Adea / Eurydike: the daughter of Alexander's half-sister Kynane, who
had been married to Amyntas Perdicca. Kynane brought her from Macedon to
Asia Minor in summer of 321, hoping to marry her to Philip Arrhidaeus,
but was herself killed. Perdiccas was blamed for this, and forced by popular
opinion in the army to permit the marriage (D.S. 19.52.5). After
Perdiccas' death in the abortive attempt to invade Egypt and wrest the
body of Alexander from Ptolemy, the royal army moved back into Syria, and
Adea / Eurydike began to assert her right to rule with (and through) her
husband. Antigonus and Antipater pressured her to take a back seat, and
when Antipater returned to Macedon with the kings after the Triparadeisos
agreement, Adea / Eurydike was taken too.
In 317, however, she began to assert her authority
once more, in Macedon, this time against Polyperchon (D.S. 19.11.1,
Justin 14.5). Polyperchon allied with Olympias, Alexander's mother, who
proved herself unstoppable: Adea / Eurydike's troops deserted to Olympias,
who had Philip Arrhidaeus executed and forced Eurydike to commit suicide (D.S.
19.11.2-5, Justin 14.5.1-10).
Agema: the elite “guards” regiment of the Macedonian army;
Alexander III: "the Great", 356-323. For a chronological outline of
his career
click
here.
Alexander IV: the posthumous son of Alexander the Great and Roxanne.
The agreement of the great commanders in Babylon after Alexander's death
gave him the kingship, but he and his mother soon became pawns in the power-games
of the Successors. They were both murdered on the orders of Cassander in 310.
Ammon: the chief god of New Kingdom Egypt, Ammon remained a great god
during the late period, with which we are concerned. His oracle at the
oasis of Siwah had been visited in legend by both Perseus and Herakles.
Amorgos: an Aegean island roughly half way between Rhodes and Delos,
near where, in 322, Cleitus defeated an Athenian fleet of 200 warships.
The battle was a decisive turning point in the first major Greek rebellion
against Macedon after the death of Alexander.
Antigonid Dynasty: the descendants of Antigonus Monophthalmus and Demetrius
Poliorcetes who, starting with Antigonus Gonatas, established stable control
of Macedon and Greece in the generations after Alexander.
| Antigonus Monophthalmus | ‘the One-Eyed’ | "King" 306-301: killed at Ipsus. |
| Demetrius Poliorcetes | ‘the City-Smasher’ or ‘Besieger’ | "King" from 306; king of Macedon 294-288; died 283. |
| Antigonus Gonatas | "the knock-kneed" or "from (the town of) Gonnis" | King of Macedon 277-239. |
| Demetrius II | King of Macedon 239-229. | |
| Antigonus III Doson | "the Gift-Giver" | King of Macedon 229-222. |
| Philip V | King of Macedon 222-179. | |
| Perseus | King of Macedon 179-168. |
Antigonus Gonatas: the son of Demetrius Poliorcetes and grandson of
Antigonus Monophthalmus, who remained active, though marginal, in Macedon
after his father's imprisonment by Seleucus (288-7) . With the death of
Lysimachus in 281, and the general instability which followed in Macedonia,
he set out to regain a central position. During the Gallic invasions of
277 he defeated a large Gallic army, and was soon acclaimed as king of
Macedon. With the exception of brief periods during invasions by Pyrrhus
(274, 272) he maintained control of Macdon and dominance in the Greek mainland
until his death in 239, and passed his kingdom on to his son, Demetrius.
Antigonus Monophthalmus (the One-Eyed): born in 382, Antigonus was
a close contemporary of Philip II. When Philip came to the throne of Macedon
in 359, Antigonus doubtless took an active military role in the expansion
of Macedonian power, but we only have scraps of evidence, including one
suggesting he lost an eye and gained his nick-name at the siege of Perinthus
c. 340. His son Demetrius was born 337/6, and he probably took part in
the invasion with Alexander in 334, for he commanded a force which liberated
Priene for Alexander. He was appointed Satrap of Phrygia (southern central
Turkey) in 333, and in 332, after the battle of Issus, defeated a determined
Persian counter-attack designed to recapture much of Asia Minor (Q.C.
4.1.34-35). By 330 his satrapy seems to have been expanded to include more
than 2/3 of Asia Minor.
