Monthly Archives: March 2021

15- Last of the Successors

With the assassination of Agathocles in 282 came the perfect opportunity for Seleucus to strike Lysimachus’ territories in Thrace and Macedon. The number of Hellenistic kingdoms is now rapidly dwindling- aside from the behemoth of the Seleucid realms, there’s only Lysimachus’ domains, Epirus and Egypt left. With Ptolemy now dead and a potential rival heir in Seleucid hands, the stage is set for a showdown between Lysimachus and Seleucus to see who will be the last successor standing…

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. 2) Lendering, J., Livius (2002, modified 2020) Diadochi 10: Lysimachus and Seleucus (online) [Accessed 24/01/2021]. 3) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Lysandra (online) [Accessed 03/02/2021]. 4) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Diadochi (online) [Accessed 03/02/2021].

A coin showing the likeness of Seleucus I. Cropped from an image by Metropolitan Museum of Art – Metropolitan Museum of ArtOffered as “Public Domain”, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73578964
Space Flight Center – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anatolia_composite_NASA.png, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34778612

14- To Macedon!

With Demetrius dead, the Antigonid threat is out of the picture again for a bit- although rest assured, it’s not the last time we’ve heard of names such as Antigonus II, so don’t forget about them completely. Instead, the struggle begins for the throne of Macedon, with the principal contenders at the time Demetrius is taken off the chessboard being Lysimachus and Pyrrhus of Epirus. However, it wouldn’t take much for Ptolemaic and Seleucid interests to be peaked as well. On the podcast today, the match is going to be struck and chaos will break out in the old heartland of Macedon…

Sources for this episode: 1) Komnene, A., translated originally by Sewter, E. R. A. (c.1147, my edition 2009), The Alexiad (Penguin Classics) London: Penguin Books Ltd. 2) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Ptolemy I Soter (online) [Accessed 24/01/2021]. 3) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ptolemy Ceraunus (online) [Accessed 24/01/2021]. 4) Lendering J., Livius (2002, modified 2020), Diadochi 10: Lysimachus and Seleucus (online) [Accessed 23/01/2021]. 5) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. 5) Heinen, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Ptolemy II Philadelphus (online) [Accessed 28/01/2021].

EDIT: I’ve discovered that the Antigonid story naturally moves back into our main narrative at the beginning of the next reign, so I’m going to discuss what’s been happening to Antigonus II in a separate at that point instead of during our interlude episodes.

A coin of Lysimachus, the ruler of Thrace, Anatolia and Macedon. Cropped from the original, which is: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=163576

Echoes of Alexander 1- The Greek Language

Welcome to what I hope will be the first episode of a mini-series that will pop up every so often in your feed. In the ‘Echoes of Alexander’ mini-series, we’re going to explore some of the impacts that the life of Alexander the Great had, to do a bit more justice to the man who’s death was really the start of our story. This week, we turn our attention to the Greek language before Alexander arrived, and the seismic shift that his life and reign caused…

Sources for this episode: 1) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Greek language (online) [Accessed 07/03/2021]. 2) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Hellen (online) [Accessed 07/03/2021]. 3) Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs (online) [Accessed 07/03/2021]. 4) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Koine Greek (online) [Accessed 07/03/2021]. 5) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Alexander the Great (online) [Accessed 07/03/2021]. 6) For a statement that the Greeks saw themselves as divided into four main groups, see the Wikipedia page for any of the four groups described.

Areas which spoke Greek during the period from 323 BCE to 31 BCE. Areas in dark were majority Greek-speaking areas, while lighter areas were Hellenised. By Davius – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27583358
A map of the distribution of Greek dialects in Magna Graecia, or the Greek colonies in Italy. By Future Perfect at Sunrise – Own workDialect areas according to: Roger D. Woodard (2008), “Greek dialects”, in: The Ancient Languages of Europe, ed. Roger D. Woodard, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p.51. (= partial re-published version of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Ancient Languages, 2004). Positions of cities after various on-wiki sources., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4734088
A 5th century BCE inscription from the Law Code of Gortyn. By Jastrow (2006), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=549112

13- Go West, Young Man

As with the stereotypical image of Wild West pioneers in the late 19th century, Seleucus’ political ambitions are going to head west. With himself and Demetrius on the one hand and an alliance of Ptolemy, Lysimachus and Cassander on the other, a falling out was pretty much inevitable. This week, we’re going to see the final act of Demetrius’ story, which will include the beginnings of a succession crisis in Macedon…

Sources for this episode: 1) Lendering, J., Livius (2002, modified 2020), Diadochi 9: Demetrius (online) [Accessed 21/01/2021]. 2) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. 3) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus I Nicator (online) [Accessed 10/01/2021]. 4) Lendering, J., Livius (2002, modified 2020), Diadochi 10: Lysimachus and Seleucus (online) [Accessed 23/01/2021].

A 1923 map showing Hollow Syria, the region contested by the Ptolemies and the Seleucids after the fall of Antigonus I. By Asia_minor-Shepherd_1923.JPG:William Robert Shepherd(1871–1934)Alternative namesWilliam R. Shepherd; William ShepherdDescriptionAmerican cartographer and historianDate of birth/death12 June 18717 June 1934Location of birth/deathCharlestonBerlinWork locationNew York CityAuthority control: Q8017647VIAF: 100210280ISNI: 0000 0001 2103 3838LCCN: n85234631NLA: 35776491Open Library: OL163043AWorldCatOriginal uploader was Borsanova at de.wikipedia – This file has been extracted from another file: Asia minor-Shepherd 1923.JPG, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12662983
A map of the region of Macedonia. By Future Perfect at Sunrise – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5776923

Introducing: Biopedia

Just a quick note at this point to introduce the other podcast I run- Biopedia. This is a podcast where we discuss a different biological concept or topic in every episode. If that sounds like it might be for you, head over to Biopedia and join us. Regular content resumes next week!