Antipater, on his death in 319 BC, had left the regency to Polyperchon, to the exclusion and consequent discontent of his own son, Cassander.[1] Those who had been placed in authority by Antipater in the garrisoned towns of Greece, were favourably disposed to Cassander, as their patron's son, and Polyperchon's policy, therefore, was to reverse the measures of Antipater, and restore democracy where Antipater had abolished it. To implement this plan Polyperchon's son, Alexander, was sent to Athens during 318, with the aim of delivering the city from Nicanor, who had been appointed by Cassander to command the garrison placed in Munychia by Antipater.[2]
Before Alexander's arrival, Nicanor strengthening his position in Munychia with fresh troops and had also treacherously seized Piraeus. Alexander had the same intentions, intentions which he had probably formed before he had any communication with Phocion, though Diodorus[3] seems to imply the contrary. The Athenians, however, looked on Phocion as the author of the design, and their suspicions and anger were further excited by the private conferences between Alexander and Nicanor. As a result, Phocion was accused of treason, and, fleeing with several of his friends to Alexander, was despatched by Alexander to Polyperchon.[4]
Cassander arrived in Athens soon after and occupied Piraeus. There he was besieged by Polyperchon with a large force. However, Polyperchon's forces lacked adequate supplies, so he was obliged to withdraw a portion of his army. Polyperchon used this army to attempt the reduction of Megalopolis, while Alexander was left in command of the remaining forces in Athens.[5] However, it appears he achieved little, until the treaty and capitulation of Athens to Cassander[6].
Alexander in the PeloponneseEdit
When Polyperchon, baffled at Megalopolis,[7] withdrew into Macedonia, his son seems to have been left with an army in the Peloponnese, where, according to Diodorus[8] the field was left open to him. The friends of oligarchy were greatly alarmed by the departure of Cassander to Macedonia following the murder of Philip Arrhidaeus and Eurydice by Olympias during 317.[9] During Cassander's absence, Alexander succeeded captured several cities and important places in the Peloponnese.[10] However, on Cassander's return to the south, after crushing Olympias in Macedonia, Alexander attempted in vain to check Cassander by his fortification of the Isthmus of Corinth. Instead Cassander, passed to Epidaurus by sea, regained Argos and Hermione, and afterwards also the Messenian towns, with the exception of Ithome.[11]
Alliances with Antigonus and then CassanderEdit
In the next year, 315 BC, Antigonus (whose ambition and successes in the east had united Cassander, Lysimachus, Asander, and Ptolemy against him), sent Aristodemus into the Peloponnese to form an alliance with Polyperchon and Alexander. Alexander was persuaded by Aristodemus to travel to Asia for a personal conference with Antigonus. Finding Antigonus in Tyre, a treaty was made between them, and Alexander returned to Greece with a present of 500 talents from Antigonus, and a multitude of magnificent promises.[12] Yet, in the very same year, Alexander renounced his alliance with Antigonus and was bribed with the title of governor of the Peloponnese to reconcile himself to Cassander.[13]
Alexander's deathEdit
In the ensuing year, 314 BC, Alexander engaged in the siege of Cyllene on behalf of Cassander. However, this siege was raised[clarification needed] by Aristodemus and his Aetolian allies. After the return of Aristodemus to Aetolia, the citizens of Dyme, in Achaia, besieged the citadel, which was occupied by one of Cassander's garrisons. Alexander forced his way into the city and made himself master of it, punishing the opposing inhabitants with death, imprisonment, or exile.[14] Very soon after this he was murdered at Sicyon by Alexion, a Sicyonian, leaving the command of his forces to his wife Cratesipolis who proved herself fully adequate to the task.[15]