At Alexander's death his position was confirmed
by the settlement of the commanders in Babylon, but he was under pressure
from Perdiccas, and fled to Greece late in 321. In 320 he returned to Asia
Minor with a small army, and acting in concert with other anti-Perdiccan
forces, held Cyprus. When Perdiccas was assassinated and a new settlement
made at Triparadeisos in Syria, Antigonus was given back his satrapy and
put in charge of the royal army in Asia, and also given the command against
Perdiccas’ remaining strong ally, Eumenes. Defeating Eumenes took considerable
effort, and luck, through to 316.
Antigonus then reorganised the eastern Satrapies,
driving Seleucus out of Babylon, and formed an alliance with Polyperchon
in Greece. Besieging Tyre in 314 he declared himself the guardian of Alexander
IV and Roxanne, and decreed that all the Greek cities ought to be free.
This was (rightly) seen as an attempt to destabilise Cassander, and, along
with Antigonus’ generally dominant position, led to war with most of the
other commanders. This war ended c. 311, with the various commanders tacitly
accepting one anothers’ claims.
Antipater: a major Macedonian nobleman under Philip II, Antipater was
instrumental in Alexander's accession to the throne when Philip was assassinated.
When Alexander invaded Persian territory in 334, Antipater remained in
Macedon to maintain control over Greece, and guard Alexander's rear. In
this capacity he fought a major rebellion led by Agis of Sparta in 332-331,
finally defeating Agis at the battle of Megalopolis. He remained in his
position throughout Alexander's life. Though summoned by Alexander
to Babylon in 323, presumably to be relieved of his command, he managed
to “stall” until Alexander's death by sending his son Cassander ahead in his place.
He then became a major figure in the first few years of the “Successor Wars”,
gaining the guardianship of the kings, Philip Arrhidaeus and Alexander IV, and taking them back to
Macedon. He died in 319, leaving Polyperchon as regent and guardian of the kings, but
Polyperchon lost control and was eventually driven from power in 317 by Antipater's son,
Cassander.
Apama or Apame: the daughter of Spitamenes,
married to Seleucus at the "Mass Marriages" at
Susa in 324. Their marriage was one of the few from this famous event which
lasted far beyond Alexander's death. Whether for personal reasons, political
reasons or both, the marriage endured, and Apama's son Antiochus was the
heir of the Seleucid kingdom. Due to the patriarchal bias of our evidence,
we know little more of Apama's life, but see below, "Apameia".
Apameia: the name of several important Seleucid cities, including ....
Aristobulos: one of the earliest Alexander-historians. Aristobulos
wrote in the period after the Battle of Ipsus in 301. He was a technical
officer ("military engineer"?) for Alexander, but may not have been present
in the early stages of the campaign. He was entrusted with the task of
restoring Cyprus' tomb at Pasagardae (???), and was sent on a mission in
India (???). He is particularly strong on details of topography and botany.
As an example see Arrian 4.22.4.
Aristodemos of Miletus, "friend" of Antigonus the One-eyed, who conveyed
the news of Demetrius' great victory over Ptolemy on Cyprus to Antigonus
at Antigoneia on the Orontes. In what appeared to be a carefully staged
announcement (Plutarch, Life of Demetrius 17.2-18.1), he hailed Antigonus
as "king", and Antigonus and Demetrius laid claim to the title from then
on.
Aristotle: the greatest Greek philosopher of the generation after Plato.
Born in Stageira, Aristotle studied in Athens under Plato until Plato's
death. ...
Flavius Arrianus Xenophon was born in Nicomedia in what is now northern Turkey
in the late 80s of the first century A.D. As an aristocrat and a Roman citizen, he had an excellent
literary and philosophical education before going into military service. He rose to the position of
Consul in 129 or 130 A.D., under the emperor Hadrian, and was governor of the Roman province
of Cappadocia. He wrote several works on philosophical, military and naval matters, and in the 140s
and 150s moved to Athens. Here he wrote a number of further works, of which only a few have
survived. His Anabasis of Alexander survives complete, and is generally held to be the best
overall narrative of Alexander’s career. His Indica, describing north-western India and the
voyage of Alexander’s admiral Nearchus, also survives. Tantalising fragments of his Events after Alexander
have survived, quoted by much later writers; it is clear that this was a work on the same scale as his book
on Alexander. Its loss leaves serious gaps in our understanding of the generation after the death of Alexander.
autonomia: "autonomy", having and living under one's own laws,
from "autos" and "nomos" (law, custom).
Bagoas: the Persian eunuch mentioned in Quintus Curtius ???
Barsine (1): the eldest daughter of Darius III,
Barsine (2): the widow of Memnon, and daughter
of Artabazus. This Barsine was Alexander's mistress
for a period, and according to some sources had borne him a son, Herakles,
who was approximately eight years old when Alexander died. This Herakles
later became a pawn in the Successor Wars, and was murdered by
Cassander.
