Let Slip The Dogs of War

A very interesting TL slydessertfox:cool:

This is one of the periods of the Ancient Greec/Hellenism History more interesting for me (with the period of the Peloponessian War and the struggle for the hegemony between Thebas and Sparta during the IV Century BC).

And without doubt having a Lamiac War being a success for the greeks is I think one of the PODs less used in Alternate History (and it is a pity because it was could be the last opportunity for Athens to reivindicate her old powerful position)

One of the keys is without doubt Leosthenes, apart as you and other partners have said of a better preparation of Athens (patience and we will have the victory) leosthenes should not be killed like in OTL, the death of Leosthenes in OTL was a very bad hit for the possibilities of the victory for Athens in OTL Lamiac War.

Here the things are different.

Subscribed no doubt:cool:
 
A very interesting TL slydessertfox:cool:

This is one of the periods of the Ancient Greec/Hellenism History more interesting for me (with the period of the Peloponessian War and the struggle for the hegemony between Thebas and Sparta during the IV Century BC).

And without doubt having a Lamiac War being a success for the greeks is I think one of the PODs less used in Alternate History (and it is a pity because it was could be the last opportunity for Athens to reivindicate her old powerful position)

One of the keys is without doubt Leosthenes, apart as you and other partners have said of a better preparation of Athens (patience and we will have the victory) leosthenes should not be killed like in OTL, the death of Leosthenes in OTL was a very bad hit for the possibilities of the victory for Athens in OTL Lamiac War.

Here the things are different.

Subscribed no doubt:cool:

Thank you, glad you enjoy it. You are right, Leosthenes dying was a major blow that Athens never recovered from. He will certainly live in TTL. :)
 
Thank you, glad you enjoy it. You are right, Leosthenes dying was a major blow that Athens never recovered from. He will certainly live in TTL. :)

Slyderfox,

A very enjoyable update! you improve day by day and you are leading up to a colossal historical thriller(I am sure you will find its protagonists in time...after all they will be your personal choice...)

I will like to pick two points if I may:

1)Athens already has a fleet approaching 400 triremes(100 reserve) and doesn't need another 200 hundred;it needs maximum another hundred to arrive at its 455 BC imperial levels;it will however have the two hundred from Rhodes and another 200 from allied islands I have mentioned,not Anatolia since they don't have the level of training of Samos Lesbos Thassos Chios.Each of those islands possess a fleet of 70-100 triremes.
2) Athens,at that time has extended citizenship already to Samos and Lesbos OTL;it needs to extend it to others,use Aristides constitution for the Delian League for the non-citizens because it needs manpower to increase the numbers of its hoplite class and its number of 'thetes' who serve the ships.Its fleets are served by free citizens and never use slaves(one of the major reasons of Athenian maritime successes).Athenians must also persuade the Spartans to extend their citizensip to 'neodamodeis'(children of a Spartan man and a perioikoi woman) and many of the
perioikoi(dwelers around Sparta Achaeans who are original Lacedaemonians but not Dorians).In such a case Spartans hold Peloponnese in their palm and their call to arms of their alliance can be in the region of 30000 hoplites and 50000 auxilliaries.
 
Slyderfox,

A very enjoyable update! you improve day by day and you are leading up to a colossal historical thriller(I am sure you will find its protagonists in time...after all they will be your personal choice...)

I will like to pick two points if I may:

1)Athens already has a fleet approaching 400 triremes(100 reserve) and doesn't need another 200 hundred;it needs maximum another hundred to arrive at its 455 BC imperial levels;it will however have the two hundred from Rhodes and another 200 from allied islands I have mentioned,not Anatolia since they don't have the level of training of Samos Lesbos Thassos Chios.Each of those islands possess a fleet of 70-100 triremes.
Hmmm. I wasn't aware Athens still possessed an independent navy. I'll keep this in mind.

2) Athens,at that time has extended citizenship already to Samos and Lesbos OTL;it needs to extend it to others,use Aristides constitution for the Delian League for the non-citizens because it needs manpower to increase the numbers of its hoplite class and its number of 'thetes' who serve the ships.Its fleets are served by free citizens and never use slaves(one of the major reasons of Athenian maritime successes).Athenians must also persuade the Spartans to extend their citizensip to 'neodamodeis'(children of a Spartan man and a perioikoi woman) and many of the
perioikoi(dwelers around Sparta Achaeans who are original Lacedaemonians but not Dorians).In such a case Spartans hold Peloponnese in their palm and their call to arms of their alliance can be in the region of 30000 hoplites and 50000 auxilliaries.
Can you give a source for this by any chance? Not that I don't believe you, I just want to look into it more and get a better understanding of it.
 
