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Demetrius the Besieger offers the first historical and historiographical biography of Demetrius Poliorcetes (336-282 BC) to be published in English. Also known as 'The Besieger of Cities', Demetrius is an outstanding, yet enigmatic figure who presided over the disintegration of Alexander the Great's Empire after 323 BC, and the most fascinating and high profile of the Diadochoi, or Successors to Alexander the Great. His campaigns, initiatives, and personal life bestride the opening forty years of the so-called 'Hellenistic' age and are pivotal in its formation as he became the first of the Hellenistic Kings. As his name suggests, Demetrius was prodigious in his military adventures, and profligate in his private life, rendering him an icon for artists, writers, politicians, and soldiers for many centuries. He was especially famous for his spectacular siege operations against enemy cities, and gained his unique nickname from his innovation in building gigantic siege engines, which became legendary in the ancient world. However, much of Demetrius' life was enigmatic, oscillating wildly between successful and catastrophic ventures, and his intrinsic qualities remain debatable to this day. What is indisputable is that he presided over a formative period in history marked by great flux and enormous change. His endeavours resulted in the fusion of Asiatic and Greek cultures, producing the hybrid Hellenistic kingdoms which dominated the ancient world for some 200 years until the rise of the Roman Empire. The period is of crucial importance in ancient Greek history, and marks the point from which Hellenistic influence became fundamental in the development of modern Western culture.
Sommario
- List of Maps and Figures
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1: The Young Demetrius Poliorcetes
- 2: Demetrius and Phila
- 3: A Diadoch's Apprenticeship
- 4: Demetrius in Syria, 315-312 BC
- 5: The Battle of Gaza
- 6: The Aftermath of Gaza
- 7: Demetrius in Babylonia
- 8: The Silent Years: 310-308 BC
- 9: The Antigonid 'Liberation' of Athens in 307 BC
- 10: Demetrius in Athens
- 11: The Antigonid Campaign in Cyprus, 306 BC
- 12: The Fruits of Victory: Kingship, Lamia, Africa
- 13: The Great Siege of Rhodes
- 14: Demetrius' Return to Greece, 304-303 BC
- 15: The Mysteries and the League
- 16: The Campaign of Ipsus
- 17: Demetrius' Flight
- 18: The Besieger Alone
- 19: Demetrius and Athens. Again
- 20: The Acquisition of Macedonia
- 21: King of the Macedonians
- 22: Demetrius the Living God
- 23: A New Anabasis?
- 24: Wolves at the Door: 288-285 BC
- 25: Demetrius' Fortunes Unravel
- 26: The Final Campaign
- 27: The End of the Reign of Demetrius Poliorcetes
- 28: Conclusion
- Endmatter
- Appendix 1: The Colossus of Rhodes
- Appendix 2: Chronology of the Life of Demetrius Poliorcetes (336-282 BC)
Info autore
Pat Wheatley is Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Otago, New Zealand. His research specialty is the history and historiography of the Successors to Alexander the Great, and he has published extensively on the chronology, coinage, and social aspects of this period.
Charlotte Dunn is Lecturer in Classics at the University of Tasmania, Australia. Her research interests include the life of Alexander the Great and his Successors, especially the propaganda and political manipulations that these men used to secure power.
Riassunto
Demetrius Poliorcetes, also known as 'The Besieger of Cities', is the most fascinating and high profile of the Successors to Alexander the Great. This biography offers the first historical account of his life to be published in English, charting his pivotal role in the formation of the so-called 'Hellenistic' age.
