Battle of Cretopolis

Last updated
Battle of Cretopolis (Kretopolis)
Part of the Diadochi Wars
Date319 BC
Location
near Cretopolis (in Pisidia/Asia Minor)
(modern-day Büğdüz, Burdur, Turkey)
Result Antigonos victory
Belligerents
Anti-Perdiccan coalition Perdiccan coalition
Commanders and leaders
Antigonos Alketas
Attalos  (POW)
Polemon  (POW)
Dokimos  (POW)
Philotas  (POW)
Strength
40,000 infantry
7,000 cavalry
30 elephants		 20,000
Casualties and losses
Very low Low

The Battle of Cretopolis (Kretopolis) was a battle in the wars of the successors of Alexander the Great (see Diadochi) between general Antigonus Monopthalmus and the remnants of the Perdiccan faction. It was fought near Cretopolis in Pisidia (a region of Asia Minor) in 319 BC and resulted in another stunning Antigonid victory (the second one that year). [1]

Contents

Background

After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, his generals immediately began squabbling over his huge empire. Soon the squabbling degenerated into open warfare, with each general attempting to claim a portion of Alexander's vast Empire. One of the most talented successor generals (Diadochi) was Antigonus Monophthalmus, who was called so because of an eye he lost in a siege. After the second partition of the Empire, the Partition of Triparadisus in 321 BC, Antipater, the new regent of the Empire, made Antigonus, strategos of Asia and charged him with hunting down and defeating the remnants of the Perdiccan faction. Antigonus took command of the Royal Army and after being reinforced with more reliable troops from Antipater's European army he marched against their enemies in Asia-Minor. [2] He first marched into Cappadocia against Eumenes whom he defeated at the Battle of Orkynia. Eumenes escaped to the fortress of Nora where Antigonus invested him. [3]

Prelude

Leaving the siege of Nora to a subordinate [4] Antigonus then marched against the remaining Perdiccans who had gathered their forces in Pisidia near a town called Cretopolis. Alketas (a brother of Perdiccas), Attalos (Perdiccas brother-in-law), Polemon (Attalos's brother) and Dokimos had gathered their forces in a pass [5] near Cretopolis. Antigonos decided to use the element of surprise, and forcemarched his army to Cretopolis in seven days (a march of close to 300 miles). [6] In this way, Antigonus took his enemies by complete surprise: the first warning they had that Antigonus was nearby was the trumpeting of his elephants. [5] Antigonus occupied a couple of hills overlooking Alketas's position. [6]

Battle

The Antigonid army numbered 40,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry and 30 elephants, significantly outnumbering the 20,000-man strong Perdiccan army. [7] The Perdiccans were caught unprepared, they faced an assault in front, along the pass, and in the flank from the hills overlooking the pass. Leaving Attalos and Dokimos to draw up the phalanx, Alketas took the cavalry and the peltasts and attacked Antigonus's troops on the ridge, trying desperately to dislodge them. [8] During the fight for the ridge, Antigonus charged with his 6,000 cavalry into the pass and caught Alketas in the flank; at this Alketas was forced back from the ridge and just barely made it back to the phalanx, with the loss of most of his men. [9] Unfortunately for the Perdiccans they did not have enough time to draw up their phalanx, and facing Antigonus's cavalry charge their men simply surrendered. [10]

Aftermath

Alketas managed to escape with a guard of Pisidians, who were particularly loyal to him, and made his way to the almost impregnable city of Termessos, here he would commit suicide when he heard the people of the city planned to hand him over to Antigonus. His colleagues Attalos, Polemon and Dokimos were captured by Antigonus, along with the rest of the army, which was around 16,000 foot soldiers and 900 horses. [11] Antigonus could now claim to have destroyed the Perdiccan faction, but unfortunately for him Eumenes was not done causing trouble (see: Second War of the Diadochi).

Related Research Articles

Year 319 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Cerretanus. The denomination 319 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antigonus I Monophthalmus</span> Macedonian general, founder of Antigonid dynasty (382–301 BC)

Antigonus I Monophthalmus was a Macedonian Greek general and successor of Alexander the Great. A prominent military leader in Alexander's army, he went on to control large parts of Alexander's former empire. He assumed the title of basileus (king) in 306 BC and reigned until his death. He was the founder of the Antigonid dynasty, which ruled over Macedonia until its conquest by the Roman Republic in 168 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassander</span> King of Macedonia, Antipatrid dynasty

Cassander was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC until 297 BC, and de facto ruler of southern Greece from 317 BC until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Ipsus</span> Battle in 301 BC that ended the Fourth War of the Diadochi

The Battle of Ipsus was fought between some of the Diadochi in 301 BC near the town of Ipsus in Phrygia. Antigonus I Monophthalmus, the Macedonian ruler of large parts of Asia, and his son Demetrius were pitted against the coalition of three other successors of Alexander: Cassander, ruler of Macedon; Lysimachus, ruler of Thrace; and Seleucus I Nicator, ruler of Babylonia and Persia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wars of the Diadochi</span> Series of wars between Alexander the Greats successors, 322–281 BC

The Wars of the Diadochi or Wars of Alexander's Successors were a series of conflicts fought between the generals of Alexander the Great, known as the Diadochi, over who would rule his empire following his death. The fighting occurred between 322 and 281 BC.

Polyperchon, was a Macedonian Greek general who served both Philip II and Alexander the Great and then played an active role in the ensuing battles for control between Alexander's generals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Gaza (312 BC)</span> Ptolemaic victory during the Third War of the Diadochi

The Battle of Gaza of 312 BC, was fought between the invading army of Ptolemy I Soter and his ally Seleucus I Nicator and the defending army of Demetrius I of Macedon, son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus. The battle was part of the Third War of the Diadochi and was fought near the city of Gaza.