The Greek Rebellion In The East
When Alexander had left Sogdiana and Bactria, he did so after securing Bactria with strong fortresses and garrisons. Alexander had spent two years, trying and failing, to subdue Sogdiana, suffering his worst defeat there, when an ambush in the Zeravshan valley wiped out a 2,000 man force under the command of one of his generals. Expecting the region to be a hotbed for unrest, he placed the fortresses and garrisons in the region to solidify it.

He had good reason to believe it would be a hotbed too. 150 years earlier, Bactria had been a notoriously rebellious and and troublesome province for Xerxes I. Alexander's soldiers hated the province-especially the Greek mercenaries- and for good reason. Hundreds had died due to the horrible conditions crossing the Hindu Kush just to get there. Not to mention, the tough campaigning that occurred there with limited success for the better part of 2 years.

Alexander placed thousands of his Greek mercenaries in Bactria on garrison duty there as punishment, upon his march into India. Populated by rough and tough people who had never seen Greeks before, and living in forts and outposts with little to no amenities, its no wonder, when rumors of Alexander's death surfaced in 325, a few thousand of them packed up and left for home. If we are to believe reports that some actually made it back to Greece, the journey recorded by Xenophon in Anabasis would have seemed like a stroll in the park in comparison.

When they revolted in 323 however,, it was far more serious. Around 20,000 of the mercenaries appointed a leader, packed up, and set off for home. Few things were more dangerous than 20,000 loose mercenaries set on nothing else but getting home safe and with their pockets full. Perdiccas dispatched Peithon-newly appointed satrap of Media- in December of 323 with sufficient forces to deal with them, and strict orders to show no mercy to the mercenaries. Instead, Peithon simply dismissed them back to their posts after defeating them, in blatant violation of Perdiccas' orders. Whether Peithon was thinking long term in using these men for a future powergrab is up for debate.

This hardly came as a surprise to Perdiccas however, as he had also given orders directly to the soldiers-they were to show no mercy to the mercenaries. The soldiers proceeded to slaughter all of the Greeks, to Peithon's dismay. Peithon had been put in his place, at least for the time being.
 
Greece​

Athens received mixed news. The Spartans, still licking their wounds from defeat at the hands of Antipater in 331, elected to watch from the sidelines. Rhodes, along with a number of other cities, had thrown out their Macedonian garrisons. The Aetolians, who had just as much to lose from the exiles decree as Athens did, agreed to join Athens. Corinth remained neutral and undecided for the time being.

Neither Athens nor the Aetolians could afford to very long however. There was still a likely chance, at least in the minds of the Athenians and Aetolians, that Antipater would enforce the Exiles Decree. In attempt to stall for time and mask their true intentions, both the Athenians and Aetolians sent envoys to Antipater to discuss exemption from the decree, or getting rid of it altogether. Of course, they had no intention of actually hammering out a legitimate deal, just buying time. In the meantime, they prepared for war, and Athens began to discuss a naval strategy with the Rhodians.

Asia (Anatolia)

Meanwhile, Leonnatus was in Phrygia, preparing to help Eumenes with Cappadocia. Perdiccas was en route to Asia Minor, to install Eumenes in his new satrapy, and assure Leonnatus' and Antigonus' cooperation. Craterus, who was still in Cilicia, did not want Perdiccas passing through and commandeering his troops in the name of the king. Craterus weighed his options.

It was around this time that Eumenes informed Leonnatus that Olympias offered her daughter, Cleopatra, to Leonnatus for marriage. Olympias was clearly looking for someone to remove Antipater from the picture, and this would make Leonnatus Alexander's brother-in-law, giving him a claim to the Macedonian throne. He took up the offer, and suggested Eumenes join him. Although tempted to re-unite with Olympias, Eumenes remained loyal to Perdiccas, and even reported Leonnatus' action to him. Leonnatus set off to Macedon to stake his claim.

Antipater now became thoroughly alarmed. As Olympias was making small scale attacks from Epirus, he had gotten word that now Leonnatus was coming over to usurp him from power. Olympias was not much of a threat militarily wise, so he gathered 13,000 Macedonian soldiers, along with some Thesssalian cavalry, and prepared to meet Leonnatus.
 
