Part 1
Late in the summer of 319 BCE following Antigonus Monopthalmus’ crushing victory over what remained of the perdiccan alliance, securing victory for the Anti-Perdiccan alliance headed by Antipater, Antigonus, and Ptolemy, Antigonus returned to the city of Cretopolis, only to be greeted with the news that Antipater the Regent based in Macedonia and in theory at least the leader of the Macedonian Empire had at 77 years of age died following an illness. Just at the moment when a sense of stability may have been gained, everything was again up for questioning.
Part 2
In 318 BC, Eumenes, initially allied with Antigonus, switched sides to Polyperchon and the Macedonian royal house. Eumenes, a Greek commanding a Macedonian army, strategically aligned himself with the Silver Shields and portrayed himself as a loyal servant of the kings. Meanwhile, Antigonus and Ptolemy attempted to undermine Eumenes’ authority by bribing the Silver Shields and spreading rumours, but Eumenes managed to retain their loyalty and support. Polyperchon, facing threats from Cassander, sought to secure support from Greek city-states by promising democracy and exile returns. However, Nicanor, Cassander’s ally in Athens, resisted Polyperchon’s edict, leading to a standoff. Despite Polyperchon’s efforts to mediate and Cassander’s arrival with reinforcements, the situation escalated, with Polyperchon ultimately besieging Cassander in the Piraeus. Polyperchon’s siege of Megalopolis failed due to the city’s strategic defences and the clever use of landmines against his elephants. This setback, coupled with Antigonus’ naval victory over Cleitus, damaged Polyperchon’s reputation and led many Greek cities to switch allegiance to Cassander. Meanwhile, Athens negotiated a peace treaty with Cassander, securing its autonomy while Munychia remained under his control.
Part 3
By the end of 318 BCE, Polyperchon in Macedon was cut off by both sea and land from his ally Eumenes, and his vast army. While for Antigonus with no real threat of Polyperchon and Eumenes coordinating against him, was afforded the luxury of focusing all his attention only on Eumenes and the East. Cassander was left in Europe with the role against Polyperchon, a task made easier by many of the Greek cities sensing a change in fortunes and switching their allegiance to Cassander. However, the situation in the Greco Macedonian homelands was delicately poised, and some bold plays for power would reshape the dynamics permanently.
Part 4
Having failed to press his advantage at the Battle of Paraitakene due to limited supplies in both food and more importantly the good will of his men, Eumenes buried his dead moved on to Gabiene for the winter of 317/316. Gabiene is in the region of Isfahan in central modern Iran an area known at the time for its abundance of food. Once there Eumenes billeted his army in various towns and cities in the area some up to 6 days march away demonstrating his confidence as he settled in for the winter. Across the from Eumenes, Antigonus had settled with his men in the city Gadamala, an uncertain location out across the Dasht-e Kavir or the Great Salt Desert between 2 and 300 km/120-180 miles away. Separated by the desert and winter weather, the armies and their leaders awaited renewed conflict.
Part 5
With Antigonus triumphant in the East, matters were still in flux back home in Macedon. Olympias having orchestrated the deaths of King Phillip III Arrhidaeus and his wife Eurydice had gone on to kill 100 Macedonians loyal to Cassander who had been selected as Regent by the now deceased Queen, as well as Nicanor, brother of Cassander, also dismantling and desecrating the tomb of another brother Iollas.
While this may have seemed necessary to her to remove opposition while in a position to do so, it resulted in a drop in her Approval rating among the Macedonian hierarchy. For now, she had established herself in power with her roughly 7 year-old grandson King Alexander IV. However, news of her actions was making its way south to Cassander who was busy besieging the city of Tega. How would he respond?
Sources:
Ancient Sources:
Appian The Syrian Wars
Diodorus Library of History
Justin Epitome
Plutarch Eumenes
Plutarch Phocion
Modern Sources:
Andrew Erskine, A Companion to the Hellenistic World
Edward M. Anson, Alexander's Heirs : The Age of the Successors
Robin Waterfield, Dividing the Spoils : The War for Alexander the Great's Empire
Joseph Pietrykowski, Great Battles of the Hellenistic World