Alexander IV of Macedon

Alexander IV
Alexander IV
Basileus of Macedon; Hegemon of the Hellenic League; Shahanshah of Persia; Pharaoh of Egypt; Lord of Asia;
Reign	323/322–309 BC
Predecessor	Philip III
Successor	Cassander show Royal titulary
Nomen
	;
	;
Horus name
	Khounou Ouserpehti; The young, imposing force
Nebty name
	Merinetjerou Redinefjaoutenitef; The Beloved of the Gods, His Father's Throne Given to Him
Golden Horus
	Bik Nebou Heqaemtadjeref; Golden Hawk reigns around the world
Born	323 or 322 BC; Babylon
Died	Late summer 309 BC (aged 13 or 14); Macedon, Ancient Greece
Dynasty	Argead
Father	Alexander III of Macedon
Mother	Roxana of Bactria
Religion	Ancient Greek Religion

Alexander IV (Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος Δ΄; 323/322– 309 BC), sometimes erroneously called Aegus in modern times,^[2] was the son of Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon) and Princess Roxana of Bactria.

Birth[]

Alexander IV was the son of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian Greek) and Alexander's wife Roxana (a Sogdian).^[3]^[4]^[5] He was the grandson of Philip II of Macedon. Because Roxana was pregnant when Alexander the Great died on 11 June 323 BC and the sex of the baby was unknown, there was dissension in the Macedonian army regarding the order of succession. While the infantry supported Alexander the Great's half-brother Philip III (who had some unknown cognitive disability present throughout his life^[6]), the chiliarch Perdiccas, commander of the elite Companion cavalry, persuaded them to wait in the hope that Roxana's child would be male. The factions compromised, deciding that Perdiccas would rule the Empire as regent while Philip would reign, but only as a figurehead with no real power. If the child was male, then he would be king. Alexander IV was born in late 323 BC or early 322.

Regents[]

After a severe regency, military failure in Egypt, and mutiny in the army, Perdiccas was assassinated by his senior officers in May or June 321 or 320 BC (problems with Diodorus's chronology have made the year uncertain^[7]), after which Antipater was named as the new regent at the Partition of Triparadisus. He brought with him Roxana and the two kings to Macedon and gave up the pretence of ruling Alexander's Empire, leaving former provinces in Egypt and Asia under the control of the satraps. When Antipater died in 319 BC he left Polyperchon, a Macedonian general who had served under Philip II and Alexander the Great, as his successor, passing over his own son, Cassander.

Civil war[]

Cassander allied himself with Ptolemy Soter, Antigonus and Eurydice, the ambitious wife of king Philip Arrhidaeus, and declared war upon the Regency. Polyperchon was allied with Eumenes and Olympias.

Although Polyperchon was successful at first, taking control of the Greek cities, his fleet was destroyed by Antigonus in 318 BC. When, after the battle, Cassander assumed full control of Macedon, Polyperchon was forced to flee to Epirus, followed by Roxana and the young Alexander. A few months later, Olympias was able to persuade her relative Aeacides of Epirus to invade Macedon with Polyperchon. When Olympias took the field, Eurydice's army refused to fight against the mother of Alexander and defected to Olympias, after which Polyperchon and Aeacides retook Macedon. Philip and Eurydice were captured and executed on December 25, 317 BC, leaving Alexander IV king, and Olympias in effective control, as she was his regent.

Cassander returned in the following year (316 BC), conquering Macedon once again. Olympias was immediately executed, while the king and his mother were taken prisoner and held in the citadel of Amphipolis under the supervision of Glaucias. When the general peace between Cassander, Antigonus, Ptolemy, and Lysimachus put an end to the Third Diadoch War in 311 BC, the peace treaty recognized Alexander IV's rights and explicitly stated that when he came of age he would succeed Cassander as ruler.

Death[]

Tomb III in Vergina, which probably belonged to Alexander IV

Following the treaty, defenders of the Argead dynasty began to declare that Alexander IV should now exercise full power and that a regent was no longer needed, since he had almost reached the significant age of 14, the age at which a Macedonian noble could become a court page. Cassander's response was definitive: to secure his rule, in 309 BC he commanded Glaucias to secretly assassinate the 14-year-old Alexander IV and his mother. The orders were carried out, and they were both poisoned. There is controversy about the exact year of Alexander IV's death because of conflicting sources but the consensus of Hammond and Walbank in A History of Macedonia Vol. 3 is that Alexander was killed late in the summer of 309 BC, shortly after his alleged half-brother Heracles. However, Green thinks that Heracles was killed after Alexander IV's assassination.^[8]

One of the royal tombs discovered by the archaeologist Manolis Andronikos in the so-called "Great Tumulus" in Vergina in 1977/8 is believed to belong to Alexander IV.^[9]

