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The Successors of Alexander the Great. Western Civ. The Death of Alexander. 323 BCE: Alexander the Great dies in Babylon, a month from his 33 rd birthday Poisoning? Malaria? Alcohol Poisoning? Q: Who did he name as his heir??. A: NO ONE. Who inherits his vast empire?
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The Successors of Alexander the Great Western 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”ΣέλευκοςΝικάτωρ • Macedonian Officer to Alexander • Takes control of Babylon, Eastern Conquests all the way to Annatolia • Death: Murdered in 281 Seleucid Empire
Ptolemy “Soter”ΠτολεμαῖοςΣωτήρ • Another Macedonian General • Takes control of Egypt; parts of Arabia, Libya, Annatolia, Palestine • Death: Peacefully, in 283 Ptolemaic Empire
Antigonus “Monopthalmus”ἈντίγονοςὁΜονόφθαλμος • 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! War Elephant Pezhetairoi Heavily armored Cataphract Cavalry Heliopolis at Rhodes