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This Day in Alternate History Blog
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Empire of the Aiacids: Or Pyrrhic Victory Revised Marcus Miles Chronology 750
Tyrian
merchants found Carthage, bringing the god Melqart. The early years of the
colony are dominated by rivalry between the landholding and maritime families;
the maritime faction is usually ascendant. 708
Spartan
refugees found Taras/Tarentum. 6th
c. Carthage
begins to acquire dominance over the Western Mediterranean. 6th
c. (early) Under
a leader Malchus, Carthage begins to conquer the African coast and interior. 565 Phocaeans
found a colony on Corsica. 535 Etruscans
and Carthaginians expel Phocaeans from Corsica. 480
The
First Sicilian War. Carthage’s powerful navy, formed to discourage pirates and
other competitor nations, leads to conflict with Greek interests over Sicily.
Gelon, tyrant of Syracuse, who is trying to unite Sicily under his rule, is a
threat to Carthage. Carthage, in alliance with Persia, sends the Carthaginian
general Hamilcar with a great army to Sicily. On the way, however, Hamilcar
suffers great losses due to weather. He lands at Panormus, only to be defeated
by Gelon at the battle of Himera. As a result, Hamilcar dies in the battle,
Carthage suffers a great weakening, and the aristocratic government of Carthage
is replaced by the Carthaginian Republic. 410
Carthage
has recovered. It has conquered much of modern Tunisia, strengthened and founded
new colonies in North Africa. It has also sponsored Mago Barca’s trek across
the Sahara and Hanno the Navigator’s journey past the Cape of Good Hope. In
this year, the Iberian colonies secede, depriving Carthage of most of its silver
and copper supply. Hannibal Mago, grandson of Hamilcar, prepares to reclaim
Sicily. Other expeditions extend to Morocco, Senegal, and the Atlantic. 409 Hannibal
Mago leads the expedition to Sicily. He captures Selinus and Himera, then
returns to Carthage with the spoils. Syracuse is untouched. 405
Hannibal
Mago leads a second expedition to Sicily. Much of the Carthaginian force,
including Hannibal Mago, die from plague. Hannibal Mago’s successor, Himilco,
breaks a Greek seige, capturing the city of Gela, and repeatedly defeats the
army of Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, but Himilco is weakened by the plague and
forced to sue for peace before his return to Carthage. 398
The
Second Sicilian War. Dionysius, who has regained his strength, strikes at the
Carthaginian stronghold of Motya. Himilco reclaims Motya and Messana. 397
Himilco
beseiges Syracuse. 396
Plague
once again devastates the Carthaginian forces. The seige is broken. 367
Carthage
and the Etruscans make a pact to counter Taras, a rising naval power. 343
Taras,
threatened by the Bruttian League, appeals to Sparta for aid. 340
Carthage
only controls the southwest corner of Sicily. 331 Alexander
of Epirus dies fighting the Lucanians for the Tarentines. 323 Alexander
the Great dies. The infantry forces, led by Meleager, recognition of the
half-wit Philip III Arrhidaeus, son of Philip II. Roxane gives birth to a son,
who becomes Alexander IV and co-king with Philip III. Perdiccas is appointed
Regent of Macedon. Antipater remains governor of Macedon and Greece. Eumenes
becomes satrap of Cappadocia. Ptolemy becomes satrap of Egypt. 319 Antipater,
regent of Macedon, dies. His successor as regent is Polysperchon. Ptolemy,
Antigonus, and Cassander refuse to recognize Polysperchon. Polysperchon then
declares free all of Cassander’s Greek cities. 318
Pyrrhus
Prince of Epirus is born. 317 Olympias,
the widow of Philip II, seizes Philip III and Eurydice. Both die. Ptolemy
marries Berenice, great-niece of Antipater, an arrangement which Eurydice,
daughter of Antipater, accepts. Agathocles,
son of Karkinos of Rhegium, massacres the elite of Syracuse and declares himself
tyrant of Syracuse. 316 Cassander
executes Olympias and imprisons Roxane and Alexander IV. Aiacides of Epirus, who
was supported by Olympias, is forced to flee with his two-year-old son Pyrrhus.
Cassander replaces Aiacides with Neoptolemus, son of Alexander of Epirus.