This conflict of Antipater against Leonnatus and Olympias seems like Zeus has decided to give a hand to Athens.

While they will be fighting, Athens and her allies will rise another time.:)
 
The Hellenic War

Antipater was wary of his chances of defeating Leonnatus in battle. He sent an offer to Craterus, who in any case was supposed to be marching the 11,500 Macedonian veterans back to Macedon, for a marriage to one of his daughters. With Leonnatus bearing down on Antipater, he was reaching out to play his trump card.

Craterus would not start marching until the spring of 322 however. In the meantime, Antipater was in dire straits. Leonnatus had defeated him in an early battle, and forced him to hole himself up in Edessa with roughly 6,000 of his original 13,000 men remaining-some deserting for Leonnatus-.


It was now, in the early spring of 322, that the Athenians and Aetolians lead the revolt. Leosthenes and some 14,000 Athenians, Greek mercenary, and Corinthian (who now saw the civil war as enough reason to join the revolt) marched north and crushed a Boeotian force trying to prevent them from linking up with the Aetolians. The Boeotian were wary that a Greek victory would mean the revival of Thebes, which had dominated Boeotia before Alexander destroyed the city.

Now they linked up with the Aetolians, some 12,000 strong, to form a formidable force of 25,000. Meanwhile, Edessa had been stormed by Leonnatus, and Antipater was killed. When word reached Leonnatus of the Greek rebellion, he took his forces, after the integration of what remained of Antipater's men into the army consisting of around 20,000, and marched south.

Craterus was alarmed at the news of the Greek rebellion and the death of Antipater. He needed to march over into Greece quickly, both to avenge Antipater's death and smother the Greek rebellion. However, since this Greek rebellion involved the Athenians, the sea was sure to play a factor.

Athens had mustered a fleet of 200, with 100 Rhodian and Corinthian ships bolstering the fleet size to 300. The fleet was placed under the command of Euetion, who took the Athenian fleet to the Hellespont to stop Craterus from reaching Macedon.

Craterus placed Cleitus in command of the Macedonian fleet, in an attempt to clear the way for a crossing of the Hellespont. The Macedonian fleet was formiddable, but they were dealt a defeat by the Athenian fleet near the Greek colony of Abydos. A second naval engagement dealt Cleitus another defeat, and he retired back to Craterus with his heavily battered navy. The Athenian fleet had stopped Craterus from reaching Macedon, at least for the time being, and only at the loss of around 50 ships.
battle_of_salamis.jpg

Battle of Abydos

Leonnatus was still confident in his ability to crush the Greeks on land. With his newly reinforced cavalry wing (the Thessalians had deserted to him early on), Leonnatus marched to meet Leosthenes. To his horror though, the Thessalians abandoned him, instead riding over to their Greek comrades in arms, and now bolstering their cavalry wing.

When battle drew, the Thessalians would prove to be the deciding factor. While the more numerous but qualitatively outmatched Greek hoplites duked it out with the Macedonian phalanx, a fierce cavalry battle was ensuing. Leonnatus, right in the thick of it, was cut down. Although the infantry had no idea their commander was dead, the Macedonian cavalry broke (more due to the pressure being put on by the Thessalians than Leonnatus' death) and the Thessalians swung around behind the Macedonian lines. They crashed into the backs of the phalanx, causing chaos and disorder. The day was won for the Greeks, as the Macedonian army was crushed.
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Greeks marching to battle​
 
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Ole! Ole! y Ole! Athens on rise! Oh my Godness (Athenea Nike naturally)!:cool:

Good update:cool: although

Originally posted by slydessertfox
It was now, in the early spring of 322, that the Athenians and Aetolians lead the revolt. Leonnatus and some 14,000 Athenians, Greek mercenary, and Corinthian (who now saw the civil war as enough reason to join the revolt) north and crushed a Boeotian force trying to prevent them from linking up with the Aetolians. The Boeotian were wary that a Greek victory would mean the revival of Thebes, which had dominated Boeotia before Alexander destroyed the city.

I think is not Leonnatus but Leosthenes, also north, I suppose you means advanced to north or go to north.:)
 
Ole! Ole! y Ole! Athens on rise! Oh my Godness (Athenea Nike naturally)!:cool:

Good update:cool: although



I think is not Leonnatus but Leosthenes, also north, I suppose you means advanced to north or go to north.:)

Yeah, I was getting confused between the two lol. Thanks for pointing that out.
 
coin_olympias_mus_theski.JPG
Olympias​
With Craterus bottled up in the Hellespont, and Leonnatus and Antipater dead, Olympias could not believe her incredible good fortune. Here she was, marching towards Pella, to, at least in her mind, help secure Macedon for Alexander IV. Her forces were far from large, but a quick treaty with the Greeks, along with hopes that Craterus would remain unable to cross the Hellespont, assure her position was secure for now.