See D.S. 20.20.1-4, Quintus Curtius 10.6.11, cf. Justin 13.2.7.
Callisthenes: Alexander's "court historian", a nephew of Aristotle
the philosopher, who had tutored Alexander as a youth.
Chrysippus of Soli (277 - 204 B.C.): the third great head of the Stoic
school of philosophy. He was best known for his development of Stoic logic,
and for his theory of pneuma, the ultra-fine material which, in his view,
provided the tonos, or 'vital tension', which unites the universe.
Cleanthes of Assos (342 - 232 B.C.): the second great head of the Stoic
school of philosophy. Though his work only survives in fragments, his "Hymn
to Zeus" has survived complete. See A.A. Long & D.N. Sedley, The
Hellenistic Philosophers, vol. 1, p. 326.
Clearchus of Heracleia Pontica
Cleomenes of Naucratis: the Satrap of Egypt under Alexander, replaced
and soon killed by Ptolemy son of Lagus (later Ptolemy I Soter), who was
given the satrapy of Egypt by the settlement in Babylon after the death
of Alexander.
Coele-Syria: literally “the entrails of Syria”: the hinterland of the
coast of modern Syria, Lebanon and Israel.
Crannon: the location, in Thessaly, where in August of 322 Craterus
and Antipater defeated the first allied Greek rebellion against Macedonian
control after the death of Alexander.
Demetrius "Poliorcetes" (c. ??? - ??? B.C.)
Demetrius of Phaleron: a student of Aristotle,
Demetrius was chosen by Cassander to rule Athens from 317, when Cassander
captured it, to its “liberation” by Demetrius Poliorcetes in 307. Estimates
of Demetrius as a ruler vary widely, but he is remembered as one of very
few philosophers who ever had the chance to put their views into practice.
When ejected from Athens he eventually made his way to Alexandria, where
he worked for Ptolemy I within the Mouseion. He is widely reputed to have
been the first Librarian of the great Library of Alexandria, but this is
probably legend. He did have a considerable role in the development of
the cult of Serapis. When Ptolemy I died he supported the claim to the
throne of Ptolemy Ceraunos, who was not successful; when Ptolemy II Philadelphus
gained power instead, Demetrius was dismissed from his position. Among
his other works he wrote an essay “On Tyche” (Luck), and its effects on
human life, which was cited by Polybius 29.21.2, and some of his hymns to the god
Serapis were still in use in the third century A.D.
Demotic: the "popular" form of cursive Egyptian script used in the
Hellenistic period.
Diodorus Siculus (Diodorus of Sicily, c. ??? - ??? B.C.)
eleutheria: freedom, political liberty.
Eratosthenes: a famous Alexandrian scholar, head of the royal Library,
Eratosthenes is best known for his calculation of the circumference of
the earth.
Euergetes: "Benefactor", a description given to those who contribute
in some major, usually financial fashion to community life. Also a title
in ruler cult: see Ptolemy III and Ptolemy VIII. Due to their vast wealth,
kings could act as benefactors on a grand scale.
Euhemerus of Messene: an intellectual of the generation after Alexander,
and a courtier of Cassander, Euhemerus wrote a utopian novel of an island
called Panchaea, probably intended to be in the Persian Gulf. Among the
ideas floated in this novel was the idea that the gods were in fact once
great human beings, who had received cult due to the benefits they had
conferred on humanity. Scholars are often unsure whether to read this myth
as a genuine theory, as cynical, or as a rationalisation of ruler-cult
in Euhemerus' own time. The theory becomes known as "Euhemerism", and had
a powerful influence on the Latin poet Ennius, and on the later historian
Diodorus Siculus.
Eumenes of Cardia, Alexander's personal private secretary and later
a cavalry hipparch and independent general. Greek, not Macedonian,
Eumenes suffered from a degree of prejudice from the Macedonians of the
court after Alexander's death, but had a brilliant career as a commander
before being handed over to his enemy Antigonus the
One-Eyed, and executed. On his career see Plutarch's Life of Eumenes.
Evagoras of Crete (king 411-374),
Gabiene: in eastern Persia, the location of the climactic battle between
Eumenes and Antigonus Monophthalmus in 316/5, won by Eumenes, after which
he was betrayed to Antigonus by the elite "Silver Shields", and executed.
hegemon: "leader", the dominant member of a military alliance
or league.
Herodoros: one of the" Friends", or courtiers, of Demetrius Poliorcetes,
particularly honoured in Athens. See Burstein, Doc. 6.