Aiacides flees to Polysperchon, then to Megara in Macedon, then Glaucias king of
the Illyrians. 315
Agathocles,
tyrant of Syracuse, seizes Messene. Cyrene revolts against Ptolemy. Cyprus
revolts against Ptolemy. Antigonus invades Syria. Ptolemy subdues Cyrene and
Cyprus. Ptolemy’s troops retreat from Syria to Egypt. 313 Aiacides,
once again king of Epirus, dies. The Epirots choose Alcetas, a grown son of
Aiacides, as king. 311
Third
Sicilian War. Agathocles invades the last Carthaginian territories on Sicily and
beseiges Akragas. Hamilcar, grandson of Hanno the Navigator retaliates. 310
Pytheas
of Massalia begins his epic voyage. Hamilcar
controls nearly all Sicily and is besieging Syracuse. Agathocles secretly leads
14,000 men to the Carthaginian mainland for a counterstrike against.Carthage
itself. Carthage recalls Hamilcar. Antigonus
attacks Seleucus. Ptolemy declares war on Antigonus and invades by sea.
Demetrius forces Ptolemy’s navy to leaves. Ophellas of Cyrene dies. 309 308 Ptolemy
proposes to the remaining Macedonian princess, Cleopatra, who is murdered by
Seleucus. Ptolemy captures Cos, Andros, Corinth, and Sicyon. Berenice bears
Ptolemy II. 307
Agathocles
is finally defeated by Hamilcar. Agathocles himself escapes and negotiates a
peace maintaining Syracuse as a Greek power on Sicily. Agathocles invites
Ophellas to back him, promising to Ophellas Carthage. Ophellas falls for the
trap. Agathocles murders Ophellas, but keeps his army. Ptolemy recaptures Cyrene
and appoints Magas, son of Berenice by her first marriage, as viceroy.
Agathocles marries Theoxena, sister of Magas. Demetrius launches a naval attack
on Athens and marries Ophellas’ widow Eurydice, a descendant of Miltiades. 306
Pytheas
returns to Massalia, but is not believed. Alcetas,
King of Epirus, is killed by his own subjects. Glaucias returns Pyrrhus, who
becomes King of Epirus at age twelve 305 Demetrius
fails to take Rhodes. 304 Rhodes
remains independent. The burghers build the Colossus of Rhodes from Demetrius’
booty. Demetrius seizes all of Greece to Thermopylae. Cassander, Lysimachus,
Ptolemy, and Seleucus form an alliance against Antigonus and Demetrius. 303
Cleonymus
of Sparta makes an alliance with Taras against the Lucanians. Demetrius marries
Deidameia, sister of Pyrrhus. 302
The
Spartan-Tarantine alliance ends. Seleucus surrenders territory to Chandragupta.
Ptolemy retreats to Egypt. While Pyrrhus is visiting Glaucias, the Epirots
recall Neoptolemus, son of Alexander. 301
Pyrrhus
goes to a royal wedding in Macedonia and loses his throne. Seleucus and
Lysimachus defeat Antigonus, who is killed. Demetrius flees to Athens. Seleucus
recieves southern Phrygia and Syria and part of Cappadocia. Cassander recieves
Greece; his brother Pleistarchus recieves Cilicia. Lysimachus receives the rest
of Asia Minor. Ptolemy occupies Hollow Syria. 300 Ptolemy
offers Ptolemais, daughter of Ptolemy and Eurydice, to Demetrius. Demetrius
accepts. Demetrius sends his former brother-in-law Pyrrhus of Epirus to Egypt as
a hostage. 3rd
c. Taras,
which has the largest fleet in Magna Graecia, is fearful of Rome’s growing
power. Taras and Rome agree that the Lacinio promontory and the Gulf of Taras
are not passed by Roman ships; some ships, however, ignore this treaty. Soon,
some of the city-states in Magna Graecia, such as Rhegium, Croton and Locri ask
Rome for military help because of the wars which they waged with their
neighbours. 299 Pyrrhus
marries Antigone, daughter of Berenice by her first marriage. 297
Cassander
dies. His sons Philip, Antipater, and Alexander, sons of Thessalonice, quarrel.
