Following the death of Alexander, the rule of his empire was given to his half-brother
Philip Arrhidaeus and Alexander's son
Alexander IV.[6] However, since Philip was mentally ill and Alexander IV born only after the death of his father, a regent was named in
Perdiccas; in the meantime, the former generals of Alexander were named
satraps of the various regions of his empire.[7]
Several satraps were eager to gain more power, and when
Ptolemy I Soter, satrap of
Egypt, rebelled with other generals, Perdiccas moved against the former but was killed by a mutiny in his camp. Ptolemy declined the regency and instead brought to the office
Peithon and
Arrhidaeus. This designation met the strong opposition of
Eurydice, wife of Philip III, leading, in the meeting called in 321 BC at Triparadisus of all the generals, to their replacement with
Antipater.[8] The meeting also proceeded to divide again the satrapies between the various generals.[9]
The treaty
Arrian described the result of the meeting in Events after Alexander, which were transmitted to us by the
patriarchPhotius (820–897):[10]
"Then and there Antipater made a new division of Asia, wherein he partly confirmed the former and partly annulled it, according as the exigency of affairs required. For, in the first place,
Egypt with
Libya, and all the vast waste beyond it, and whatever else had been acquired to the westward, he assigned to
Ptolemy;[11][10]
for it was deemed no easy matter to dispossess those who had been confirmed in their territories by Alexander himself, their power was grown so strong.
Antigenes was deputed collector of the tribute in the province of Susa, and three thousand of those Macedonians who were the most ready to mutiny, appointed to attend him.
Moreover, he appointed Autolychus the son of Agathocles, Amyntas the son of Alexander and brother of
Peucestas, Ptolemy the son of Ptolemy, and
Alexander the son of
Polyperchon, as guards to surround the king's person.
To his son
Cassander he gave the command of the horse; and to Antigonus, the troops that had before been assigned to Perdiccas, and the care and custody of the king's person, with order to prosecute the war against
Eumenes.
Which done, Antipater himself departed home, much applauded by all, for his wise and prudent management" (Translation John Rooke)
1 = There is a suggestion in Dexippus and Arrian that Oxyartes was left as satrap of Bactria 2 = Not explicitly stated, but probable 3 = Reading Oxyartes for Justin's "Extarches"