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Ipsus[?], 301 BC
Strategic Context As Alexander the Great lays dying in 323 BC, he is asked who should inherit his vast empire to which
he reportedly answers: ³the strongest.´ Since then, five dominant figures emerge to struggle for the
remains of his great empire: Ptolemy in Egypt, Cassander in Macedon, Lysimachus in Thrace,
Seleucus in eastern Asia and Antigonus in western Asia. Alliances unsurprisingly shift constantly.
Antigonus, occupying the central position, wants a united empire under one leader whereas the
others are content to rule and expand their own realms. In 302 BC, the other leaders begin to
cooperate effectively against Antigonus and seek to merge forces, mainly supplied by Seleucus and
Lysimachus. Antigonus fails to defeat these in detail and now faces their combined might.
Stakes
+ An Allied victory would end Antigonus¶
ambitions of a united empire and cripple
his own realm.
+ An Antigonid victory would fracture the
coalition, allowing Antigonus to strike and
defeat any one enemy.
By Jonathan Webb, 2010 ©
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Ipsus, 301 BCStrength
Allies
Well
Antigonids
Well
Seleucus I
Antigonus I
By Jonathan Webb, 2010 ©
70,000 infantry64,000 infantry
10,000 heavy cavalry
75 war elephants
15,000 light cavalry
400 war elephants
Demetrius ILysimachus
120 chariots
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Antigonids( Antigonus/Demetrius)
Allies
(Seleucus/Lysimachus)
Andronicus Antigonus Demetrius
Seleucus/Lysimachus
Antiochus
Seleucus deploys his infantry in the center with cavalry on the wings, the stronger left wing commanded by his son, Antiochus. The Allied chariots remain to the rear while most of
the Allied line is fronted by war elephants and light infantry commanded by Lysimachus with horse-archers hidden just behind the elephant screen. Seleucus plans to lure away the
Antigonid heavy cavalry and outflank the infantry phalanx. Antigonus deploys his infantry in the center with his heavy cavalry on the wings, the stronger right wing commanded by
his son, Demetrius, and the weaker left wing covered by the meager force of war elephants commanded by Adronicus. Man-made obstacles in front of the Antigonid infantry
protect them from the vast Allied war elephant force. Antigonus plans to rout the Allied left wing with heavy cavalry and strike the infantry phalanx from behind.
Antiochus harasses the Antigonid right wing by firing arrows and then retreating when Demetrius charges with his heavier
cavalry, a pattern which carries the opposing cavalry forces away from the battlefield. Meanwhile, the Allied war elephants
accompanied by light infantry, advance to skirmish with their Antigonid counterparts.
Antigonus awaits the return of Demetrius as the Allied war elephants force his light infantry to retreat. The hidden Allied horse-archers
exploit the exposed Antigonid right flank by firing arrows into the flanks of the infantry phalanx while war elephants and light infantry
disrupt it by showering its front with missiles. On the Antigonid left wing, a fierce battle between war elephants develops.
Seleucus/Lysimachus continue to rake the Antigonid infantry phalanx with missiles, causing casualties and desertions.
With Demetrius still out of sight, Antigonus seeks to preserve his force until his return by redeploying infantry to protect his
right flank. The elephant battle on the Antigonid left continues inconclusively but is pinning Antigonid forces there.
After patiently wearing down the Antigonid infantry phalanx, Seleucus launches the decisive attack with his
infantry. Antigonus is killed early on in the engagement and his force quickly disintegrates, pursued by Allied
forces.
N N
Allies
(Seleucus I/Lysimachus)
64,000 infantry
15,000 light cavalry
400 war elephants
120 chariots
Antigonids
( Antigonus I/Demetrius I)
70,000 infantry
10,000 heavy cavalry
75 war elephants
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Ipsus, 301 BCCasualties & Af termath
Allies: Antigonids:
§3,000
or
4%
§48,000
or
60%
By Jonathan Webb, 2010 ©
Demetrius escaped from this disaster but did not continue his father¶s aspirations for
a united Alexandrian empire. Antigonus¶ defeat at Ipsus firmly established that there
would be no such empire. The victors carved up the Antigonid realm immediately
after the battle, eliminating any buffer between them and eventually leading to
further maneuvering against one another for more land. These maneuvers
culminated in the six Syrian Wars.
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