Perdiccas And Ptolemy​

Perdiccas had set out wit a substantial army for Asia Minor, since Leonnatus could not, and Antigonus would not, help Eumenes in Cappadocia. As we already know, this was why Craterus packed up and left for Macedon in the spring of 322, only to be thwarted by the Greeks. Craterus waited worryingly along the Hellespont, not sure what move he should take next.

Perdiccas campaigned in Cappadocia during the summer of 322, defeating Persian resistance in two battles. Eumenes was given administrative reins over the satrapy, and Perdiccas went on to pacify the nomads of Lyaeconia in Syria. The campaign was brutal, with one one town preferring mass suicide over mass execution.

In Armenia however, Neoptolemus, a general sent by Perdiccas to crush the remaining Persian opposition there, was behaving more like a satrap than a general. Eumenes was given orders to help him pacify Armenia, while checking his ambitions at the same time. Perdiccas must have been satisfied with his tidying up of Asia Minor. A crucial part of the silk road, Cappadocia, had been pacified, and Syria was no longer a trouble spot, by 321.

Antipater had proposed his daughter, Nicaea, marry Perdiccas, prior to the Greek uprising known as the Hellenic War. Perdiccas had intended to marry Nicaea, in an attempt to repair relations with Antipater and Craterus, but two events changed everything.

Antipater had been killed by Leonnatus in Edessa. Therefore, marriage to Nicaea looked far less advantageous from the eyes of Perdiccas. Another important event of note, was Leonnatus was also killed, this time by the Thesssalians. Leonnatus had came to Macedon for marriage to Cleopatra. Now that Leonnatus was dead, Olympias could use Cleopatra for a far better prize: Perdiccas. Off she went, to Sardis, where Cleopatra informed Eumenes to give Perdiccas the offer.

To Olympias, marrying Perdiccas into the Argaed house would be extremely advantageous. He would be marching to Macedon, with Alexander's corpse and Alexander's son, as a member of the Argaeds. This would all but assure Alexander IV would have a future place on the throne. For Perdiccas, the advantages were clear cut as well. He would be the brother-in-law of Alexander The Great, and have a legitimate claim to the throne. With the urging of Eumenes, he agreed to marry Cleopatra, cancelling his marriage with Nicaea at the last second.

Mews from Egypt meanwhile, was very disturbing. Ptolemy was supposed to retain the former satrap, Cleomenes, as his second in command. Disregarding this, Ptolemy had him killed on the charge of embezzlement, presenting this to his people as the removal of a harsh and hated administrator. This was pure propaganda however as Ptolemy would keep all the revenue raised by Cleomenes, and prove to be just as exploitative of his subjects. It was surely his suspicions of Cleomenes being a friend of Perdiccas, and designed to keep him in check, that drove him to commit this act.

Shortly thereafter, in 322, Ptolemy annexed Cyrenaica to protect the caravan trade from the interior of Africa. A pro-Ptolemaic oligarchy was installed, complete with garrisons and a military governor. Perdiccas was extremely annoyed by this. It not only went against his plans for consolidation over expansion, but Ptolemy had went ahead and did this without even consulting or asking him first. To Perdiccas, it seemed like Ptolemy was flexing his muscles, and showing he was an equal, not a subordinate, to Perdiccas.

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Ptolemy I Soter​
 
Alexander's Corpse
Fortes fortuna adiuvat (Fortune favours the bold) - Terence

A Macedonian noble named Arrhidaeus had been put in charge of preparing the funeral cortege. From Babylon, the body was to be transported to Macedon. Ptolemy however, had already spread rumours that Alexander had wanted to be buried at the desert oasis of Siwah in remote northwestern Egypt, where he had heard from the oracle that he was the son of Zeus.

