CHAPTER II: A MURDER MOST FOUL
Perdikkas’ regency, that tenuous façade of order and security, began to fall apart in earnest two years after the death of Alexandros (321 BC). Acting on the orders of the Regent, I, Eumenes of Kardia, was in the process of consolidating my control over the Hellenic cities on the northern coast of Anatolia. While I was thus engaged, a certain Areiarathes of Mazaka had the temerity to declare himself king of Kappadokia. In order to squash the pretender before he grew into a real problem, Perdikkas ordered Antigonos Monophthalmos, Satrap of Greater Phrygia, to lead an army against the rebel.
Antigonos gathered a force and marched east from Pergamon, seemingly in obedience to the summons of the Regent. Instead of marching north and engaging Areiarathes, however, the one-eyed general turned south and occupied the Syrian town of Iopolis which controlled a strategic bridge over the River Orontes. Perdikkas’ authority was hurt by this blatant disregard of orders, and it received another blow when Antigonos refused to report to Babylon to explain his actions. Needless to say, I was the one who ultimately had to deal with the Kappadokian pretender.
No doubt sensing that Perdikkas’ grip over Alexandros’ World Empire was weakening, Ptolemaios broke faith with the Regent, and set in play a series of actions which ultimately led to the death of my friend and ally.
After more than two years of political wrangling, Perdikkas had pushed through his own plan for the burial of Alexandros. The Conqueror’s embalmed body was to be taken back to the homeland to be buried with his ancestors at Aigai. Ptolemaios was irate and claimed that Alexandros had specified that he was to be buried in Aigyptos. Whether or not this was true, I cannot say. I was the chief secretary of Megas Alexandros, but there were many things the man chose not to share with me. Regardless of the basis for his claim, Ptolemaios showed his true disdain for Alexandros when he chose to take the law into his own hands.
A small band of raiders loyal to Ptolemaios tracked down the caravan containing the body of Alexandros, and after slaughtering the small detachment of Greek mercenaries assigned to guard the sarcophagus, absconded to their master in Aigyptos with the body of our king.
Enraged by this second betrayal, Perdikkas quickly began to muster troops to march against Ptolemaios. At the same time, he ordered me to make sure Antigonos remained bottled up in Anatolia. Less than three years after the death of Alexandros, war had broken out between those who sought to uphold his legacy, and those who wished to tear it to shreds for the sake of their own impious ambitions.
As Alexandrian Year 16 (320BC) dawned, Perdikkas and his army marched south through the Levant and prepared to assault Ptolemaios in his Aigyptian lair. Tragically, the moirai were determined to see Alexandros’ Empire fall even further into chaos.
The first assault on the Ptolemaic frontier went badly for Perdikkas. Although he eventually managed to punch a hole through the defenses and advance into the Nile Delta, he lost many men in the endeavor. The final disaster occurred when he tried to cross the great river under enemy fire. Many were killed by Ptolemaic arrows, but even more were lost to the river and its terrible crocodilian denizens.
Perdikkas was forced to retreat and make camp on the river’s east bank. His troops were demoralized, and his officers had murder on their mind.
The night after the battle (or so my sources tell me, for I was far away in Kappadokia on that fatal night), three of Perdikkas’ top generals met in their tent and plotted mutiny against their commander and Regent. Seleukos, son of Antiochos organized the meeting, but it is unknown to me whether it was his idea to murder Perdikkas, or whether that dastardly idea was contributed by Antigenes Eusebes or Peithon of Eordaia his co-conspirators.
The plot was executed the following day when a detachment of soldiers, led by the three traitors, attacked Perdikkas and his bodyguard as they returned from a hunting trip.
Following the murder of their commander, Seleukos, Antigenes, and Peithon made peace with Ptolemaios and marched back to Babylon. By the time news of Perdikkas’ death reached me in Kappadokia, the three conspirators had established themselves as satraps in Babylon, Media, and the rest of Mesopotamia. It was fortunate indeed that Roxanne got word of the murder before Seleukos returned to Babylon. She fled to Antipatros in Makedon with her infant son and the hapless Arrhidaios. One can only imagine what fate would have befallen the kings had they been handed over to the tender mercies of Seleukos and his cronies…
In the aftermath of Perdikkas’ death, I found myself in a dangerous position. In all of Asia, only I remained loyal to Alexandros’ dream. I had consolidated my hold on Kappadikia, Pontos, and northern Anatolia, but I had a limited number of troops, and I was faced with a powerful enemy to the south, in the person of Antigonos Monophthalmos. In Hellas, Antipater remained loyal to the dual monarchs, but he was old, and preoccupied with determining who would succeed him as hegemon of Europa and guardian of the kings. I was on my own, and had to act quickly or suffer the same fate as my friend Perdikkas.
COMING NEXT: Chapter III: Sometimes the Best Defense is a Good Offense
Re: In the name of Megas Alexandros! An AAR of Eumenes of Kardia
Originally Posted by gamegeek2
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