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BELLA PER ASIAM GESTA
321-316 a.C.
B.C.
321.—^On the death of Perdiceas, Attalus, the commander of Perdiccas' fleet, sails from Pelusium to Tyre, and thence to the
coasts of Pamphj'lia, Lycia, and Caria. There Docimus from Babylon, and Alcetah with an army of 11,000, join him.
They attempt to occupy Cnidus, Cauiius, and Rhodes, but are repulsed from Rhodes by the Rhodian Demaratus.
Eumenes, with his army, marches as far as Aeolis, levying contributions from the cities. He then collects his forces
at Sardes.
At this juncture Antipater arrives at Sardes on his return march from Triparadisus. Eumenes leaves Sardes and
goes to Great Phrygia.
Antipater, from Sardes, sends Asandrus, satrap of Caria, against Attains and Alcetas. He is defeated by them.
Antipater marches for Macedonia, crossing his troops over at Abydus.
Eumenes marches to South Phrygia and winters at Celaenae on the Upper Maeander. Attalus, Alcetas, and Docimus
refuse to unite forces with Eumenes.
320.—Eumenes leaves Phrygian winter quarters and marches to Cappadocia.
A battle takes place between Eumenes and Antigonus (at (?) Orkynia) in Cappadocian territory. Eumenes is
defeated, but retreats skilfully, marches and countermarches for a long time, and, on his men deserting him, attempts
to get away to Armenia. His route is barred by Antigonus. Eumenes then throws himself into the fastness of
Nora, on the frontiers of Cappadocia and Lycaonia, and is besieged there by Antigonus.
Meanwhile Ptolemy from Egypt occupies Cyprus and Syria, himself with the fleet and Nioanor with the army.
319.—Antigonus, from Cappadocia, where he had been wintering, marches against Attalus, Alcetas, and Docimus, appears
suddenly at Cretopolis near the I'isidian frontier, where he defeats Alcetas in the mountain passes, then captures
Attalus and Docimus. Alcetas escapes to Termessus, but is put to death by his own troops.
Antigonus appears before Termessus, but marches away again. In the meantime the fleet of Attalus had submitted
to the fleet of Antigonus.
Arrhabaeus, satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia, endeavours to get possession of Cyzicus, a free citj', and besieges the
place. He is repulsed by the Cyziceni, who are helped by Byzantium.
Antigonus, who was at Celaenae, hears of the siege of Cyzicus, and marches to relieve it, hoping to get the city for
himself.
From Cyzicus Antigonus marches against Arrhabaeus, demanding his submission. Antigonus also demanded the
submission of Cleitus, satrap of Lydia.
Arrhabaeus garrisons the fortresses of his satrapy, and sends forces to relieve Eumenes, who was still shut up in Nora.
Antigonus sends troops into Hellespontine Phrygia, and himself proceeds to Lydia to drive out Cleitus.
Adherents of Antigonus in Ephesus enable him to capture and occupy the place. He likewise captures 600 talents
which Aeschylus of Rhodes was conveying with four warships to Macedonia. He then reduces the other towns of
Jjydia, and openly proclaims himself independent of the Macedonian royal family. Antigonus had, before this,
received news of the death of Antipater and the succession of Polysperchon.
Cleitus leaves his satrapy and goes to Macedonia to obtain help from Polysperchon. Hellespontine Phrygia also falls
into the hands of Antigonus, and Arrhabaeus is blockaded in Chius.
Meanwhile Eumenes, set free from the siege at Nora, collects troops in Cappadocia and goes into Cilicia.
Antigonus sends Menandrus with a large force against Eumenes, but he pursues him in vain.
After crossing Mt. Taurus into Cilicia, Eumenes receives a message from Polysperchon, appointing him xlrategii^ in
Asia for war against Antigonus. Polysperchon also courts favour of the Greeks, and restores Samus to Athens.
Antigonus is allied with Cassander, who had fled from Macedon, and with Lysimachus.
Ptolemy of Egypt goes with a fleet to Zephyrion, on the coast of Cilicia, to win over the ArgjTaspidae from
Eumenes, but fails.
318.— Eumenes goes to Phoenicia and begins to collect a fleet to send to the aid of Poli'sperchon.
Antigonus, after his victory at the Bosporus (see Map XVII), sets his forces in rapid motion towards Cilicia and his
fleet to the Phoenician coast.
Eumenes evacuates Phoenicia and goes to the northern provinces ; he is welcomed and assisted by Amphimachus,
satrap of Mesopotamia, and winters at Caron Comi in Babylonia.
Antigonus winters in Mesopotamia. Peithon of Media and Seleucus of Babylon take the side of Antigonus ; all the
other Eastern satrapies remain loyal to Macedonia.
317. — Eumenes names Susa as the rendezvous for the troops of the upper satrapies, and marches towards Susa himself in
the spring. He prepares to cross the Tigris 300 stades below Babylon. Seleucus appears there with many ships to
dispute the passage.
Failing to corrupt the troops of Eumenes, Seleucus floods Eumenes' camp b}' opening the canal. He finally agrees to
a truce, allowing Eumenes to pass if he will leave Seleucus' satrapy.
Eumenes reaches Susa, where he is joined by the loyal eastern satraps with their forces.
In the summer Antigonus sets out for Babylonia, receives reinforcements from Seleucus and Peithon, crosses the
Tigris, and marches towards Susa.
To face Map 15.