The Battle of Corupedium (281 BCE) saw Seleucus defeat and kill Lysimachus in western Asia Minor. Often treated as the last great battle among Alexander’s original Successors, it cleared Seleucus’ path into the west (though he was soon assassinated).
At Ipsus (301 BCE), a coalition led by Seleucus and Lysimachus defeated Antigonus and Demetrius; Antigonus was killed. The battle ended Antigonus’ bid for dominance and resulted in a major repartition of his territories among the victors.
Demetrius’ famous Siege of Rhodes (305–304 BCE) failed to force Rhodes into full submission, ending instead in a negotiated outcome. The siege showcased Hellenistic siegecraft and the limits of Antigonid coercion against well-supported island powers.
In 306 BCE, Demetrius won a major naval victory over Ptolemy off Salamis (Cyprus), shifting control of Cyprus to the Antigonids and dramatically enhancing Antigonus’ prestige. The victory was widely treated as a turning point in the struggle for supremacy.
The Babylonian War (311–309 BCE) was fought between Antigonus and Seleucus over Mesopotamia and the eastern satrapies. Seleucus’ success in this conflict helped secure the foundations of the Seleucid state in the east.
At the Battle of Gaza (312 BCE), Ptolemy and Seleucus defeated Demetrius (son of Antigonus). The victory helped Seleucus regain momentum toward reclaiming Babylonia and laid groundwork for the later Babylonian War.
At Gabiene (winter 316–315 BCE), Antigonus and Eumenes fought a second major battle. After the engagement, Eumenes was betrayed by elements of his army and handed over to Antigonus, ending Eumenes’ challenge and strengthening Antigonus’ position in Asia.
Antigonus and Eumenes clashed at Paraitakene (317 BCE) in a major set-piece battle. Although often presented as a win for Eumenes, neither side achieved a decisive strategic outcome, and the war continued toward a final confrontation.
In the early Second War of the Diadochi, Antigonus defeated Eumenes at Orkynia (319 BCE). The setback pushed Eumenes into further campaigning in the eastern satrapies, keeping the conflict alive across Asia.
During the First War of the Diadochi, Eumenes defeated the coalition army led by Craterus and Neoptolemus near the Hellespont, killing both commanders. The battle eliminated a major royalist military figure and intensified the struggle around Perdiccas’ regency.
After Perdiccas’ collapse and death, the Successors met at Triparadisus (321 BCE) and redivided offices and satrapies, with Antipater emerging as a key regent figure. The settlement reshuffled authority but did not end rivalry, and the wars soon resumed.
A Greek coalition led by Athens attempted to throw off Macedonian domination in the Lamian War (323–322 BCE). Macedonian victory at the Battle of Crannon proved decisive, helping secure Macedonia’s position in Greece while the Successors fought over the wider empire.
After Alexander’s death at Babylon, his commanders reached the Partition of Babylon, recognizing Philip III Arrhidaeus and the unborn (soon born) Alexander IV as joint kings and elevating Perdiccas to a leading regency role. The settlement distributed satrapies among senior officers but left key power questions unresolved, setting the stage for the first successor wars.
Wars of the Diadochi (323–275 BCE)