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This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources Alexander son of Polyperchon news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Alexander Greek Ale3andros killed 314 BC was a son of Polyperchon the regent of Macedonia and an important general in the Wars of the Diadochi Contents 1 Alexander in Athens 2 Alexander in the Peloponnese 3 Alliances with Antigonus and then Cassander 4 Alexander s death 5 Notes 6 ReferencesAlexander in Athens EditAntipater on his death in 319 BC had left the regency to Polyperchon to the exclusion and consequent discontent of his own son Cassander 1 Those who had been placed in authority by Antipater in the garrisoned towns of Greece were favourably disposed to Cassander as their patron s son and Polyperchon s policy therefore was to reverse the measures of Antipater and restore democracy where Antipater had abolished it To implement this plan Polyperchon s son Alexander was sent to Athens during 318 with the aim of delivering the city from Nicanor who had been appointed by Cassander to command the garrison placed in Munychia by Antipater 2 Before Alexander s arrival Nicanor strengthening his position in Munychia with fresh troops and had also treacherously seized Piraeus Alexander had the same intentions intentions which he had probably formed before he had any communication with Phocion though Diodorus 3 seems to imply the contrary The Athenians however looked on Phocion as the author of the design and their suspicions and anger were further excited by the private conferences between Alexander and Nicanor As a result Phocion was accused of treason and fleeing with several of his friends to Alexander was despatched by Alexander to Polyperchon 4 Cassander arrived in Athens soon after and occupied Piraeus There he was besieged by Polyperchon with a large force However Polyperchon s forces lacked adequate supplies so he was obliged to withdraw a portion of his army Polyperchon used this army to attempt the reduction of Megalopolis while Alexander was left in command of the remaining forces in Athens 5 However it appears he achieved little until the treaty and capitulation of Athens to Cassander 6 Alexander in the Peloponnese EditWhen Polyperchon baffled at Megalopolis 7 withdrew into Macedonia his son seems to have been left with an army in the Peloponnese where according to Diodorus 8 the field was left open to him The friends of oligarchy were greatly alarmed by the departure of Cassander to Macedonia following the murder of Philip Arrhidaeus and Eurydice by Olympias during 317 9 During Cassander s absence Alexander succeeded captured several cities and important places in the Peloponnese 10 However on Cassander s return to the south after crushing Olympias in Macedonia Alexander attempted in vain to check Cassander by his fortification of the Isthmus of Corinth Instead Cassander passed to Epidaurus by sea regained Argos and Hermione and afterwards also the Messenian towns with the exception of Ithome 11 Alliances with Antigonus and then Cassander EditIn the next year 315 BC Antigonus whose ambition and successes in the east had united Cassander Lysimachus Asander and Ptolemy against him sent Aristodemus into the Peloponnese to form an alliance with Polyperchon and Alexander Alexander was persuaded by Aristodemus to travel to Asia for a personal conference with Antigonus Finding Antigonus in Tyre a treaty was made between them and Alexander returned to Greece with a present of 500 talents from Antigonus and a multitude of magnificent promises 12 Yet in the very same year Alexander renounced his alliance with Antigonus and was bribed with the title of governor of the Peloponnese to reconcile himself to Cassander 13 Alexander s death EditIn the ensuing year 314 BC Alexander engaged in the siege of Cyllene on behalf of Cassander However this siege was raised clarification needed by Aristodemus and his Aetolian allies After the return of Aristodemus to Aetolia the citizens of Dyme in Achaia besieged the citadel which was occupied by one of Cassander s garrisons Alexander forced his way into the city and made himself master of it punishing the opposing inhabitants with death imprisonment or exile 14 Very soon after this he was murdered at Sicyon by Alexion a Sicyonian leaving the command of his forces to his wife Cratesipolis who proved herself fully adequate to the task 15 Notes Edit Diodorus Bibliotheca xviii 48 Plutarch Parallel Lives Phocion 31 Plutarch 32 Diodorus xviii 65 Diodorus xviii 65 Diodorus xviii 66 Plutarch 33 34 Diodorus xviii 68 Pausanias Description of Greece i 25 Diodorus xviii 74 Diodorus xviii 72 Diodorus xix 35 Pausanias i 11 Diodorus xix 11 Diodorus xix 53 Diodorus xix 54 Diodorus xix 60 61 Diodorus xix 64 Diodorus xix 66 Diodorus xix 67References EditSmith William editor Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology Alexander Boston 1867 nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Smith William ed 1870 Alexander Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology pp 125 126 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander son of Polyperchon amp oldid 1149700877, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
