Perdiccas (general)

Biography

Career under the reign of Alexandre

Perdiccas was born, at an unknown date, in a princely family of Orestide (area of High-Macedonia). It is raised, according to the tradition Argéade, like page at the court of Philippe II, then it takes part in the first campaigns of Alexandre: it is wounded in front of Thèbes in 335 av. J. - C. In Asia, it orders initially a taxeis of the phalange then, towards 329, a body of the cavalry of the Compagnons as a Hipparque (it orders a squadron of approximately 500 riders). Enough tardily, towards 330, it becomes one of the Sômatophylaques (bodyguard) of the sovereign.

After the death of Héphaistion in 324, Perdiccas replaces it like second in the imperial hierarchy, although Alexandre does not rely in him same as on his late favorite. He exerts the function of Chiliarque, i.e. equivalent of the Vizier Achéménide and ordering cavalry of the Companions. But it does not carry yet truly the title from there, nor does not perform all the functions of them. The historians consider indeed that Perdiccas was chiliarque aulic cavalry but not chiliarque (vizier).

Chiliarque of the empire

At died of Alexandre in June 323 av. J. - C., Perdiccas preserves, as chiliarque, the exercise of the central authority in the name of the two kings Philippe III and Alexandre IV, both incompetents to control (the first passer by for defective mental and the second not having incipient yet). He is opposed quickly to various the satrap S being wary towards his authoritarianism and his ambition royal, and eager themselves to increase their capacity. In order to preserve the integrity of the empire of Alexandre, Perdiccas claims to succeed to him in the exercise of the capacity. The legend whereby Alexandre would have given the royal ring to Perdiccas on his bed of dead him is used as legitimation according to certain sources.

The authority of Perdiccas is called in question as of 323 by Antigone One-eyed the and Léonnatos which refuses both to carry out in Cappadoce the war to the profit of Eumène de Cardia, the “Greek scribe”. Convened by Perdiccas in front of a court of the army, Antigone flees near Antipater and of Cratère, then occupied reducing the rebellion of Athens and the Étolie (323 - 322). While Léonnatos, once arrived at the doors of Cappadoce, flies to the help of Antipater to Lamia, with the army planned for the conquest of Cappadoce.

In 322, Perdiccas takes the command of the royal army in Cappadoce (Philippe III is at its sides) and demolishes the Persian dynaste Ariarathe which it makes crucifier, punishment that the Perses hold to the insurrectionists. It installs Eumène de Cardia with the head of Cappadoce, this one becoming its main ally then. Following this victory, it usurps in Cratère the title of prostates (tutor) of the kings and proclamation his intention to maintain with its profit the unit empire. The conflict bursts with the diadoques ones when Antigone reveals in Antipater the ambition of Perdiccas, which was supposed to marry Nikaia, a girl of Antipater. Perdiccas is indeed in contact with Olympias to arrive to Macedonia with the skin of Alexandre and to marry a sister of this one, Cléopâtre.

The defeat of Perdiccas

But Perdiccas makes strategic awkwardnesses. It makes kill Cynane, a girl of Philippe II, which causes strong resentments against him among the defenders of the dynasty Argéade. It then must, under the pressure of its soldiers, to accept the marriage of the girl of Cynane, Eurydice, with Philippe III, which causes the anger of Olympias and Cléopâtre which see a threat there. Moreover in 322, it is made subtilize the prestigious skin of Alexandre by Ptolémée, the satrap of Egypt, which diverts the funerary convoy towards Alexandria.

In order to fight against the coalition incipient against him, it leaves Eumène de Cardia in Asia Mineure with his brother, Alcétas, to fight against Antipater, Cratère and Antigone and moves against Egypt. But its mortuary, like its failures in front of Péluse and in its attempt at crossing of the the Nile, alienate the soldiers to him of which the Argyraspides. He is assassinated in 321 av. J. - C. in his tent by two of his officers, Peithon, the satrap of Médie and Séleucos, the Master of his cavalry.

The death of Perdiccas rings the knell of the imperial unit in the long term. The “centrifugal forces” incarnated by the diadoques ones do not have cease to tear for the division of the empire of Alexandre. The council of Triparadisos which follows its defeat marks the reinforcement of the capacity of Antipater to the head of the regency of Macedonia and Antigone which is established in Asia. The large satraps (Ptolémée, Séleucos, Lysimaque at the head) do not have to return any more of account to an central authority.

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