Cuāuhtemōc
Banned
I'm just pitching an idea that I might one day explore in my spare time. and asking for criticisms whether it's good enough to even turn into a TL.
In the Wikipedia article for Ptolemy Keraunos, he strikes me as a fairly interesting personality with some AH potential. He was Ptolemy I's eldest son and spent time in both the courts of his brother-in-law Lysimachus (married to his sister Arsinoe) and Seleucus. Keraunos then after court intrigue fled to the east which encouraged Seleucus to invade Lysimachus' domains.
In OTL, Ptolemy wanted his former protector's territories so he had Seleucus assassinated and had himself declared king by the Macedonian army. He soon after was killed during the Gaulish invasion.
Let's say Ptolemy decides to play the long game and decides not to stab Seleucus. He assists the old king conquer Macedon. As per his plans, Seleucus retires and spends his last remaining years in Macedon, dying in peace a few years later but we'll get to that. Ptolemy, due to his service, is married to Seleucus' daughter Phila. He is sent towards the East to assist the newly crowned king Antiochus in ruling the East.
Ptolemy, as Antiochus' general, reduces rebellious statelets like Bithynia, Pontus and Cappadocia. Pergamum is kept from trying any funny business. For his loyalty, Ptolemy is rewarded with a satrapy. For narrative purposes, let's say he's given Parthia. Ptolemy does what's expected of him and is otherwise dissatisfied with being sent to deal with rabble-rousing steppe nomads as opposed to seizing Egypt.
In OTL, there was a vague description of heavy rebellion following Seleucus' death; Bagadates of Persia cited as one of the rebelling satraps. Bagadates is noted to be among the few natives to be appointed in such a position, usually reserved for Greco-Macedonians. Ptolemy corresponds with Bagadates via son Oborzos, goading the former into declaring his independence while maintaining the mask of a loyal governor.
Bagadates declares independence, acclaims himself to become Shahanshah. Ptolemy diverts enough funds from his treasury to recruit an army of Parthians to help his conspirator Bagadates rampage through the east, seizing neighboring territories. Ptolemy writes letters to Antiochus, pleading for help. Antiochus eventually responds, leading a large army of Greeks, Asians and Gauls to meet Ptolemy's provincial troops on the banks of the Tigris to face Bagadates together.
The battle is more or less even. Ptolemy defects and formally joins Bagadates when he spots the Seleucid king and his companions pinned down and surrounded by the Persian infantry. Antiochus is killed. The Seleucid army is wiped out and the Ptolemaic-Bagadatid alliance is victorious. The Seleucid capital is captured and things are on the rise for the Persian king until....
I'm thinking of Ptolemy either murdering Bagadates and then using his son Oborzos as a puppet or manipulating father and son against each other. Oborzos attempts to assassinate his father, fails and is executed; leaving a paranoid Bagadates to place his complete trust in the Ptolemaic prince or Oborzos being successful and becoming a paranoid puppet figure. Antiochus is dead and with Seleucus likely dead as well, the throne falls to Antiochus' younger brother Achaeus who as far as I'm aware is not competent enough to rule a vast empire.
What do you think? Un-interesting? Stale?
In the Wikipedia article for Ptolemy Keraunos, he strikes me as a fairly interesting personality with some AH potential. He was Ptolemy I's eldest son and spent time in both the courts of his brother-in-law Lysimachus (married to his sister Arsinoe) and Seleucus. Keraunos then after court intrigue fled to the east which encouraged Seleucus to invade Lysimachus' domains.
In OTL, Ptolemy wanted his former protector's territories so he had Seleucus assassinated and had himself declared king by the Macedonian army. He soon after was killed during the Gaulish invasion.
Let's say Ptolemy decides to play the long game and decides not to stab Seleucus. He assists the old king conquer Macedon. As per his plans, Seleucus retires and spends his last remaining years in Macedon, dying in peace a few years later but we'll get to that. Ptolemy, due to his service, is married to Seleucus' daughter Phila. He is sent towards the East to assist the newly crowned king Antiochus in ruling the East.
Ptolemy, as Antiochus' general, reduces rebellious statelets like Bithynia, Pontus and Cappadocia. Pergamum is kept from trying any funny business. For his loyalty, Ptolemy is rewarded with a satrapy. For narrative purposes, let's say he's given Parthia. Ptolemy does what's expected of him and is otherwise dissatisfied with being sent to deal with rabble-rousing steppe nomads as opposed to seizing Egypt.
In OTL, there was a vague description of heavy rebellion following Seleucus' death; Bagadates of Persia cited as one of the rebelling satraps. Bagadates is noted to be among the few natives to be appointed in such a position, usually reserved for Greco-Macedonians. Ptolemy corresponds with Bagadates via son Oborzos, goading the former into declaring his independence while maintaining the mask of a loyal governor.
Bagadates declares independence, acclaims himself to become Shahanshah. Ptolemy diverts enough funds from his treasury to recruit an army of Parthians to help his conspirator Bagadates rampage through the east, seizing neighboring territories. Ptolemy writes letters to Antiochus, pleading for help. Antiochus eventually responds, leading a large army of Greeks, Asians and Gauls to meet Ptolemy's provincial troops on the banks of the Tigris to face Bagadates together.
The battle is more or less even. Ptolemy defects and formally joins Bagadates when he spots the Seleucid king and his companions pinned down and surrounded by the Persian infantry. Antiochus is killed. The Seleucid army is wiped out and the Ptolemaic-Bagadatid alliance is victorious. The Seleucid capital is captured and things are on the rise for the Persian king until....
I'm thinking of Ptolemy either murdering Bagadates and then using his son Oborzos as a puppet or manipulating father and son against each other. Oborzos attempts to assassinate his father, fails and is executed; leaving a paranoid Bagadates to place his complete trust in the Ptolemaic prince or Oborzos being successful and becoming a paranoid puppet figure. Antiochus is dead and with Seleucus likely dead as well, the throne falls to Antiochus' younger brother Achaeus who as far as I'm aware is not competent enough to rule a vast empire.
What do you think? Un-interesting? Stale?