Philp dies. Alexander and Antipater fight. Antipater murders his mother and
drives Alexander from Macedom. Ptolemy sends men and money with Pyrrhus to
recapture his throne. Pyrrhus, with the help of the Ptolemies, regains his
throne as co-ruler with a resentful Neoptolemus. Pyrrhus agrees to support
Alexander in exchange for border territories of Macedon. 295 Pyrrhus
becomes sole ruler of Epirus after Neoptolemus is caught plotting Pyrrhus’
murder. Ptolemy takes Cyprus. 294 Demetrius
by treachery becomes king of Macedon. Antigone, Pyrrhus’ wife, dies, leaving a
son Ptolemy and daughter Olympias. Pyrrhus marries three women: Lanassa,
daughter of Agathocles of Syracuse, who brought Corcyra as a dowry, mother of
Alexander; Birkenna, daughter of Bardylis, king of Illyria, mother of Helenos;
and the daughter of Audoleon, king of Paionia. 291 Lanassa,
jealous of the other wives, retreats to Corcyra and hands it and herself to
Demetrius. 289 Demetrius
invades Pyrrhus’ ally Aetolia. Demetrius leaves Pantauchos to hold Aetolia and
marches on Epirus. Pyrrhus and Demetrius pass each other, but Pyrrhus defeats
Pantauchos. Pyrrhus retreats to Epirus. Ptolemy II marries Arsinoë I. 288 Agathocles
dies, leaving the Mamertine mercenaries out of a job. He sends his wife and
children to Egypt. The Mamertines seize Messana. Athens successful rebels
against Antigonos Gonatas, son of Demetrius. Lysimachus invades Macedon from the
north-east. Demetrius defeats Lysimachus, but learns that Pyrrhus has invaded
Macedon from the west. 287 Pyrrhus
deposes Demetrius, current king of Macedon, who flees incognito, seizes control
of the kingdom, and quickly loses it. Demetrius once again is a fugitive. In
Syracuse, the wife of Phidias the astronomer bears a son, Archimedes. 286 Ptolemy
acquires the Phoenician seacoast. 285 Pyrrhus
is forced by mutinies to retreat from Macedon to Epirus. Lysimachus becomes king
of Macedon and Thessaly. Ptolemy II becomes joint ruler with his father Ptolemy
I. 283 Demetrius
dies on the Orontes. Rome defeats the Senones. Rome defeats the Boii at Vadimo.
Ptolemy I dies; Ptolemy II becomes sole ruler of Egypt. 282
Rome
defeats the Etruscans at Populonia. Thurii, near Taras, asks for Roman help
against the Lucanians. Rome sends a fleet with troops to garrision Thurii. Taras
interprets the garrisoning as a hostile act. The Tarantines sink the fleet and
expel the Romans from Thurii. 281
Lysimachus
and Seleucus fight to the death. Lysimachus dies. Ptolemy Ceraunos, Lysimachus’
brother-in-law, surrenders to Seleucus, who does not fulfill his promise of
placing Ptolemy Ceraunos, son of Ptolemy and Eurydice, on the throne of Egypt.
Seleucus claims the throne of Macedon. Ptolemy Ceraunos kills Seleucus and
becomes king of Macedon. The
Tarentines, now at odds with Rome, beg Pyrrhus to save them. He agrees, buoyed
by a Delphic oracle and eager to carve out an Italian empire. Pyrrhus forms an
an alliance with the King of Macedon, Ptolemy Ceraunos. 280
Pyrrhus
brings his army (over 23,000 infantry, slingers, and archers, 3,000 cavalry, and
19 elephants) to Italy. He also
brings his two sons Alexander and Helenus, leaving 15-year-old Ptolemy in
Epirus. At Heraclea, Pyrrhus wins a victory against the Roman consul P. Valerius
Laevinus. Rome loses half its territory and the Etruscans take heart. If Pyrrhus
can capture Apulia, he will have land communication from Apulia to Etruria.s His
offer of a peace treaty is rejected. Ptolemy Ceraunos sinks the fleet of
Antigonos Gonatas. Ptolemy Ceraunos marries Lysimachus’ widow, his own
half-sister Arsinoe, murdering her sons Lysimachus and Philip. 279
Pyrrhus
invades Apulia. [TTL: At the Battle of Ausculum, Pyrrhus wins an overwhelming victory.
