Demetrius Poliorket. The Living God, "The Besieger of Cities"
Sculpture of the head of Demetrius, Madrid, Prado Museum
Today we will return to the story of the collapse of the empire of Alexander the Great and the wars of his successors, the Diadochi, that lasted 20 years. The hero of our article will not be the most successful of them - Demetrius, the son of Antigonus One-Eyed, who during his lifetime became the patron god of Athens and earned from his contemporaries the telling nickname Poliorketes - "Besieger of the City".
Ancient authors about Demetrius Poliorcetes
Demetrius became one of the heroes of the famous "Comparative Lives" of Plutarch, and this historian paired him with the Roman Mark Antony, Caesar's comrade-in-arms, triumvir, husband of Cleopatra and rival of Octavian. And I must say that these are the only biographies given by Plutarch as examples of the fact that in a great man, in addition to valor, great vices can lurk. The appearance and character of Demetrius Polyorcetes Plutarch describes as follows:
“Demetrius was tall, although shorter than Antigonus, and his face was so handsome that they only marveled, and not one of the sculptors and painters could achieve complete resemblance, for his features were both charming, and impressive, and formidable, youthful courage combined in them with some indescribable heroic strength and royal grandeur. And his disposition was about the same, instilling in people both horror and, at the same time, ardent attachment to himself. In the days and hours of leisure, over wine, among pleasures and everyday activities, he was the most pleasant of interlocutors and the most pampered of kings, but in business he was persistent, tireless and stubborn like no one else.
And here is what Diodorus Siculus writes about Demetrius:
“He had an arrogant spirit and pride, and looked down not only on ordinary people, but also on people of the royal class, and what was most characteristic of him, in peacetime, he devoted all his time to drunkenness and feasts, which were accompanied by dancing and revelry, and in general, imitating the image, in the words of mythology, he was like Dionysus among people.
Becoming a living god in Athens, Demetrius really disappointed the citizens of this policy, and his favorite Lamia, hinting at the nickname of Demetrius himself (“Besieger of the City”) was called “The Destroyer of Cities” there. But we will talk about this a little later. In the meantime, let's return to the writings of Diodorus Siculus, where you can read the following description of this diadoch:
“In his wars, Demetrius was active and sober. For, being very well trained in the invention and design of many things beyond the limits of the art of architects, he was surnamed Polyorcetes; and he displayed such superiority and strength in his attacks that there seemed to be no wall strong enough to keep the besieged safe from him. Both his stature and his beauty showed the dignity of a hero, so that even strangers who came from afar, when they observed his prettiness, dressed with royal luxury, admired him and followed him everywhere in order to see him.
And further:
"The Greatest weapon was improved, and machines of all kinds were far superior to those that existed among others, and this man launched the greatest ships after this siege and after the death of his father.
Duris of Samos, a student of the philosopher Theophrastus, in his work Makedonika also accuses Demetrius of intemperance and desire for luxury. However, speaking of the Diadochi, Duris speaks positively only of Eumenes, whom he puts on a par with Demosthenes and Phocion. The other Diadochi got no less from him than Demetrius. His father, Antigonus, for example, he reproaches with a peasant origin, Polyperchon calls a drunkard, and Lysimachos a former robber. The same Plutarch reports that Ptolemy I Soter expelled his sons from his first marriage, and Lysimachus executed his son altogether. But Antigonus, according to Plutarch, was proud that he was not afraid to let his son approach him with a weapon in his hands, from which we can conclude that other Diadochi preferred not to risk so much.
Origin and early life of the Diadochus
Demetrius was born in 337 BC. e. and lived only 54 years, and the last three - in honorary captivity with his father-in-law Seleucus. The son of Demetrius, Antigonus, offered for his freedom not only all his property, but even himself, but Seleucus did not want to let go of such a dangerous rival.
So, let's start our story about this man and first say a few words about his father - Antigonus One-Eyed, whom the enemies called the Cyclops. And who, along with Eumenes, modern historians consider the most talented commander among the Diadochi of Alexander the Great.
