Antigonus-I was appointed satrap of Phrygia in 333 to guard Alexander’s lines of supply in Asia Minor. On Alexander’s death in Babylon, Perdiccas (d.321/0 BC) had the effective control in Asia, and Antipater (c.397-319 BC) had been governing Macedon and supervising Greece for Alexander. Satrapies were re-allotted: Ptolemy-I (c.84; r.305-283 BC) secured Egypt, Antigonus-I in Phrygia obtained further territory (Lycia and Pamphylia), and Lysimachus received Thrace.
War broke out in 321 BC with a combination of Antipater, Antigonus and Ptolemy against Perdiccas, who was ultimately murdered. Antipater was made regent, and he was able to hold the empire together until his death in 319 BC. During this time Antigonus crushed Perdiccas’ party until only one of its leaders survived, Eumenes of Cardia (c.362-316 BC).
On Antipater’s death, Polyperchon (394-303 BC) was a locally elected regent in Macedonia. When war broke out again the protagonists were: in Asia, Eumenes and Antigonus supported by Ptolemy and others; in Europe, Polyperchon and Antipater’s son Cassander (c.53; r.305-297 BC), who was Antigonus’ ally. The war in Europe finished in 316 BC with the complete success of Cassander, who became master of Macedon and much of Greece, including Athens. Early in 316 BC Eumenes was betrayed by his own troops to Antigonus and put to death.
Antigonus now held the strongest position of any of the generals. He began striking down the eastern satraps, and Seleucus-I (c.77; r.305-281 BC) of Babylon saved his life only by fleeing to Ptolemy. The smaller men were now largely eliminated, and the principal rulers – Cassander, Ptolemy and Lysimachus – formed a coalition against Antigonus. This war (315-311 BC) was indeterminate, although Seleucus was restored to Babylon. After the peace of 311 BC between Antigonus and the coalition, which left Antigonus master of Asia Minor, Syria and Mesopotamia, he attempted to crush Seleucus, but failed. In 307 BC Antigonus’ son Demetrius (54; r.294-287 BC) freed Athens, and in 306 BC utterly defeated Ptolemy in a naval battle off Salamis in Cyprus and secured command of the sea.
In 302 BC Lysimachus, with reinforcements sent by Cassander, crossed to Asia. Antigonus, who had failed to crush him, had to recall Demetrius, and in 301 BC at the Battle of Ipsus in Phrygia, the two gave battle to the combined forces of Lysimachus and Seleucus: Antigonus was defeated and killed, but Demetrius escaped. The victors divided the spoils, Lysimachus took western Asia Minor, and Seleucus took Mesopotamia and Syria. Seleucus eventually crossed the Taurus and defeated and killed Lysimachus at Corupedium in Lydia in 281 BC. Seleucus was murdered by Ptolemy’s eldest son Ptolemy Ceraunus (r.281-279 BC) and the Macedonian army made him their king
The Seleucids continued to rule over much of Asia Minor for the next century, though a longish stretch on the south coast, including Lycia and Pamphylia, remained in Ptolemaic hands during much of the Hellenic period. Certain parts of Asia Minor during all of this were, however, able to exert their independence.
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