Pyrrhus is nearly wounded in the arm, but battles on. Daunian troops arrive too
late to rescue the Roman army. Carthage offers an alliance with Rome; the Senate
accepts the offer.] [OTL: At the Battle of Ausculum, Pyrrhus wins a costly victory. Pyrrhus is
wounded in the arm and so cannot participate fully. Daunian troops arrive at the
last to reenforce the Roman army. Carthage offers its assistance to Rome, which
accepts.] In spring, Gauls under Belgius invade Macedon and demand tribute. Ptolemy
Ceraunus refuses and dies in an ill-prepared raid. Macedon descends into
anarchy. 278 Pyrrhus receives two offers. The first comes from the Greek cities in
Sicily, which want him to expel Carthage. Earlier, Hiketas, the general, had
become tyrant of Syracuse; Tyndarion that of Tauromenion; Heraklides of Leontini;
Phintias of Akragas. In Syracuse in this year, Thoinon overthrows Hiketas and
becomes tyrant of Syracuse with the aid of Sosistratos. Carthage takes advantage
of the turmoil, seizing Akragas and Mago’s fleet besieges Syracuse, prompting
pleas to Pyrrhus. The second comes from the Macedonians, who want him to become
king of their country. Pyrrhus accepts the Sicilian offer. Pyrrhus is proclaimed
king of Sicily and lays plans for his son Alexander, daughter of Lanassa,
daughter of Theoxena (daughter of Berenice I) and Agathocles, late King of
Syracuse, to be king of Sicily; [TTL: his son Ptolemy, by Antigone to be King of Italy (south and central);
Helenus, son of Birkenna, daughter of Bardylis, king of Illyria, to be King of
Epirus. Pyrrhus leaves Alexander as commander in Italy.] Pyrrhus sails to Tauromenion, where the local tyrant Tyndarion joins his
forces. Pyrrhus sails to Catana, where the citizens fete him. 277 Pyrrhus marches south towards Syracuse, which he occupies without a fight.
Heraklides of Leontini hails Pyrrhus and provides him troops.
Many other cities do the same. Pyrrhus
marches towards Akragas, but a deputation informs that the burghers have
expelled the Carthaginian garrison. As he marches, Selinus, Herakleia, and
Segesta, surrender to him and add their might.Pyrrhus besieges Eryx. Pyrrhus
captures Eryx, the strongest Carthaginian fortress in Sicily. Pyrrhus storms
Panormus and Herkte, leaving only Lilybaion in Carthaginian hands. 276-271 First Syrian War between Ptolemy II and the Seleucid Empire. Ptolemy II
gains important districts in Syria and Asia Minor. 276 Ptolemy II marries Arsinoë II, gaining her Aegean territory. Pyrrhus
negotiates with the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians are willing to treat with
him, and give him money and ships. They are not willing, however, to abandon all
claims to Sicily and establish the Libyan Sea as the boundary between
Hellenistic and Carthaginian spheres of influence. Pyrrhus also has begun to act
as a despot in Sicily, rapidly alienating Siciliote opinion.
[TTL: Pyrrhus leaves Sicilian troops in the hands of his son Helenus
(nominally) and Hiero, to whose son
Gelon he marries his daughter by Ptolemais, Nereis. Pyrrhus himself takes a
fleet to Africa.] [OTL: Pyrrhus once again defeats the Carthaginians, but is nonetheless
forced to abandon Sicily for Italy.] 275 [TTL: Pyrrhus attacks Carthage on its own ground. Carthage surrenders
Lilybaion, which is destroyed by Hiero’s troops. Alexander is defeated by the
Romans at Maloenton. Alexander sends for aid to Antigonus II Gonatas, current
king of Macedon, who obliges so that Pyrrhus will concentrate on western
conquests.] [OTL: Pyrrhus is defeated by the Romans at Beneventum, due to new legionary
tactics. Pyrrhus retreats to Epirus. Pyrrhus attacks Antigonus II Gonatas, king
of Macedonia, and seizes the Macedonian throne.] 274 [TTL: A Roman army faces Pyrrhus, who has returned with his fleet, as well
as Alexander with new Macedonian reinforcements. The army is obliterated;
non-local support for Rome evaporates. An Etruscan and Gaulish army razes Rome
and sells its inhabitants as slaves. Massalia, although nominally a Roman ally,
quickly declares for Pyrrhus. At this point, Pyrrhus, Helenus, and Alexander are
all in Italy, while Hiero is guarding Sicily.] 273 [TTL: Pyrrhus leaves Alexander in Italy. He takes Helenus back to Epirus,
where he joins his son Ptolemy. Pyrrhus and Ptolemy attack Antigonus II Gonatas,
king of Macedon, whom they drive out. ] 272 [OTL:The Romans finally capture Taras and sack it; firm control, however,
waits until 209.] Elsewhere, Cleonymus, a scion of the Spartan kings, but loathed in his
native land, asks Pyrrhus to attack Sparta so that he can become its king.
Pyrrhus agrees, less to help Cleonymus than to gain control of the Peloponnesos
and thus disable Antigonus Gonatas. [TTL: Pyrrhus leaves Helenus as regent in Epirus and takes Ptolemy with him.