References[]

^ Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849)
^ The error was caused by a modern misreading, ΑΙΓΟΥ for ΑΛΛΟΥ, of the text of Ptolemy's Canon of Kings. See e.g. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alexander the Great s.v. Alexander 'Aegus'" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 549. and Chugg, Andrew Michael (2007). The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great. Lulu. p. 42. ISBN 9780955679001. At Google Books.
^ Ahmed, S. Z. (2004), Chaghatai: the Fabulous Cities and People of the Silk Road, West Conshokoken: Infinity Publishing, p. 61.
^ Strachan, Edward and Roy Bolton (2008), Russia and Europe in the Nineteenth Century, London: Sphinx Fine Art, p. 87, ISBN 978-1-907200-02-1.
^ Livius.org. "Roxane." Articles on Ancient History. Page last modified 17 August 2015. Retrieved on 29 August 2016.
^ Habicht, Christian (1998). Hellēnistikē Athēna (1. ekdosē ed.). Ekdoseis Odysseas. p. 69. ISBN 960-210-310-8.
^ Anson, Edward M (Summer 1986). "Diodorus and the Date of Triparadeisus". The American Journal of Philology. The Johns Hopkins University Press. 107 (2): 208–217. doi:10.2307/294603. JSTOR 294603.
^ Green, Peter. Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age. p44, 2007 Ed.
^ "Royal Tombs: Vergina". Macedonian Heritage. Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2013.

External links[]

Regnal titles
Alexander IV of Macedon Argead dynasty Born: 323 BC Died: 309 BC
Preceded by Philip III	King of Macedon 323–311 BC	Succeeded by Cassander
	King of Asia 323–311 BC	Succeeded by Seleucus I Nicator
	Pharaoh of Egypt 323–311 BC	Succeeded by Ptolemy I Soter

[1] Lepsius, Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien (1849)

[2] The error was caused by a modern misreading, ΑΙΓΟΥ for ΑΛΛΟΥ, of the text of Ptolemy's Canon of Kings. See e.g. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alexander the Great s.v. Alexander 'Aegus'" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 549. and Chugg, Andrew Michael (2007). The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great. Lulu. p. 42. ISBN 9780955679001. At Google Books.

[3] Ahmed, S. Z. (2004), Chaghatai: the Fabulous Cities and People of the Silk Road, West Conshokoken: Infinity Publishing, p. 61.

[4] Strachan, Edward and Roy Bolton (2008), Russia and Europe in the Nineteenth Century, London: Sphinx Fine Art, p. 87, ISBN 978-1-907200-02-1.

[5] Livius.org. "Roxane." Articles on Ancient History. Page last modified 17 August 2015. Retrieved on 29 August 2016.

[6] Habicht, Christian (1998). Hellēnistikē Athēna (1. ekdosē ed.). Ekdoseis Odysseas. p. 69. ISBN 960-210-310-8.

[7] Anson, Edward M (Summer 1986). "Diodorus and the Date of Triparadeisus". The American Journal of Philology. The Johns Hopkins University Press. 107 (2): 208–217. doi:10.2307/294603. JSTOR 294603.

[8] Green, Peter. Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age. p44, 2007 Ed.

[9] "Royal Tombs: Vergina". Macedonian Heritage. Archived from the original on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2013.

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show v t Kings of Macedon
Argead	Caranus Coenus Tyrimmas Perdiccas I Argaeus I Philip I Aeropus I Alcetas I Amyntas I Alexander I Alcetas II Perdiccas II Archelaus I Craterus Orestes / Aeropus II Archelaus II Amyntas II Pausanias Argaeus II Amyntas III Alexander II Perdiccas III Amyntas IV Philip II Alexander III (Alexander the Great) Philip III Alexander IV
Regents	Ptolemy of Aloros Perdiccas Peithon and Arrhidaeus Antipater Polyperchon Cassander
Antipatrid	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Antigonid	Demetrius I Antigonus II Demetrius II Antigonus III Philip V Perseus Andriscus (Philip VI)
Non-dynastic	Lysimachus Pyrrhus Ptolemy Keraunos Meleager

show v t Hellenistic rulers
Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV
Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)
Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy Keraunos Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Kings of Cyrene	Magas Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy Apion
Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus
Lysimachids	Lysimachus Ptolemy Epigonos
Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III
Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I
Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III
Kings of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus
Kings of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II
Kings of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV
Kings of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus
Kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Paerisades I Satyros II Prytanis Eumelos Spartokos III Hygiainon (regent) Paerisades II Spartokos IV Leukon II Spartokos V Paerisades III Paerisades IV Paerisades V Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius’ attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon with Pythodorida Aspurgus Mithridates III with Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I
Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.