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Alexander the Great\\u2019s untimely death at Babylon in 323 BC triggered an unprecedented crisis across his continent-spanning empire.

Within a couple of days, the very chamber in which he died witnessed a gore-soaked showdown between his previously united commanders and soldiers. Within a fortnight, Babylon saw the first siege of the post-Alexander age.

In this special explainer episode to mark the anniversary of Alexander\\u2019s death, Tristan brings to life the imperial implosion that was the immediate aftermath of the Macedonian king\'s death - a subject he knows one or two things about, seeing as he\\u2019s written a book on it!

Tristan\\u2019s book The Perdiccas Years, 323-320 BC (Alexander\'s Successors at War) is available on Amazon here.

This episode was produced by Elena Guthrie and mixed by Aidan Lonergan. It contains translations of contemporary speeches by JC Yardsley & music from Epidemic Sound.

If you\'d like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

Further Reading - Primary Sources

Arrian Events After Alexander 1.1\\u20131.9A.

Curtius 10.5\\u201310.10.

Diodorus Siculus 18.1\\u201318.6.

Justin 13.1\\u201313.4.

Plutarch Life of Eumenes 3.

Secondary Sources

Anson, E. (1992), \\u2018Craterus and the Prostasia\\u2019, Classical Philology 87 (1), 38\\u201343.

Anson, E. (2015), Eumenes of Cardia, Leiden, 58\\u201377.

Bosworth, A. B. (2002), The Legacy of Alexander: Politics, Warfare, and Propaganda under the Successors, New York, 29\\u201363.

Errington, R. M. (1970), \\u2018From Babylon to Triparadeisos: 323\\u2013320 bc\\u2019, The Journal of Hellenic Studies 90, 49\\u201359.

Meeus, A. (2008), \\u2018The Power Struggle of the Diadochoi in Babylon, 323bc\\u2019, Ancient Society 38, 39\\u201382.

Meeus, A. (2009), \\u2018Some Institutional Problems concerning the Succession to Alexander the Great: \\u201cProstasia\\u201d and Chiliarchy\\u2019, Historia 58 (3), 287\\u2013310.

Mitchell, L. (2007), \\u2018Born to Rule? Succession in the Argead Royal House\\u2019, in W. Heckel., L. Tritle and P. Wheatley (eds.), Alexander\\u2019s Empire: Formulation to Decay, California, 61\\u201374.

Worthington, I. (2016), Ptolemy I: King and Pharaoh of Egypt, New York, 71\\u201386