A bloody stalemate in the Wars of the Diadochi: the Battle of Paraitakene
In 317 BC, the successors of Alexander the Great clashed in a brutal, indecisive struggle for control of his empire. Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes the Cardian met in the district of Paraitakene, where veteran soldiers and war elephants fought a fierce battle that left both sides exhausted and retreating.
Following Alexander the Great's death, his generals, known as the Diadochi, descended into open warfare to claim portions of his vast kingdom. Antigonus Monophthalmus, a seasoned commander who had lost an eye in a siege, eventually pursued Eumenes the Cardian across Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Media. By the summer of 316 BC, the two armies converged in the region of Paraitakene, situated between Media and Persia, after a tense period of maneuvering and living off the land.
The engagement featured massive forces, with Antigonus commanding 28,000 heavy infantry and Eumenes relying on a core of elite veterans, including the 3,000 Argyraspides and 3,000 Hypaspists. Antigonus deployed his troops in an oblique formation, while Eumenes positioned his phalanx in the center. The battle began with a cavalry clash led by Peithon, followed by a fierce infantry engagement where the elderly Argyraspides, aged 50 to 70, proved nearly invincible against Antigonus's phalanx.
Despite these initial setbacks, Antigonus exploited a gap that opened between Eumenes's center and left flank. He charged his heavy cavalry into the opening, effectively halting the momentum of Eumenes's forces. Although Eumenes suffered fewer casualties—losing 540 men compared to Antigonus's 3,700—the battle ended without a clear victor. Both sides retreated, with Antigonus moving toward Media and Eumenes toward Gabiene, setting the stage for their next major confrontation at the Battle of Gabiene the following year.
Source: Battle of Paraitakene