Supposed depiction of Antigonus One-Eyed
Antigonus's ancestors once ruled Elimitis - historical region in Upper Macedonia. Thus, he was one of the most distinguished associates of Tsar Philip, Alexander's father. He received his nickname at the age of 40 during the siege of Perinth. Plutarch claims that, being wounded by an arrow in the eye, Antigonus remained in the ranks and, at the head of the detachment entrusted to him, forced the enemy to retreat to the city. Only after the end of the battle did he allow the arrow to be pulled out of the eye socket.
Antigonus was 26 years older than Alexander the Great, knew his worth, enjoyed authority in the troops - and the young king did not like this very much, who, firstly, did not trust his father's old associates too much, and, secondly, did not tolerate anyone's advice and teachings. And therefore, in 333 BC. e. 48-year-old Antigonus was removed from the active army and appointed governor of Great Phrygia. Defending this province, while the main army was in Egypt, he defeated the Persians at the Battle of Sardis. Antigonus's wife and son Demetrius came to Antigonus around 330 BC. e. After the death of the king, Antigonus managed to bargain for himself also Pamphylia and Lycia, which previously belonged to the navarch (commander fleet) Alexander the Great Nearchus. As a result, his possessions were larger than those of any other diadochi. However, Antigonus angered the regent of the empire - Perdiccas, refusing to fulfill his order to allocate troops to Eumenes, who was supposed to conquer Cappadocia. Not having the strength to fight the regent, Antigonus, with the treasury and a detachment of soldiers loyal to him, went to Greece, where he met with a warm welcome from the supreme strategist of Europe, Antipater, who ruled Macedonia, Thrace and all of Hellas. A coalition was formed, which, in addition to Antigonus and Antipater, included the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy and Crater, the beloved commander of the Macedonian army, who at that time acted as the prostate (guardian) of King Philip III Arrhidaeus, the feeble-minded half-brother of Alexander the Great (the second king was the young son of Roxana). As a result, Perdiccas, who went on a campaign against Ptolemy in 321 BC. e. after an unsuccessful attempt to cross the Nile, during which about two thousand people died in the Macedonian army, he was killed by his own subordinates. The conspiracy was led by Python and Seleucus. But Eumenes in turn defeated the troops of the governor of Armenia, Neoptolemus (whom he later killed in a personal battle) and his friend Crater, who also died in battle.
Battle of Eumenes of Cardia and Neoptolemus during the Battle of the Hellespont. Engraving from 1878
The Macedonians did not forgive the Greek Eumenes for the death of Krater. Plutarch reports that at a meeting of troops in Triparadis in 319 BC. e. Eumenes was sentenced to death on the grounds that he:
"The stranger and foreigner slew the first and most glorious of the Macedonians with the hands and weapons of the Macedonians themselves."
At the same time, an agreement was concluded on the marriage of the son of Antigonus Demetrius and the daughter of Antipater Fila, who was older than him and even managed to be married twice (but her husbands quickly died). The matter was of national importance, and therefore no one asked the opinion of the newlyweds. In this marriage, Phil gave birth to a son, who was named Antigonus in honor of his grandfather. He will become the founder of a new dynasty of kings that will rule this country until it is conquered by Rome.
Antigonus II Gonatas and his mother Fila. Detail of a fresco from Pompeii, circa 40 BC. e.
In general, Demetrius married 5 times (without waiting for the death of previous wives), and these were dynastic marriages.
Meanwhile, a new war soon began, and now Antigonus became Eumenes' opponent - the best commanders among the Diadochi had to sort out the relationship. It was then that the military career of Demetrius Poliorcetes began.