Hieronymus of Cardia: the lieutenant of Eumenes,
Hypaspists: literally, the "under-shields" or "shield-bearers"
of the Macedonian infantry. However, the name may be only partly accurate
(just as British Grenadiers are no longer particularly known for their
grenades), as the Hypaspists seem to have operated armed with the sarissa
and light pelta shield at least some of the time.
Justin: the "epitomator" or condenser of the "Augustan History" of
Pompeius Trogus,
Lamia: the fortress in which the Athenians besieged Antipater during
the "Lamian War", the revolt which resulted from the news of Alexander's
death reaching Greece.
Lamia: the beloved wife of Demetrius Poliorcetes, deified as "Aphrodite
Lamia" in Athens and Thebes according to Athenaeus, possibly during Demetrius'
second stay in Athens in the winter of 304.
Leochares: the mid-fourth century sculptor responsible for ivory and
gold statues of Amyntas, Philip and Alexander in the "Philippeion" at Olympia:
see Pausanias 5.20.10. The Philippeion was commenced in 339, but completed
under Alexander.
metic (metoikos): a "resident alien", or non-citizen
resident of a Greek polis.
Paraitacenae: in eastern Persia, scene of a major battle between Eumenes
and Antigonus Monophthalmus late in 316 B.C. (Diodorus 19.28-9).
Parysatis, daughter of Artaxerxes III Ochus,
phalanx: the general Greek term for any massed infantry line
of spearmen, but used more particularly for the Macedonian
sarissa-phalanx,
developed by Philip II and brilliantly exploited by Alexander the Great
and his successors.
Phila: daughter of Antipater, and long-time wife of Demetrius Poliorcetes.
Philip Arrhidaeus: Alexander's half-brother, a son of Philip who went
on the invasion of Persia but is never mentioned in our sources until after
the death of Alexander. When in Babylon the commanders agreed to crown
Alexander's unborn son by Roxanne, the common soldiers, led by Meleager,
demanded that Philip Arrhidaeus, as Alexander's nearest male relative,
be given the throne. A compromise was reached whereby both would be made
joint kings, but Philip Arrhidaeus was never an independent force.
Philippides: a wealthy Athenian, honoured as a civic benefactor and
Friend (courtier) of Lysimachus, Austin Doc. 43.
Proskynesis: the Persian custom of prostrating oneself before
people of superior rank, particularly the Great King. This custom was regarded
with distaste by Greeks, for whom proskynesis was only to be performed
before the cult-statue of a god. The Greeks knew that Persians did not
worship their kings, but still found the practice "barbarian". Alexander,
used to receiving proskynesis from his Persian subjects, attempted
to introduce it as a uniform court practice for all, but was dissuaded
by the opposition of Callisthenes and the Macedonian officers. After Alexander's
death, with the rise of ruler cult under his successors, proskynesis
became a regular part of the cult of the kings, but was not often performed
directly to them in person.
Proxenos, Proxeny: literally “for foreigners”, unofficial ambassador. Often translated
“Guest-friend”. The ancient world never developed the formal institution of permanent inter-state
embassies. Instead, cities were linked by networks of informal connections, originating in the archaic
and Classical periods. A Corinthian who had hereditary connections with Thebes might act as the Theban
proxenos in Corinth, representing Theban interests at an informal level. They might well be used
on embassies to Thebes, or assist Thebans in Corinth. They would be called the Theban proxenos,
though they themselves were Corinthian. Proxeny carried with it considerable status, and in the Hellenistic
period proxenoi were often honoured with special decrees and privileges.