The casket and catafalque, which took 2 years for Arrhidaeus to prepare, was just as marvelous as expected, and then some. The embalmed body of Alexander rested on precious spices in a golden casket covered with a pall of gold-embroidered purple. A miniature golden temple had been built around the coffin, with the entrance guarded by golden lions. Relief sculptures of climbing plants twisted ionic columns, which supported a barrel vaulted roof of gold scales with jewels; the roof was topped with a golden olive wreath. A golden Victory was placed at each corner, holding a battle trophy. The cornice of the miniature temple was embossed with ibex heads, from which hung, on each side, a multicolored garland, looped through golden rings. Bells which tinkled when the catafalque moved, hung from the garland. Under the cornice on each side of the temple were friezes. One showed Alexander with scepter in hand, surrounded by Persian and Macedonian bodyguards; another a procession of Indian War Elephants; the third portraying the Macedonian cavalry arrayed for battle; and the last one a fleet of ships. Golden nets hung over the open spaces between the columns, allowing spectators to glimpse inside, while shading the casket. Sixty four mules, each with a gilded head piece, ,a golden bell on each cheek, and a collar set with hems, pulled the catafalque. It also included a new invention, shock absorbers. It must have been truly a remarkable sight.

h_alexander_the_great_golden_casket.jpg

In the late spring of 321, Alexander's corpse started its leisurely journey to Macedon. Perdiccas had supplied a considerable body of cavalry as escort, and workers went ahead to repair the roads as needed, though the shock absorbers helped. Thousands lined the route to see the temple of a god on wheels. However, when it reached southern Syria in July, a troop of Ptolemy's soldiers promptly drove off the escort and hijacked the corpse. Ptolemy had decided Egypt was going to be where Alexander's corpse rested, and despite Perdiccas (who was in Psidia) sending a force to retake it, it was too late. Whoever buried the dead king made himself essentially the legitimate successor of Alexander. Ptolemy had pulled off his master stroke.
 
Hmm, could be here in TTL Eumenes of Cardia have better luck than in OTL.

A figure that have my simpathy, it will be interesting how Eumenes life develops in TTL.
 
The First War of The Diadochi
To a good general luck is important.-Livy​

Ptolemy's act was essentially a declaration of war. When war broke out, it was clear Perdiccas was going to go after Ptolemy in Egypt first. He had taken the corpse to Memphis for the time being, as Alexandria was still one giant construction project. Alexander's corpse was to valuable to Ptolemy to be resting at the oasis in Siwah.

This also had the inadvertent effect of saving Craterus from having his troops commandeered by Perdiccas. In the summer of 321, Perdiccas had summoned Antigonus to Sardis to question why he disobeyed orders. Perdiccas had unknowingly insulted Menander however, satrap of Lydia, whose capital was in Sardis.

Perdiccas had flattered Cleopatra (who had been used to being queen of Molossia for some years after her husbands death) by putting her in charge of Lydia, and demoting Menander to her second in command, only responsible for the military. Menander explained to Antigonus and Craterus that Perdiccas was actively courting Cleopatra,and had accepted the inevitability of war. Antigonus, who had already decided he would not side with Perdiccas when war came, fled to Craterus instead of going to Perdiccas' summons, which almost would have certainly lead to his premature death.

Craterus and Antigonus prepared for war, in Hellespontine Phrygia They wrote to Ptolemy, receiving encouraging news about his intentions. Perdiccas would be fighting a two front war.

Antigonus and Craterus immediately opted for a treaty with the Greeks, wanting the seas open. Perdiccas had been one step ahead of them however, and had already courted the Greeks into using their navy to his advantage. War seemed inevitable. It was the hijacking of the corpse by Ptolemy that finally triggered it.

Perdiccas knew Craterus and and Antigonus were going to launch an attack on the rest of Asia Minor. Why he hadn't done anything about Craterus earlier, while he was still vulnerable in Hellespontine Phrygia, is not known. However, it is clear Perdiccas had a score to settle with Ptolemy, so he had decided to go fight Ptolemy in Egypt personally. He left Eumenes in command of a force of 20,000, with orders to Alcetas and Neoptolemus to join him (Eumenes). Cleitus was also given command of what was left of the fleet, though he would defect back to Craterus shortly.

Antigonus went ahead and immediately won the defections of Caria and Lydia. Menander and Asander (the satraps of Lydia and Caria respectively,) both had thier reasons for defecting, Asander being an old ally of Antigonus, and Menander feeling slighted by Perdiccas. Eumenes was caught by surprise, and was nearly trapped in Sardis, with only Cleopatra's warning allowing him to escape.

The loyalist cause was falling apart in Anatolia before it had much of a chance. Alcetas, fearing his troops would simply refuse to fight the extremely popular Craterus, declared neutrality for the moment, preferring to wait it out. Neoptolemus began secret negotiations with Craterus. Everything rested on the shoulders of the untested little Eumenes.

