The settlement at Triparadisus

Arrian of Nicomedia (c.87 - after 145): Greek historian and senator of the Roman empire, author of several historical studies. His best-known work is the Anabasis, which deals with Alexander the Great. Arrian is the author of various other philosophical and historical texts.

After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, his brother Arridaeus and his posthumous son Alexander were made kings; but because Philip was considered mentally deficient and Alexander was still a baby, Perdiccas was made their regent. The satrapies were given to Alexander's generals. Soon, they started to behave independently.

The first to abandon the pretense not to be ruler of a kingdom of his own, was Ptolemy, who held Egypt. Perdiccas led an army to the country along the Nile, but was unable to proceed and killed. Ptolemy refused to become the new regent and put forward Peithon, an officer who plainly lacked the qualities to keep the empire together. This was considered outrageous and therefore, a conference was organized at Triparadisus (perhaps at Baalbek), in 320; Antipater, once the commander of the Macedonian forces in Europe, was to be the new regent. The satrapies were divided again, and this division was, in fact, the end of the former Persian empire.

The results of the conference are described by the Greek author Arrian of Nicomedia in the sequel to his better known Anabasis, the Events after Alexander. This work, which covered the events between 323 and 320, is now lost, but a Byzantine excerpt made by patriarch Photius (820-897) survives. Section 34-38 can be read below in the translation by John Rooke.

The settlement at Triparadisus

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,

Which done, Antipater himself departed home, much applauded by all, for his wise and prudent management