Armies of the Successors 323-272 BCE

Armies of the Successors provides a detailed account of the armies that fought during the Wars of the Successors in the 50 years following Alexander the Great's death. This was a dynamic, turbulent period in which Alexander's generals initially tried to preserve the unity of his empire or to carve out their own lands from it, and then fought to establish enduring dynasties of their own. It was a period dominated by great generals, featuring figures such as Antigonos 'One-Eye', his son Demetrios 'the Besieger', Eumenes, the secretary who rose to become one of the foremost generals of the age, and Pyrrhus of Epirus, regarded in antiquity as second only to Alexander himself. Yet these generals could have achieved nothing without the armies they commanded. These armies, largely formed from Alexander's Imperial forces, influenced events across the Mediterranean and Middle East, and established a model of warfare that would last for the next two centuries. Armies of the Successors is the first comprehensive analysis of these armies, examining their composition, equipment, drill, tactics, recruitment, and motivation. Besides the core units of the phalanx, often recruited from Macedonians who served under Alexander or their descendants, the armies were supplemented by Asian levies, mercenaries, and exotic units such as chariots and elephants. It was a dynamic and colourful age, where constant tactical innovation was essential to stay afloat in a sea of shifting alliances. Men in the armies sought to serve their generals as best as they could while also carving out their own lives as professional soldiers, adventurers, and settlers in conquered Asian lands. AUTHOR: Richard Taylor holds a doctorate in Ancient History from Oxford University, and is the author of The Macedonian Phalanx, The Greek Hoplite Phalanx and The Army of Alexander the Great. He has worked in publishing and IT and is now an independent researcher specialising in the military history of Classical Greece and the Hellenistic world. 20 b/w illustrations, 30 b/w photos, 20 colour illustrations, 10 b/w maps