Cleonymus urges a night attack. Pyrrhus concurs. The Spartan aristocracy are
slaughtered beyond repair. A messenger from Argos changes Pyrrhus’ plans. In
order to preserve his army for fighting Antigonus Gonatas, Pyrrhus and Ptolemy
march north. When Pyrrhus reaches Argos, he is blocked by Antigonus Gonatas.] [OTL: Pyrrhus leaves Alexander as regent in Epirus and takes Helenus and
Ptolemy with him. Cleonymus urges a night attack, but Pyrrhus declines. Pyrrhus
fails with heavy fighting to capture Sparta. A messenger from Argos changes
Pyrrhus’ plans. In order to preserve his army for fighting Antigonus Gonatas,
Pyrrhus marches north. Harassed by Spartans, Pyrrhus sends Ptolemy to rescue the
rearguard. A Cretan, Oryssus of Aptera, kills Ptolemy. In revenge, Pyrrhus slays
the cream of the Laconian aristocracy who have been pursuing him.] When Pyrrhus reaches Argos, he
is blocked by Antigonus Gonatas. Pyrrhus sneaks his troops into the city, but is
killed by the mother of the soldier he is fighting. [OTL: Antigonus Gonatas gains
control of Greece down to Corinth.] [TTL: Ptolemy immediately takes
charge of the troops and captures Argos. Ptolemy kills Antigonus Gonatas and
marches without further incident to Macedon, which proclaims him king. Antigonus
Gonatas’ army, now under his son Halcyoneus, has retreated to Thrace, where
Halcyoneus is joined by his half-uncle Demetrius the Fair and Halcyoneus’
widowed mother Phila.] Aftermath Now in Pyrrhus’ arrangement
Ptolemy ‘Nicator’ is King of Italy and Macedon as well as senior member of
the brother-kings of the Aiacid Empire; his brother Helenus is King of Epirus;
and Alexander of Syracuse (d. 240 OTL) is King of Sicily. In practical terms,
Hiero controls Sicily on Alexander’s behalf, Alexander is fighting in Italy,
Helenus is actually in Epirus, and Ptolemy is in Macedon. Pyrrhus’ ally
Ptolemy II, uncle of Ptolemy Nicator and Nereis, the wife of Hiero, and
great-uncle of Alexander of Syracuse, controls the coast up to the Taurus
mountains, as well the Aegean. The Antigonid dynasty is left with Halcyoneus and
Demetrius the Fair as possible leaders; Halcyoneus has the better claim to
Macedon through Antigonus Gonatas’ mother Phila, daughter of Antipater (who
was not the mother of Demetrius the Fair). Halcyoneus, however, is less skilled
in diplomacy than Demetrius the Fair. If Halcyoneus were dead, the sons of
Pyrrhus have the best claim on Macedon of any remaining Hellenistic royalty. The
Aiacids not only have access to Ptolemy II’s court of brilliant scholars, but
also to tactician and diplomat Hiero and (eventually) Syracuse’s rising star,
Archimedes (at Pyrrhus’ death only fifteen, but who knows when he started
receiving recognition for his brilliance)(d. OTL 212). In military terms, the
Aiacids control both the Syracusan and the Tarentine fleet on the water, with
the possibility of Illyrian mercenaries serving under Helenus, the grandson of
their king Bardylis; also the Ptolemaic fleet is allied to them and Massalia
herself might provide some troops. The militias of South Italy and Sicily are
under Aiacid control, while the mercenaries in Italy (including former Roman
allies) could be swayed by promise of Carthaginian booty. Helenus is the weak
link; Ptolemy, Alexander, and Hiero all have marital ties to Egypt, and it would
be natural for Ptolemy to hold the Aiacid lands east of the Ionian sea, while
Alexander holds those west of it. It seems likely that Carthage itself would be
promised to Hiero as a kingdom. This amount of power in the hands of Alexander the Great’s near kin would
alarm any rival sovereign. In the east, Antiochus I, the Seleucid monarch, is
likely to ally himself with Halcyoneus. In the west, Carthage, naturally, is
unhappy, as are the remaining pro-Roman factions in Etruria. Since Pyrrhus and
Cleonymus have slaughtered most of the aristocracy in Sparta, Sparta will be
anti-Aiacid. The Cisalpine Gauls will work for whoever will pay them, but I don’t know where the independent Punic colonies would fall. If the landowners’ faction gains the upper hand in Carthage, Carthage might not act at all. It could also focus its attention on reconquering its Spanish colonies, as the last non-affiliated ‘civilized’ group in the west.
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