Demetrius Poliorcetes: The Besieger Who Lost an Empire

The Last Diadoch: How Seleucus I Nicator Died

In this episode, Lucas and Luna pick up the story of the Diadochi after the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. While previous episodes covered the major battles and the partition of the empire, this one zooms in on the final act of Seleucus I Nicator — the last of Alexander's successors to die in battle. They discuss his rivalry with Lysimachus, the battle of Corupedium in 281 BC, the assassination by Ptolemy Keraunos, and the collapse of any hope for a unified Hellenistic world. Along the way, they touch on the foundation of Antioch, the marriage diplomacy with Demetrius Poliorcetes' daughter Stratonice, and the little-known figure of the eunuch Philetairos, who switched sides at a crucial moment. It's a story of ambition, betrayal, and the end of an era. #SeleucusINicator #Corupedium #Lysimachus #PtolemyKeraunos #Diadochi #Hellenistic #Antioch #Stratonice #Philetairos #Pergamum #AlexanderTheGreat #Succession #Assassination #AncientHistory #HellenisticWorld #Mediterranean #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ep 88: Alexander's Empire Without Alexander — The Chaos

What happens when a world-spanning empire suddenly loses its head? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the immediate aftermath of Alexander the Great's death in 323 BCE — the chaos, the power vacuum, and the brutal scramble for control. We look at the Partition of Babylon, where Alexander's generals carved up his empire before his body was cold. We examine the role of Alexander's half-brother Philip III Arrhidaeus and his infant son Alexander IV, both figureheads for ambitious warlords. We dive into the failed Regency of Perdiccas, the rebellion in Greece, and the strange story of Alexander's embalmed corpse, hijacked by Ptolemy I Soter to legitimize his rule over Egypt. Along the way, we consider the fate of Alexander's family — his mother Olympias, his wife Roxana, and the brutal murder of his son. This episode sets the stage for the decades of war that followed, known as the Wars of the Diadochi. Packed with names like Craterus, Antipater, and Eumenes, it's a story of loyalty, betrayal, and the end of one era and the birth of another. #AlexanderTheGreat #Diadochi #PartitionOfBabylon #Perdiccas #PtolemySoter #PhilipIIIArrhidaeus #AlexanderIV #Roxana #Olympias #Craterus #Antipater #Eumenes #Hellenistic #Macedon #AncientHistory #History #FexingoHistory #WarsOfTheDiadochi Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Strange Afterlife of Alexander's Body

When Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC, his body became a prize almost as coveted as his empire. This episode follows the remarkable journey of Alexander's mummified corpse from Babylon to Memphis to Alexandria, and the political maneuvering that surrounded it. We explore how Ptolemy I Soter hijacked the funeral cortege, the legendary gold sarcophagus later melted down by a Seleucid king, and the mysterious fate of the tomb itself — lost for centuries and rumored to lie beneath a mosque in Alexandria. Along the way, we consider what Alexander's posthumous journey tells us about the Diadochi's claim to his legacy and the creation of the Ptolemaic cult of Alexander. Join Lucas and Luna for a story of ambition, reverence, and one very well-traveled dead body. #AlexanderTheGreat #PtolemyISoter #Diadochi #TombOfAlexander #HellenisticPeriod #AncientEgypt #Alexandria #Memphis #Soter #Perdiccas #Arrhidaeus #SeleucusINicator #PtolemaicCult #Soma #AncientHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Antipater's Regency: The Man Who Held Alexander's Empire Together After Babylon

In the chaos following Alexander the Great's death in 323 BCE, one man emerged as the unlikely glue holding the Macedonian empire together: Antipater. While the Diadochi generals carved up territories at the Partition of Babylon, Antipater stayed behind in Macedon as regent, facing down a Greek rebellion in the Lamian War, managing the volatile Athenian orator Demosthenes, and navigating the treacherous politics of Alexander's mother Olympias and his widow Roxana. This episode follows Antipater's ruthless consolidation of power, his brutal sack of Athens, and his ultimate decision to hand the regency to the aging general Polyperchon rather than his own son Cassander—a choice that triggered decades of civil war. We also explore the contrast between Alexander's grand eastern ambitions and Antipater's pragmatic, old-school Macedonian focus on keeping Greece and Macedon stable. How did a man who never fought in Asia end up shaping the Hellenistic world more than any Diadochi general? #Antipater #LamianWar #Demosthenes #PartitionOfBabylon #Diadochi #Macedon #Hellenistic #AlexanderTheGreat #Polyperchon #Cassander #Olympias #Roxana #Athens #Crannon #Leosthenes #FexingoHistory #History #AncientHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Fall of Agathocles: Tyrant of Syracuse Who Fought Carthage

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the career of Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse who waged a brutal war against Carthage in the late 4th century BC. They discuss his rise from a potter's son to ruler of Syracuse, his shocking decision to transport an army across the Mediterranean to attack Carthage's homeland, and his use of scorched earth tactics and mercenaries. The episode covers the siege of Carthage, the betrayal of his son, and the eventual collapse of his empire after his death. Listeners will learn about the Battle of the Himera River, the role of Ophellas of Cyrene, and the legacy of Agathocles as a model for later Hellenistic tyrants. The conversation also touches on the historical debate over his cruelty versus his strategic genius, and how his actions destabilized the Greek cities of Sicily, paving the way for Pyrrhus and Rome. #Agathocles #Syracuse #Carthage #HellenisticHistory #Sicily #AncientGreece #Tyrants #SiegeOfCarthage #Ophellas #Mercenaries #HimeraRiver #Pyrrhus #Diadochi #MagnaGraecia #AncientWarfare #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]