 BC Chr. | - Antigonos moves to Asia Minor and sends Telesphoros to Greece - Demetrios is appointed governor in Syria - Asandros submits to Antigonus and hands over Caria to him |
- Lysimachus subjugates the Odrysen under Seuthes III. - Aiakides of Epiros falls in Aitolia against an army of Cassander; The young Pyrrhos is saved to the Illyrians - Sea battle of Oreos: Telesphoros and Medios defeat Kassander |
|
| Spring 312 BC Chr. | - Antigonos sends his nephew Ptolemy to Greece | - Cassander offensive in Thessaly and Euboea | |
| Summer 312 BC Chr. | - Byzantium explained Antigonus party for neutral - Ptolemy eliminates the city kings of Cyprus and proposes a revolt in Cyrene down |
- Ptolemy the nephew frees Chalcis and Oropos , marches through Attica , Boeotia and Lokris | |
| Late year 312 BC Chr. | - Battle of Gaza : Ptolemy defeats Demetrios - Ptolemy occupies Phenicia and besieges Tire |
||
| Spring 311 BC Chr. | - Demetrios defeats Killas near Myus - Antigonos marches into Syria; Ptolemy retreats to Egypt - May: Seleucus enters Babylon; Beginning of the Seleucid era |
- Telesphorus renounces Antigonus, but is taken prisoner by Ptolemy the nephew - Alketas II of Epeiros is defeated by an army of Cassander before Eurymenai - Cassander fails before Apollonia |
|
| Summer 311 BC Chr. | - Demetrios marches against the Nabateans - Demetrios marches against Babylon - Seleukos defeats Nikanor on the Tigris and conquers Ekbatana and Susa |
||
| Late year 311 BC Chr. | Peace of the Diadochi : Antigonus, Kassander, Ptolemaios and Lysimachus agree a peace and recognize each other in their territories | ||
Babylonian war
| Constellation: Antigonus , Demetrios versus Seleukos | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 310 BC Chr. | - Seleucus ousts Demetrios from Babylon | ||
| Summer 310 BC Chr. | - August: Antigonus moves against Babylon | - Cassander has Alexander IV murdered Aigos and Roxane, which ends the Macedonian kingdom - Agathocles of Syracuse is subject to Carthage in the Battle of Himeras - Rome defeats the Etruscans in the first battle on Lake Vadimon |
|
| Late year 310 BC Chr. | - Polyperchon proclaims Heracles king - Agathocles of Syracuse crosses to Africa |
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| Spring 309 BC Chr. | - March: Antigonus is repulsed from Babylon - Seleucus defeats Antigonus in a field battle |
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| Summer 309 BC Chr. | - Phoinix revolts against Antigonus | - Polyperchon makes peace with Cassander and murders Heracles and Barsine - Ptolemy the nephew renounces Antigonos - Agathocles of Syracuse occupies the area around Carthage |
|
| Late year 309 BC Chr. | - Ptolemy attacks cities along the coast of Asia Minor - Antigonus gives up Babylon and all provinces east of the Euphrates in favor of Seleucus - Seleucus moves to Central Asia |
- Ptolemy murders Antigonus' nephew on Kos | |
Fourth Diadoch War
| Constellation: Cassander , Ptolemy , Lysimachus , Seleukos versus Antigonos , Demetrios | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 308 BC Chr. | - Demetrius' counteroffensive in Asia Minor against Ptolemy - Phoinix is subdued |
- Lysimachos founds Lysimacheia | |
| Summer 308 BC Chr. | - Antigonus has Cleopatra murdered - Ophellas allies himself with Agathocles of Syracuse to fight against Carthage, but is betrayed and killed by him |
- Ptolemy seizes Sikyons and Corinth | |
| Late year 308 BC Chr. | |||
| Spring 307 BC Chr. | - Agathocles returns to Syracuse and ends its blockade by Carthage | ||
| Summer 307 BC Chr. | - Antigonos sends Demetrios to Greece | - JUNE 10: Demetrios lock the Munychia from - Demetrius freed Megara - Demetrios occupies the Munychia, moves to Athens and restored democracy |
|
| Late year 307 BC Chr. | - Antigonos founds Antigoneia in Syria | - the army of Agathocles mutinies in Africa and surrenders to Carthage | |
| Spring 306 BC Chr. | - Antigonus can be proclaimed king of the undivided Alexander Empire in Antigoneia | - Battle of Salamis : Demetrios triumphs over Ptolemy by land and sea and conquers Cyprus | |