Antigonus and Demetrius vs. Eumenes
Eumenes of Cardia was a confidant of Alexander the Great and the head of his chancellery - archigrammat, but other associates of Alexander contemptuously called him "Greek scribe". Like Perdiccas, Eumenes became a faithful defender of the interests of the heirs of the great Alexander and was therefore doomed: the other Diadochi were not going to cede the lands they received to either the feeble-minded Philip Arrhidaeus or the young son of Alexander and Roxana. Nevertheless, the war between Eumenes and Antigonus lasted three years, and he lost only because of the betrayal of his own soldiers - Argyrospides veterans, who exchanged their commander for property captured by the enemy in their camp. The first time Eumenes was betrayed was already in the first battle against Antigonus: in the battle of Orkinia, the commanders of two detachments went over to the side of the enemy. Eumenes took refuge in the mountain fortress of Nora, which Antigonus failed to take. Having entered into negotiations to avert his eyes, he, at the head of 500 horsemen, escaped from the surrounded fortress and came to Cilicia through Cappadocia. At first, Eumenes intended to go to Macedonia, where Olympias wanted to appoint him as the tutor of her grandson, the son of Alexander and Roxana. However, after the defeat of the fleet of his ally, Polyperchon, Eumenes had to change his plans and retreat to the east, where some satraps recognized his authority. One of them, Evdam, who killed King Por and ruled the lands in the Indus Valley, brought 120 elephants. The allies of Antigonus were the ruler of Babylonia, Seleucus, and the satrap of Medes, Python (the organizers of the conspiracy against Perdiccas). At the battle of Paretakene (317 BC), the 19-year-old Demetrius commanded the cavalry on the right flank. It was the blow of these units against the already victorious phalanx of Eumenes that then saved the army of Antigonus from defeat. The ratio of losses was in favor of Eumenes, however, the argyrospides demanded that he retreat to the convoy, where their wives and children were, as well as personal property. Without revealing a clear winner, the armies of Eumenes and Antigonus dispersed in different directions.
Fatal for Eumenes was the battle of Gabiene (315 BC). Demetrius in it already commanded all the troops of the right flank. In the center, Eumenes' argyrospides defeated the enemy infantry units that opposed them. He probably would have won if it were not for the betrayal of the satrap of Persis Peucestus, whose one and a half thousand cavalry detachment went over to the side of Antigonus. The breakthrough of the Median horsemen to the camp of Eumenes became fatal: the argyrospides, who were afraid of losing the wealth accumulated over many years, betrayed their commander to Antigonus. Eumenes was executed on the orders of Antigonus - despite the ardent intercession of Demetrius and the requests of Nearchus, one of Alexander's longtime and closest associates. More details about these events were described in the article. Eumenes of Cardia. The last defender of the family of Alexander the Great.
The beginning of the career of the commander
The strengthening of Antigonus after the victory over Eumenes worried the other diadochi, and therefore a new (already Third) war soon began, in which Demetrius first acted as commander in chief. His father left him to defend the Levant. Among his subordinates were such authoritative generals as Nearchus and Python. In 312 BC. e. the fighting was started by the ruler of Egypt, Ptolemy, and a former ally of Antigonus, Seleucus, who was expelled from Babylon.
Ptolemy I, sculpture from the Copenhagen Glyptothek
Seleucus I Nicator (Victorious)
The armies of the opposing sides met at Gaza. Ptolemy and Seleucus on the one hand, Demetrius and Python on the other, fought in the forefront, Python died in battle. This battle ended in the defeat of Demetrius, up to 8 thousand of his soldiers were captured, the military treasury was lost. Ptolemy then showed nobility by returning the treasury to Demetrius and freeing his associates, and Demetrius allegedly prayed that he would repay Ptolemy with mercy for mercy as soon as possible. The son of Antigonus did not lose heart and soon gathered a new army. In 311 BC. e. a new battle took place, in which Demetrius was no longer opposed by Ptolemy, but by his commander Kill. At Miussa, Demetrius attacked the enemy army and won, capturing the camp with the treasury and about 7 thousand prisoners. Meanwhile, Antigonus arrived in Syria, and Ptolemy chose, without entering into a new battle, to withdraw his troops to Egypt. But the Babylonian war of 310 was unsuccessful: in the spring of that year, Seleucus defeated the troops of Demetrius, in the fall - his father Antigonus.
In the next article, we will talk about the beloved woman of Demetrius - hetaera Lamia, who was called the "Destroyer of Cities." It will also tell about the expeditions to Cyprus and Rhodes, about how Demetrius became king and god, about the unfortunate battle of Ipsus, the last military campaigns of the son of Antigonus One-Eyed and his inglorious death in captivity.
Information