| |
The Battle of Corupedium, also called
Corupedion or Curupedion was the last battle between the Diadochi, the rival
successors to Alexander the Great. It was fought in 281 between the armies of
Lysimachus and Seleucus I Nicator. Lysimachus had ruled Thrace for decades and
parts of modern 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 modern eastern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon,
Israel, Iraq, and Iran. Almost nothing is known about the battle itself save
that 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, his victory was
short-lived. After crossing the Hellespont to take possession of Lysimachus'
European holdings not long after the battle, Seleucus was assassinated by
Ptolemy Keraunos and Macedon swiftly became independent once again. The two men
had been rivals for a long time as Lysimachus wished to expand his influence
east, while Seleucus wished to expand his influence west, however the event
that actually started the war was the murder of Agathocles. Agathocles was the
eldest son of Lysimachus and his first wife Nicaea and was the heir to his
father’s realm. However Lysimachus’ third and current wife, Arsinoe,
wanted her children on the throne and so conspired with Ptolemy Keraunos to
have Agathocles killed. They accused him of plotting with Seleucus to take the
throne, and Lysimachus was convinced and put his son to death. This terrible
act led many cities in Asia Minor to revolt against the rule of Thrace.
Agathocles’ widow and their children fled to Seleucus, giving him an
opportunity to attack Lysimachus when he was weak, which he could not refuse.
He invaded and subsequently won at Corupedion
|
|