| Summer 306 BC Chr. | - in Epiros Pyrrhos is installed as king | ||
| Autumn 306 BC Chr. | - Offensive against Egypt: Antigonus fails at the Nile crossing and retreats to Syria | - Agathocles of Syracuse makes peace with Carthage | |
| Spring 305 BC Chr. | Cassander, Ptolemy, Lysimachus and Seleucus also assume the title of king | ||
| Summer 305 BC Chr. | - Demetrios takes the Siege of Rhodes in occupied Rome - Bovianum and annexed Campania |
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| Late year 305 BC Chr. | |||
| Spring 304 BC Chr. | - Cassander offensive against Aitolia and Athens - Agathocles of Syracuse assumes the title of king |
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| Summer 304 BC Chr. | - Demetrios breaks off the siege of Rhodes and returns to Greece - Demetrios liberates Halkidiki and Boeotia, alliance with Aitolia |
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| Late year 304 BC Chr. | - the Colossus of Rhodes is built | ||
| Spring 303 BC Chr. | |||
| Summer 303 BC Chr. | - Seleukos sells Gedrosien , Arachosien , Gandhara and Paropamisaden to Chandragupta for 500 war elephants | ||
| Late year 303 BC Chr. | - Demetrios destroys Sikyon and founds Demetrias - Demetrios conquers Corinth and Orchomenos |
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| Spring 302 BC Chr. | |||
| Summer 302 BC Chr. | - Demetrios renews the Corinthian League to fight against Cassander | ||
| Late year 302 BC Chr. | - Lysimachus crosses the Hellespont and operates in Asia Minor against Antigonus - Phoinix, Dokimos and Philetairos go over to Lysimachus' side - Antigonus marches from Syria to Cappadocia, where he retires to winter camp |
- Kassander offensive in Thessaly against Demetrios - Pyrrhos is driven out of Epiros by Kassander |
|
| Spring 301 BC Chr. | - Seleucus returns from the east and moves to Asia Minor to unite with Lysimachus - Ptolemy annexes Koilesyria , but returns to Egypt |
- Demetrios goes to Asia Minor to reunite with his father - Pyrrhos joins Demetrios |
|
| Summer 301 BC Chr. | - Battle of Ipsos : Antigonus falls, Seleucus annexes Syria and Cappadocia, Lysimachus annexes the Hellespont, Phrygia and Ionia , Demetrios flees | ||
Meanwhile
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late year 301 BC Chr. | - Demetrios is sea king and strikes back Lysimachos from Cilicia - Mithridates Ktistes establishes himself as ruler in the Pontus region |
- Collapse of the Corinthian League - party fight in Athens, Demetrios is expelled from the city |
|
| 300 BC Chr. | - Demetrios attacks the Chersonesos on - Lachares is tyrant in Athens |
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| 299 BC Chr. | - Conflict between Seleucus and Ptolemy over Koilesyria - Ptolemy allies with Lysimachus |
- Sea victory of Agathocles of Syracuse over Cassander | |
| 298 BC Chr. | - Seleucus allies with Demetrios - Demetrios conquers Gaza and Samaria from Ptolemaios - Peace between Ptolemy and Demetrios, who holds Pyrrhus hostage |
||
| 297 BC Chr. | - Zipoites , Prince of Bithynia , rises to be king | - Kassander dies | |
| 296 BC Chr. | - Demetrios returns to Greece and conquers the Peloponnese - supported by Ptolemy, Pyrrhos regains power in Epiros - Philip IV dies in Macedonia . |
||
| 295 BC Chr. | - Rome defeats the Samnites and their allies in the battle of Sentinum | ||
| 294 BC Chr. | - Lysimachus conquers Ephesus , Cilicia is annexed by Seleucus and Cyprus by Ptolemy | - Demetrios moves back into Athens, drives out Lachares and restores democracy - Demetrios defeats the Spartians at Mantineia - Demetrios eliminates Alexander V and becomes ruler in Macedonia |
|
| 293 BC Chr. | - Lysimachus is captured by the Geten - Demetrios moves against Thrace |
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| 292 BC Chr. | - Pyrrhos marches through Thessaly to Thermopylae - Demetrius' counteroffensive, who conquers Boeotia and passes through Epiros |
