Two brothers for a shattered Empire: a Greek/Roman age TL
Babylon, 10th Quintilis 430 (10th June 323 BC) AUC (Ab Urbe Condita): Alexander the Great was dying. All his major generals, the Diadochi were around him. Despite he had difficulties to talk, when they asked him who will be his successor, he spoke with an enough clear voice: “My two sons… Herakles, son of Barsine, and Alexander, still in the womb of Roxana.” All his Companions heard those words clearly, without mistakes of sort. Few moments later, Alexander died…
Babylon, late Quintilis 430 AUC: The Diadochi proclaimed Perdiccas regent in name of Herakles and the still unborn child of Roxana, agreeing over the fact the two sons will share one day the supreme command. The Empire was so divided: Antipater was charged to the govern of Macedonia, Greece, Epirus and Illyria, Lysimachus will be governor of Thrace, Anatolia was divided in various satrapies, Egypt went to Plotemy, Seleucus will be the Commander of the Companions, and in the provinces east of Babylon it was confirmed the previous asset organized by Alexander.
Babylon, Sextilis 430 AUC (August 323 BC): The child of Alexander and Roxana was born. He was an healthy boy and was called Alexander. The event was used as confirmation of the “divine premonition” of his father and contributed to raise around the infant the popular suggestion he was blessed by the gods.
Babylon, late Sextilis 430 AUC: Perdiccas, along with the two Royal children, their mothers (Barsine was recalled from her voluntary exile), and the sarcophagus of Alexander, left Babylon in direction of Pella, capital of Macedonia.
Fall of 430 AUC: Perdiccas and his retinue arrived in Pella. During the voyage to Europe, the retinue was assaulted by a mercenary army who tried to seize the sarcophagus of Alexander, without success. Legends says the little Herakles stood in front of the Royal hearse with a sword, in order to protect his father; the guards were exalted by the determination of the little prince and fought with vigor the assaulters. The investigations ordered by the regent seemed to confirm the real plotter was Plotemy, who wanted the corpse to increase his personal prestige. Perdiccas sent envoys in Alexandria but an answer never came. Months later, it was discovered that Plotemy, for fear to be removed from the government of Egypt by the regent because of that incident, promoted a full scale rebellion against Perdiccas’s rule. The regent so prepared an army in order to subjugate this revolt and keeping united the Empire. Eumenes of Cardia, satrap of Caria, proclaimed his support; Lysimachus too confirmed his loyalty and that of Thrace…
Winter of 430 AUC: The Athenians, sensing the weakness of the Empire, promoted a riot across Greece starting a rebellion, and waging war against the Macedonian positions in Thessalia. Antipater was charged to settle the revolt, while Perdiccas was busy in Anatolia. The “Lamian war” started…
Sextilis 431 AUC (August of 322 BC): Antipater was defeated in the battle of Crannon. The Athenians and their allies however didn’t have the necessary strength to free Thessalia, so they asked a white peace which de facto allowed them to be free from the Macedonian influence. Antipater accepted the proposal without consulting the regent; so, Greece proper recovered its independence. Demosthenes’s power and prestige in Athens resulted increased, while the Macedonian supporters escaped or were hanged, and the old statesman now dreamed to restore a new, powerful League of Delos, but he had to face the rising Hellenic leagues…
Winter of 431 AUC: After hearing news of the imminent return of Perdiccas in Europe, as the regent refused to recognize the peace reached with the Greeks, Antipater decided to join Plotemy’s revolt and sent Craterus in Anatolia, but instead to move in Syria as someone suggested he marched instead towards Pella to capture the Royal family. However, despite he managed to enter in the capital, with treachery the Queen Mother Olympias managed to poison him. His assassination was generally well accepted in the general public opinion, because for months across the Empire news were spread about the fact Antipater plotted to poison Alexander, and was determined to exterminate the Royal family. Olympias made an agreement with the lieutenant of Antipater, Polyperchon, who passed on the side of Perdiccas and became new governor of Macedonia, while Antipater’s son, Cassander, escaped in Egypt vowing revenge…
Perdiccas decided to stay in Macedonia [1] to protect the Royal family and to strength his position by marrying Alexander’s sister Cleopatra…
Maius of 432 AUC (May of 321 BC): Eumenes of Cardia obtained at Aegospotami a close call victory towards Craterus, died in the battle, but he didn’t have the necessary strength to face the satrap of Cappadocia Antigonus Monophtalmus, and suggested Perdiccas to reach a compromise. Perdiccas, despite his hate for Plotemy, agreed to open a negotiation table to discuss a new partition of the Empire…
Triparadisius, Fall of 432 AUC: Seeing a general weakness, the remaining Diadochi agreed for a general peace of compromise. Perdicca remained Regent and obtained the recognition of his imminent marriage with Cleopatra, Plotemy confirmed his control of Egypt but he was forced to pay reparations in order to fund the great mausoleum in Pella for Alexander and his father Philip, Eumenes obtained the control of the Anatolian Aegean coast, Antigonus the rest of Anatolia, Seleucus Babylon, the Persian situation remained almost unchanged, while Cassander, freed of the accusation to be a traitor, was charged as commander of the cavalry to occupy Greece with borrowed troops; if he managed to subjugate the region, he will become its governor… [2]
Meanwhile, the two Royal princes grew in Pella. Despite the various intrigues and wars developing around them, the brothers appeared to be united and affectionate to each other. Herakles was the most similar to the father, both physically and mentally, and with an expansive character while Alexander seemed to be more calm and diligent and quite introvert, but not less determinate of the older brother…
[1] So Perdiccas never went in Egypt and died in that region...
[2] TTL conference of Triparadisius so instead to be an agreement between the rebel Diadochi acted more as a general peace through all the Empire...
A/N: So, I just started another project. The POD is a clear succession to Alexander the Great in favor of his two sons, who grew together and survived, thanks to the protection of Perdiccas (who survived as well) and Eumenes and Antipater already out from the games. As it is obvious, I used the Roman calendar, first because it’s more easy to handle respect to the Attic calendar or the Olympiads succession I initially planned to use, but also for TL purposes. In any way, I will post when necessary the Christian calendart date, but this doesn't mean Christianity will become relevant as OTL...
Suggestions and reviews were largely appreciated!
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