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Polyperchon
Background
Polyperchon was a significant Macedonian general who served both Philip II and Alexander the Great and later played a crucial role in the Wars of the Diadochi, the conflicts between Alexander's generals after his death. Here's a detailed account of his life and career:
Early Life and Military Career
- Background: Polyperchon was the son of Simmias from Tymphaia in Epirus. He hailed from a region known for its strong warrior traditions.
- Service under Philip II and Alexander: Polyperchon served under Philip II and accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaigns. After the Battle of Issus in 333 BC, Polyperchon was given command of the Tymphaean battalion of the phalanx, a position he held until 324 BC.
- Return to Macedon: After returning to Babylon, Polyperchon, along with other veterans, was sent back to Macedon with Craterus. They only reached Cilicia by the time of Alexander's death in 323 BC, after which they continued on to Greece.
Role in the Wars of the Diadochi
- Support for Antipater: As Craterus' second in command, Polyperchon acted as governor of Macedon and supported Antipater in the Lamian War, successfully defeating the Thessalian cavalry of Menon.
- Governor of Macedon: After the First War of the Diadochi, Polyperchon remained in Macedon while Antipater traveled to Asia Minor to assert his regency over the empire.
Regent of Macedon
- Appointment as Regent: Upon Antipater's death in 319 BC, Polyperchon was appointed regent and supreme commander of the empire. This appointment led to a conflict with Antipater's son Cassander, who was supposed to be his chief lieutenant.
- Civil War: The disagreement with Cassander escalated into a civil war. Polyperchon allied with Eumenes against Cassander, Antigonus, and Ptolemy. Although initially successful in securing control over Greek cities and proclaiming their freedom, Polyperchon faced significant setbacks:
- Defeat by Antigonus: In 318 BC, Polyperchon's fleet was destroyed by Antigonus, and Cassander secured control of Athens the following year.
- Flight from Macedon: Polyperchon was driven from Macedon by Cassander, who took control of the disabled king Philip Arrhidaeus and his wife Eurydice. Polyperchon fled to Epirus and joined forces with Olympias, widow Roxana, and infant Alexander IV.
Alliance with Olympias and Subsequent Conflict
- Alliance with Olympias: Polyperchon formed an alliance with Olympias and King Aeacides of Epirus. Olympias led an army into Macedon, initially succeeding and capturing King Philip, whom she had executed.
- Defeat by Cassander: Cassander returned from the Peloponnesus, defeated Olympias, and captured and murdered her in 316 BC, taking Roxana and Alexander IV into custody.
Later Life and Death
- Control in the Peloponnesus: Polyperchon fled to the Peloponnesus, where he still controlled a few strongholds. He allied with Antigonus and surrendered the regency to him.
- Murders of Heracles: Polyperchon later broke with Antigonus and murdered Heracles, Alexander's reputed illegitimate son, in 309 BC to curry favor with Cassander.
- Final Years: There is no certain date for Polyperchon's death. He is last mentioned as being alive in 304 BC, but he likely lived into the early 3rd century BC. His son Alexander also became a notable general in the Wars of the Diadochi.
Polyperchon’s career highlights the complex and often brutal power struggles that characterized the period following Alexander the Great's death. Despite his initial successes and significant military skills, his fortunes waned due to the relentless ambitions and shifting alliances of the era's other powerful figures.
Regent of Macedon
See Macedon
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Sources
390–380 according to Heckel, W., 'The Marshals of Alexander's Empire' (1992), p. 189.
after 382 according to Billows, R., 'Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State' (1990), p. 172, n. 20.
Heckel, W., 'The Marshals of Alexander's Empire' (1992), p. 204.
Billows, R., 'Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State' (1990), p. 172, n. 20.
Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Tony (2000). Who's Who in the Classical World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 315–316. ISBN 0192801074.
Peter Green, Alexander to Actium (University of California Press, 1990), pp. 17–20.
R. H. Simpson, "Antigonus, Polyperchon and the Macedonian Regency," Historia 6 (1957): 371–73.
P. Wheatley, "The Date of Polyperchon’s Invasion of Macedonia and Murder of Herakles," Antichthon 32 (1998): 12–23.
Livius, Polyperchon by Jona Lendering
Polyperchon entry in historical source book by Mahlon H. Smith
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