Peithon or Pithon was the son of Crateuas, a nobleman from Eordaia in western Macedonia. He was famous for being one of the bodyguards of Alexander the Great, becoming the later satrap of Media, and claiming to be one of the diadochi.

The Battle of Paraitakene was fought in 317 BC, during the second of the succession wars that were fought after the death Alexander the Great; the so called Wars of the Diadochi. In Paraitakene, a district of Persis, the armies of Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes the Cardian engaged in a long and bloody battle that ended indecisive; since Antigonus suffered the most casualties the battle is seen as a victory for Eumenes. Both armies withdrew after the battle; Antigonus towards his ally Peithon's satrapy of Media, Eumenes towards Gabiene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Gabiene</span> 315 BCE land battle of the Second War of the Diadochi

Battle of Gabiene was the second great battle between Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes, two of Alexander the Great's successors. The battle was fought near Gabiene in Persia in the winter of 316-315 BC and ended the Second War of the Diadochi. It established Antigonus as the most powerful of the successors.

Telesphorus was a nephew and a general in the service of Antigonus Monophthalmus, the ruler and later king of the Asian half of the empire conquered by Alexander the Great, who was sent by him in 312 BC, with a fleet of fifty ships and a considerable army to the Peloponnese, to oppose the forces of Polyperchon and Cassander. At first he was very successful; he drove Polyperchon’s garrisons from all the cities of the peninsula, except Sicyon and Corinth, which were held by Polyperchon himself; but having joined with Antigonid admiral Medius in an attempt to relieve Oreus on Euboea, to which Cassander had laid siege, he was beaten back, with the loss of several ships. The following summer, Antigonus having conferred the chief direction of the war in the Peloponnese upon his other nephew Ptolemy, Telesphorus was so indignant that he shook off his allegiance, and having induced some of his soldiers to follow him, established himself in Elis on his own account, and even plundered the sacred treasures at Olympia. He was, however, soon after, induced by Ptolemy to submit. Antigonus must have forgiven him because a few years later Telesphorus was on the staff of Demetrius, Antigonus’ son.

Aristodemus of Miletus was one of the oldest and most trusted friends of Antigonus Monophthalmus. He is described by Plutarch as an arch-flatterer of Antigonus. Antigonus frequently used him on important diplomatic missions and occasionally entrusted him with military commands as well.

Antigonos Dokimos, commonly shortened and Latinized as Docimus, was one of the officers in the Macedonian army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Partition of Babylon</span> 323 BC conference dividing the territories of Alexander the Great

The Partition of Babylon was the first of the conferences and ensuing agreements that divided the territories of Alexander the Great. It was held at Babylon in June 323 BC. Alexander’s death at the age of 32 had left an empire that stretched from Greece all the way to India. The issue of succession resulted from the claims of the various supporters of Philip Arrhidaeus, and the as-of-then unborn child of Alexander and Roxana, among others. The settlement saw Arrhidaeus and Alexander’s child designated as joint kings with Perdiccas serving as regent. The territories of the empire became satrapies divided between the senior officers of the Macedonian army and some local governors and rulers. The partition was solidified at the further agreements at Triparadisus and Persepolis over the following years and began the series of conflicts that comprise the Wars of the Diadochi.

The Second War of the Diadochi was the conflict between the coalition of Polyperchon, Olympias and Eumenes and the coalition of Cassander, Antigonus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus following the death of Cassander's father, Antipater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Hellespont (321 BC)</span> The took place in 321 BCE between,battle


The Battle of the Hellespont took place in 321 or 320 BC between the armies of Craterus and Neoptolemus against Eumenes. It was part of the wars between Alexander's successors. Eumenes and Neoptolemus were sent by Perdiccas to prevent Craterus crossing the Hellespont into Asia, but Neoptolemus deserted to join Craterus. Eumenes won the battle, and both Craterus and Neoptolemus were killed.

The Battle of Orkynia was fought in 319 BCE near Orkynia in Cappadocia. It was one of first battles of the wars between the successors to Alexander the Great, the so called Diadochi. At Orkynia the armies of Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes the Cardian met; the battle resulted in a stunning Antigonid victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Byzantium</span> Battle during Second War of the Diadochi

The Battle of Byzantium (Byzantion) was a 317 BC engagement between the generals Antigonus Monopthalmus and Cleitus the White, during the Second War of the Diadochi. Fought over the course of two days, near Byzantium at the Hellespont, it resulted in a stunning Antigonid victory.

The battle of the river Tigris was an engagement between the Diadochi Seleucus and the Antigonid general Nicanor, on the southern bank of the river Tigris in the year 311 BC. Nicanor was on route to recapture the city of Babylon from Seleucus, but he was defeated when Seleucus surprised him with an assault on his camp during the night, forcing Antigonus to cease hostilities with the other Diadochi, in order to concentrate his efforts on recapturing the city of Babylon himself.

The Second siege of Babylon took place during the Babylonian War in 310 BC. Antigonid forces under Antigonus's oldest son, Demetrius, besieged the Seleucid garrison of the city of Babylon under the command of Patrocles.

References

  1. ↑ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 44–45; Polyainos, strategemata IV 6,7.
  2. ↑ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.72.
  3. ↑ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.77; Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 41, 1–3; Plutarch, Eumenes, 10,2–4.
  4. ↑ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.77; Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 41, 5–7; Plutarch, Eumenes, 10,2–4.
  5. 1 2 Polyainos, strategemata IV 6,7.
  6. 1 2 Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 44,2.
  7. ↑ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 45,1.
  8. ↑ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.79.
  9. ↑ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 44,4–5.
  10. ↑ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 45,2; Polyainos, Strategemata, IV 6.7.
  11. ↑ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica XVIII 45,1–4.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.