Ptolemy / Ptolemies
The Ptolemies were the Dynasty of kings who came to rule Egypt in the
period after Alexander. They were descended from (and named after) Ptolemy
the son of Lagus, boyhood friend of Alexander, and member of his personal
Bodyguard late in his life. All of the (male) Ptolemies are (conveniently)
named "Ptolemy", as are various Ptolemies who did not become king, but
they can be distinguished either by number, or in most cases by nickname,
or both, as follows:
| Ptolemy I son of Lagus | Ptolemy "Soter", 'Saviour' | Satrap of Egypt from 323; proclaims self king 305/4; died 283 |
| Ptolemy | "Ceraunos", 'Thunderbolt' | First son of Ptolemy Soter, but passed over for his younger brother, who became Ptolemy II. |
| Ptolemy | Magas | Governor of Cyrene under Ptolemies I and II, but revolted c. 274 in coalition with Antiochus I (the "First Syrian War"). |
| Ptolemy II | Ptolemy "Philadelphus" | Co-regent 285-283; king 283-246 |
| Ptolemy III | Ptolemy "Euergetes", 'Benefactor' | king 246-221 |
| Ptolemy IV | Ptolemy "Philopator" | king 221-204 |
| Ptolemy V | Ptolemy "Epiphanes" | king 204-180 |
| Ptolemy VI | Ptolemy "Philometor" | king 180-164, 163-145 |
| Ptolemy VII | Ptolemy "Neos Philopator" | co-regent with Ptolemy VI; king 145. |
| Ptolemy VIII | Ptolemy "Euergetes Physcon" | king 170-163; 145-116.* |
| Cleopatra II | queen 170-164; 163-116* | |
| Cleopatra III | Cleopatra "Euergetis" | queen 139-116 as queen to Physcon; -101* |
| Ptolemy IX | Ptolemy "Soter II Lathyros" | king 116-107, 87-81* |
| Ptolemy X | Ptolemy "Alexander" | king 107-103, 101-88 |
| Cleopatra | Cleopatra "Berenike" | queen 101-88, 80* |
| Ptolemy XI | Ptolemy "Alexander II" | king 85? |
| Ptolemy XII | Ptolemy "Neos Dionysus Auletes" | king 80-58; 55-51* |
| Berenike IV | queen 58-55 | |
| Archelaus | king 56-55 | |
| Ptolemy XIII | king 51-47 | |
| Cleopatra VII | Cleopatra VII "Philopator" | 51-30: "the" Cleopatra. |
| Ptolemy XIV | king 47-44 |
Roxanne, daughter of Oxyartes and first wife of Alexander.
sarissa: the five metre long "pike" adopted by Philip II as
the prime weapon of both the Macedonian infantry and (in a shorter, double-
ended version) by the cavalry. Pikes of a similar length had long been
used by Thracian light infantry and skirmishers, and as hunting weapons,
but never before as weapons for massed regiments of infantry on the Greek
model. Under later successor kings the sarissa was extended to as much as 6 metres.
Satrap: a provincial governor under the Persian king. His province is normally called a "satrapy". Alexander, and later the Seleucid kings as well, maintained many aspects of this form of Persian provincial administration, and so the term continues to be used.
Seleucus: a member of Alexander's elite Bodyguard, and commander of
the hypaspists from the time of the battle of the Hydaspes. Seleucus
was appointed cavalry commander (chiliarch) by Perdiccas in Babylon
after Alexander's death. He became Satrap of Babylon at Triparadeisos,
held the position until he was ejected by Antigonus in 316, and reclaimed
it in 311. His reign as king formally dates from 305. The "Seleucid" dynasty
remained powerful until c. 164, when internal struggles begin to reduce
their influence.
| Seleucus I | "Nikator", 'the victorious' | Satrap of Babylon 320 -316; deposed by Antigonus 316, operates under Ptolemy 315-312, retakes Satrapy 311. King 305 - 281. |
| Antiochus I | "Soter", 'the Saviour' | Co-regent 290, King 281 - 261. |
| Antiochus II | "Theos", 'God' | Co-regent 266, King 261 - 246 |
| Seleucus II | "Kallinikos", 'beautiful victory'. | King 246 - 225 |
| Antiochus | "Hierax", 'the hawk' | Co-regent c. 241, rebels c. 240, independent; dies c. 226. |
| Seleucus III | "Soter", 'the Saviour' | King 225 - 223 |
| Antiochus III | 'the Great' | King 223 - 187 |
| Seleucus IV | "Philopator", 'revering his father' | King 187 - 175 |
| Antiochus IV | "Epiphanes", 'suddenly appearing' or 'Manifest' | Hostage in Rome 188 - 177(?), King 175 - 164 |
| Antiochus V | "Eupator", 'well-fathered' | King 163 - 162 |
| Demetrius I | "Soter", 'Saviour' | King 162 - 150 |
| Alexander Balas | King 150 - 145 | |
| Antiochus VI | "Epiphanes", 'suddenly appearing' or 'Manifest' | King 145 - 142 |
| Antiochus VII | "Sidetes", 'the Sidonian' | King 138 - 129 |
| Demetrius II | "Nikator", 'the Victorious' | King 129 - 125 |
| Various minor Kings. |
Siwah: a major oasis in the Egyptian desert, near the border with modern
Libya. It was the site of a famous oracle of the Egyptian god Ammon, which,
in legend, had been visited by Perseus.
Sophist: the general term for a Greek intellectual who made his living
as a teacher or practitioner of philosophy or oratory. Anaxarchus and Callisthenes
were among the sophists in Alexander's court.