Battle of Corupedion

The Battle of Corupedium (also called Corupedion) is the name of the last battle of the Diadochi, the rival successors to Alexander the Great. It was fought, in 281 BC between the armies of Lysimachus and Seleucus I Nicator. Lysimachus had ruled Thrace for decades and parts of Western [[[Turkey]] ever since the battle of Ipsus. Recently he had finally gained control over Macedon. Seleucus ruled the Seleucid Empire, including lands currently covered by Eastern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq and Iran. Almost nothing is known about the battle itself save that the two aged kings met in hand to hand combat and Seleucus won the battle. Lysimachus died during the fighting. According to Memnon of Heraclea's History of Heraclea Pontica, Lysimachus was killed by a javelin thrown by Malacon, a Heracleian soldier serving under Seleucus. ^[1]

Although the victory gave Seleucus nominal control over nearly every part of Alexander's empire, save the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, the victory changed nothing. Seleucus was assassinated by Ptolemy Keraunos not long after the battle and Macedon swiftly became independent once again. It was typical of the times that these two former companions and former allies should as old men, end up fighting each other to the death. All of Alexander's companions lived violent lives and died from violence. Only Ptolemy I Soter died peacefully in Alexandria.

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Livius.org: Corupedium