People > Nicanor

Nicanor

Background

Nicanor, also known as Nikanor, was a Macedonian officer of distinction during the tumultuous period following the death of Alexander the Great. His career spanned several key events and power struggles among the Diadochi, the successors to Alexander's empire. Here is a detailed account of his life and career:

Early Career and Rise to Power

• Background: Nicanor is sometimes identified with Nicanor of Stageira, who served under Alexander the Great, suggesting he had significant military experience and connections from Alexander's campaigns.
• Division of Provinces at Triparadeisus: In 321 BCE, following the death of Perdiccas, the empire of Alexander was divided among his generals at the conference of Triparadeisus. Nicanor was appointed governor of Cappadocia, a key region in the empire.

Service Under Antigonus

• Alliance with Antigonus: Nicanor aligned himself with Antigonus, one of the most powerful of Alexander’s successors. He participated in Antigonus's campaigns against Eumenes, another of Alexander's former generals.
• Capture of Eumenes: After the Battle of Gabiene in 316 BCE, the mutinous Argyraspids betrayed their general Eumenes to Antigonus. Nicanor was chosen to receive Eumenes from them, indicating his trusted position within Antigonus's ranks.

Satrap of Media

• Governorship of Media: After the defeat of Peithon and his associates, Nicanor was appointed satrap of Media and the adjoining "upper satrapies" by Antigonus. This position placed him in charge of a significant and strategic region.
• Conflict with Seleucus: In 312 BCE, Seleucus, another of Alexander's successors, seized control of Babylon, leading to the Babylonian War. Nicanor assembled a large force to confront Seleucus but was defeated at the Tigris River.

Battle and Uncertain Fate

• Defeat and Aftermath: Nicanor’s forces were either cut to pieces or defected to Seleucus. His fate after the battle is uncertain:
  • Escape According to Diodorus: Diodorus Siculus suggests that Nicanor escaped the battle and fled to the desert, from where he wrote to Antigonus for assistance.
  • Death According to Appian: Appian, on the other hand, records that Nicanor was killed in the battle.
• Disappearance from History: Regardless of the exact details, it is clear that Nicanor did not play any further significant role in the events that followed, as he disappears from historical records after this defeat.

Legacy

Nicanor’s career reflects the intense power struggles and shifting alliances among Alexander the Great’s successors. His service under Antigonus and his role in significant military campaigns highlight his importance in the early Hellenistic period. His eventual defeat by Seleucus marks a critical moment in the consolidation of Seleucus's power, which would eventually lead to the establishment of the Seleucid Empire.

Overall, Nicanor's life underscores the volatility of the era and the precarious nature of power among the Diadochi, where fortunes could change rapidly, often leading to abrupt and sometimes mysterious ends for even the most influential figures.

Sources

Arrian, as reported by Photius 72a; Diodorus 18.39; Appian Mithr. 8.

Plutarch Eumenes 17.

Diodorus 19.92, 100; Appian Syriaca. 55.

Smith, William, ed. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

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