Battle of Ipsus
Ipsus, Phrygia (near modern Çayırbağ, Afyonkarahisar), Turkey
What happened
Antigonus I 'the One-Eyed' and his son Demetrius fought an alliance led by Seleucus I and Lysimachus. After Alexander the Great died, his generals fought over his empire. Antigonus, now about 81, was the strongest of them and hoped to rule it all, so his rivals joined forces against him. At Ipsus, Demetrius's horsemen chased their enemies too far, Seleucus's war elephants blocked their way back, and Antigonus fell as his army broke up.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It ended the last real hope of putting Alexander's empire back together. The winners divided the land into separate kingdoms that shaped the Hellenistic age.
What came next
Ptolemy kept Egypt, Seleucus gained lands in Asia, and Lysimachus took most of Asia Minor. Demetrius escaped, and his family later ruled Macedonia until Rome conquered it in 168 BCE.
Did you know?
War elephants, not horsemen or foot soldiers, decided the battle by cutting Demetrius off from the rest of his army.
Timeline
- 306 BCEAntigonus takes the title of king.
- 301 BCEThe allies defeat Antigonus at Ipsus.
- 168 BCERome conquers Macedonia, ending the Antigonid line.