This major study by a leading expert is dedicated to the thirty years after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. It deals with the emergence of the Successor monarchies and examines the factors which brought success and failure. Some of the central themes are the struggle for pre-eminence after Alexander's death, the fate of the Macedonian army of conquest, and the foundation of Seleucus' monarchy. Bosworth also examines the statesman and historian Hieronymus of Cardia, concentrating on his treatment of widow burning in India and nomadism in Arabia. Another highlight is the first full analysis of the epic struggle between Antigonus and Eumenes (318-316), one of the most important and decisive campaigns of the ancient world.
1. Introduction 2. The Politics of the Babylon Settlement 3. Macedonian Numbers at the Death of Alexander the Great 4. Turbulent Satraps and Frozen Elephants: The Campaign in Iran 5. Hieronymus' Ethnography: Indian Widows and Nabataean Nomads 6. The Rise of Seleucus 7. Hellenistic Monarchy: Success and Legitimation AppendixChronology of events between 323 and 311 BC