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| 291 BC Chr. | |||
| 290 BC Chr. | - Demetrios conquers Thebes and allies himself with Agathocles of Syracuse against Pyrrhus - Rome obliges the Samnites to military success |
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| 289 BC Chr. | - Ptolemy in Alexandria directed the cult of the deified Alexander a | - Demetrios passes through Aitolia, but is driven back by Pyrrhos to Macedonia - Demetrios' armor for a campaign to conquer Asia provokes an alliance of Pyrrhos, Lysimachus, Ptolemaios and Seleukos against him - Agathocles of Syracuse dies |
Fifth Diadoch War
| Constellation: Pyrrhus , Ptolemy , Lysimachus , Seleucus versus Demetrios | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 288 BC Chr. | - War on two fronts in Macedonia: Lysimachus attacks the east and Pyrrhus the west - Ptolemy sends his fleet to the Aegean Sea - Demetrios' army deserted at Beroia - Athens under Olympiodoros rises against Demetrios - Demetrios leaves Macedonia, lands in Attica and besieges Athens - Demetrios gives up the siege of Athens |
||
| 287 BC Chr. | - Demetrios is pushed to Cilicia by Prince Agathocles - Demetrios winters in Cataonia - Ptolemy takes over Sidon and Tire |
- Demetrios appoints his son Antigonos Gonatas as his trustee in Europe and crosses to Asia Minor | |
| 286 BC Chr. | - Demetrios' troops desert to Seleukos - Demetrios surrenders to Seleukos and is taken prisoner |
- Ptolemy becomes the new hegemon of the Nesioten League | |
Meanwhile
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 285 BC Chr. | - With the completion of the Serapeum of Alexandria , Ptolemy establishes the Serapis cult | - Pyrrhos and Antigonos Gonatas are defeated by Lysimachus, who annexes Macedonia | |
| 284 BC Chr. | |||
| 283 BC Chr. | - Demetrios dies in captivity - Ptolemy dies, successor is Ptolemy II. |
- Lysimachus executes his son Agathocles, whose followers flee to Seleucus - Rome defeats and subdues the Etruscans after the second battle on the Vadimonian lake |
Sixth Diadoch War
| Constellation: Seleucus versus Lysimachus | |||
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 282 BC Chr. | - Seleucus goes on the offensive against Lysimachus in Asia Minor; Philetairus of Pergamon goes over to him | ||
| Spring 281 BC Chr. | - Battle of Kurupedion : Seleucus defeats Lysimachus (†) | ||
reverberation
| time | Asia | Europe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 281 BC Chr. | - Seleukos is lord of Asia and hands over the " Seleucid Empire " to his son Antiochus I to cross over to Europe | - Seleukos is murdered by Ptolemy Keraunos , who takes power in Macedonia | |
| 280 BC Chr. | - Pyrrhus crosses over to Italy to fight against Rome | ||
| 279 BC Chr. | - Antigonos Gonatas allies with Nicomedes I of Bithynia against Antiochus I. | - Onslaught of the Celts on Greece : Ptolemy Keraunos falls; Celts advance to Thermopylae - “ Pyrrhic victory ” over Rome in the battle of Asculum - Rome allies itself with Carthage |
|
| 278 BC Chr. | - Antigonos Gonatas cedes his cities in Asia Minor to Antiochus I and in return is recognized as king of Macedonia | - Pyrrhos crosses over to Sicily to fight Carthage - Aitolians and Phokers defeat the Celts at Delphi |
|
| 277 BC Chr. | - Antigonos Gonatas defeats the Celts at Lysimacheia and rises to be king of Macedonia |
literature
- Edward M. Anson: The Chronology of the Third Diadoch War , in: Phoenix Vol. 60, No. 3/4 (2006), pp. 226-235.
- RM Errington : Diodorus Siculus and the Chronology of the Early Diadochoi, 320-311 BC In: Hermes Vol. 105 (1977), pp. 478-504.
- RH Simpson: Antigonus, Polyperchon and the Macedonian Regency , in: Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte Vol. 6 (1957), pp. 371-373.
- RH Simpson: Antigonus the One-Eyed and the Greeks , in: Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte Vol. 8 (1959), pp. 385-409.
- PV Whealtley: The Lifespan of Demetrius Poliorcetes , in: Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte Vol. 46 (1997), pp. 19-27.