Wars of the Diadochi > Lamian War
Lamian War
Background
The Lamian War also known as the Hellenic War was fought between 323 BC and 322 BC by some of the Greek city-states such as Athens and their allies against Macedon and Boeotia. The war was fought in the direct aftermath of the death of the Alexander the Great in 323 BC at the city of Babylon and precceded the Wars of the Diadochi. Following his death, the Greek city-states such as Athens attempted to break away from Macedonian rule and were commanded by Leosthenes.
They won some initial successes at the city of Plataea and later at the corridor at Thermopylae. Here they defeated the Macedonian army that was commanded by Antipater who were forced to flee to the city of Lamia where the Greeks continued to assault them while they waited for their allies. However, soon the tide of the war would turn and the Athenian navy suffered a loss at the Hellespont and later Amorgos by the more powerful Macedonian navy. Being in control of the Aegean Sea was vital in transporting troops from the Greek mainland and without their reinforcements the Greek troops were defeated at Lamia.
Also by controlling the sea the Macedonians were able to land troops on the Greek shores where they fought the Greeks at Rhamnus. They would be defeated by soon the Macedonian army from Lamia with reinforcements from Asia would cross into the mainland and defeat the Greek military at Crannon. This effectively ended the Lamian War but directly set in motion the events for the following Wars of the Diadochi which saw the breakup of Alexander's empire by his generals and officers into various kingdoms.
Lamian War Battles
Battle of Plataea
Battle of Thermopylae
Siege of Lamia
See Siege of Lamia
Battle of Amorgos
Battle of the Enchinades
Battle of Rhamnus
Battle of Crannon
Aftermath
The aftermath of the Lamian War would lay the foundations for the First War of the Diadochi and all of the subsequent Wars of the Diadochi after that.