Eumenes pulled back to the borders of Cappadocia. Antigonus' and Craterus' plans were simple.Antigonus now went south, to Cilicia, with him and Craterus splitting up their forces. Craterus was to annihilate Eumenes, and Antigonus was to occupy Cilicia, before the two were to join up again and trap Perdiccas between their and Ptolemy's forces.

Neoptolemus now attempted to join Craterus as a friend instead of a foe, but was confronted by Eumenes, who was one step ahead of him. A battle broke out in late May of 320, and was a victory for Eumenes, who captured Neoptolemus' baggage train. Neoptolemus fled to Craterus with only a small cavalry force, Eumenes now in control of his infantry.

When battle ensued, Eumenes showed the first signs of his brilliance. He had gone through great pains to conceal that Craterus was the enemy commander, and instead convinced them it was Neoptolemus. To increase morale, he explained Alexander had promised him victory in a dream. It was all he could do, for he knew that if the battle came between the two infantry phalanxes, his men would likely desert.

Eumenes was not about to let that happen. He had a significant cavalry advantage, and intended to exploit it to the best of his ability. While his phalanx was deploying, he sent the Cappadocian cavalry forward, sweeping the enemy cavalry from the field, and in a stroke of luck, Craterus fell of his horse and was trampled to death. Meanwhile on the other wing, Eumenes killed Neoptolemus in a brutal hand to hand fight himself, the mutual loathing between the two, leading to them pulling each other off their horses and tumbling to the ground, before Eumenes dispatched his adversary.


Eumenes now sent one of his officers to address the opposing phalangites, sending the message that "We won't fight if you don't". The enemy phalangites surrendered and swelled Eumenes ranks. They attempted to slip away at night, but Eumenes was one step ahead of them. A significant portion of them managed to escape to Antigonus, but many of them were caught by Eumenes, preventing them from escaping.[1]


[1] In OTL they all escaped to Antipater.
 
Perdiccas' Downfall
I am more afraid of our own mistakes than of our enemies' designs. -Pericles

Before Perdiccas had left to take on Ptolemy, he assembled a fleet in Cilicia. Dividing it into two, one section under the command of Aristonous , was sent to Cyprus. The other under the command of Atalus, was to accompany Perdiccas to Egypt. Cyprus was an important strategic location, its fortified ports making for an excellent base, with naval expertise and rich natural resources. However, it seemed likely that they had treaties in place with Ptolemy, so it was important Perdiccas take control of the island.

Perdiccas was having a difficult time commanding his troops, whom he had never won their complete loyalty. His march south was plagued with desertion, as his commanders questioned whether they should meet Ptolemy in the first place. Outside Memphis, disaster struck. Perdiccas had found a crossing where he could cross unopposed. But there was a reason it was unopposed. It was not a true crossing, and when Perdiccas' men attempted to cross it, the elephants he placed in the river stirred up the sand, and many drowned. Those who did make it were called back, with many more drowning in the process. Perdiccas had made a grave mistake, and was murdered by Antigenes and Peithon, the latter finally getting his revenge on Perdiccas.

Ptolemy entered camp shortly thereafter, and in a series of show trials, was absolved from any crime, with Eumenes, Alcetas, Attalus, and about fifty others being condemned to death as traitors. Attalus took the fleet to Tyre, where Perdiccas had a war chest of 800 talents stored, making the city a safe haven for the Perdiccans.
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Map of Egypt​
The regency was offered to Ptolemy now, but he shockingly turned it down. With hindsight, it is easy to tell why. He did not want to fall out with Craterus (whom he had no knowledge was dead yet) and more importantly, did not want to be made a prime target for others. Instead, Ptolemy seemed content with building Egypt up into a formidable stronghold for himself and his heirs. It was his "spear won land" now, a strong argument against anyone who wanted to challenge him for rule. Instead, Peithon and Arrhidaeus were made temporary guardians of the two kings, and the court was purged of Perdiccas' supporters.

On Cyprus, Aristonaus had success in attaining the province, with Cleitus' banged up fleet and the threat of the Greek fleet preventing the anti-Perdiccans from doing anything about it for the time being.

Note: I was extremely tempted to have Perdiccas crush Ptolemy. But after looking more into it, this would upset my future plans for Antigonus and Eumenes heavily. Plus the Nile was rarely ever successfully forced crossed.
 
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