)
distrust, and Perdiccas was only waiting for a plau- We know little or nothing of the character of
sible pretext to dispossess him of his important Perdiccas beyond what may be gathered from the
government of Egypt.
distrust, and Perdiccas was only waiting for a plau- We know little or nothing of the character of
sible pretext to dispossess him of his important Perdiccas beyond what may be gathered from the
government of Egypt.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
D.
1260-1282.
He is the author and dictator B.
C.
216 after the fatal battle of
of a treatise, Mepl Nooáypas, De Podagra, which Cannae. In order to raise soldiers he armed not
has been attributed by some persons to Michael only slaves, but even criminals. (Fasti Capit. ;
Psellus (Leo Allatius, De Psellis, $ 52, ap. Fabric. Liv. xxii. 57, 59, xxiii. 14. )
Bibl. Graec. vol. v. ed. vet. ). It consists of forty-five PERAETHUS (Tépaidos), a son of Lycaon,
short chapters, besides the preface and conclusion, from whom the town of Peraetheis in Arcadia was
and, though principally compiled from former believed to have derived its name. (Paus. viii.
writers, is curious and interesting. A good ana- 3. & 1, 27. $ 3. )
(L. S. )
lysis of its contents is given by Mr. Adams, in his PERCENNIUS, a common soldier, and pre-
commentary on Paulus Aegineta (iii. 78). It was viously employed in the theatres to hiss or applaud,
first published without the author's name, in a as the case might be, was the ringleader in the
Latin translation by Marcus Masurus, Rom. 1517, formidable mutiny of the Pannonian legions, which
8vo. ; and afterwards in Greek and Latin, Paris, broke out at the beginning of the reign of Tiberius,
1558, 8vo. The last and best edition is by J. S. A. D. 14. He was killed by order of Drusus
Bernard, Greek and Latin, Ludg. Bat. 1743, 8vo. , shortly after his arrival in the camp. (Tac. Ann. i.
sometimes found with a new title page, Arnhem. 16, 17, 28, 29. )
1753. The Latin translation by Masurus is in- PERDICCAS (Tlepdiskas). 1. Son of Orontes,
serted in H. Stephani Medicae Artis Principes, I a Macedonjan of the province of Orestis, was
alera
๔
7 Pet
andard
56, is
are's
li
. R]
A3
Ti
14
1
## p. 186 (#202) ############################################
186
PERDICCAS.
PERDICCAS.
the kii
17
*N
one of the most distinguished of the generals of Justin. xii. 15; it is remarkable that Arrian does
Alexander the Great. We are told that he was not even allude to this circumstance. )
descended from a royal house (Curt. x. 7. $ 8) In the deliberations which followed the death of
probably that of the independent princes of Orestis, the king (B. C. 323), Perdiccas assumed a leading
and it appears that in consequence of his noble part. In the general council of the officers he was
birth he early held a distinguished place at the the first to propose that the crown should be re-
court of Philip of Macedon. We find him men served for the child of which Roxana was then
tioned as one of the select officers who, under the pregnant, supposing it to prove a male : and it was
title of owWatodunakes, were immediately about immediately suggested by Aristonous that the re-
person at the time of his death ; and he gency in the mean time should be confined to Per-
was one of the first to avenge that crime upon the diccns. This proposal — with the modification put
assassin Pausanias. (Diod. xvi. 94. ) It is pro- forward by Pithon, that Leonnatus should be asso-
bable that he continued to hold the same honour- ciated with him in the supreme authority, -obiained
able post under the youthful Alexander, though he the concurrence of almost all the chief officers, sup-
is not distinctly mentioned as doing so until a ported by the whole body of the Macedonian ca.
later period (see Arr. Anab. iv. 21. $7, v. 13. valry. But the infantry, at the head of whom
§ 1, vi. 11. & 3, 28. $ 6); but besides this he had Meleager had placed himself (MELEAGER), refused
the separate command of one of the divisions of to acquiesce in this decision, and clamorously de
the phalanx, at the head of which we find him manded that Arrhidaeus, the bastard brother of
accompanying the young king in the campaign Alexander, should be at once proclaimed king.
against the Illyrians, and agnin at the siege of Matters soon came to an open rupture between
Thebes. On this last occasion he greatly distin- the two parties, and the cavalry, with most of the
guished himself, but was severely wounded, and leading men in the army, withdrew from Babylon,
narrowly escaped with his life. (Arr. ib. i. 6, 8; and encamped without the city. Perdiccas ai first
Diod. xvii. 12. ) During the earlier campaigns in remained behind, but an attempt made upon his
Asia we likewise find him commanding one of the life by his rival, which was frustrated only by his
divisions of the phalanx, which was composed of own intrepidity, soon compelied him to follow the
his own countrymen the Orestians, together with example of the seceders. The cavalry now threat-
the neighbouring tribe of the Lyncestians. This ened to cut off the supplies, and reduce Babylon to
post he held in all the three great battles of the a state of famine ; but after repeated embassies a
Granicus, Issus, and Arbela ; in the last of which compromise was at length effected, by which it
he was again severely wounded : and his name is was agreed that Arrhidaeus should be declared
also mentioned with distinction at the sieges of king, reserving however to the son of Roxana a
Halicarnassus and of Tyre. (Arr. Anub. i. 14, 20, share of the sovereignty, as soon as he should be
21, ii. 8, ii. 11; Curt. iii. 9. $7, iv. 3. $ 1, 16. born, while Perdiccas, under the honorary title of
§ 32; Diod. xvii. 57, 61. ) In the subsequent chiliarch of the étaipoi, should hold the chief com-
operations in Persia, Sogdiana, and India, his name mand under the new monarch, Meleager taking
occurs still more frequently ; and he appears to rank immediately under him. (Curt. X. 6–8;
have borne a continually increasing share in the Justin. xiii. 24; Arrian. ap. Phot. p. 69, a ;
confidence and favour of Alexander. At this time Dexipp. ibid. p. 64, b. ; Diod. xviii. 2. )
he was transferred from the infantry to the cavalry, But this arrangement, though sanctioned by a
where he commanded one of the hipparchies, or solemn treaty, was not destined to be of long dura-
divisions of the horseguards (étaipoi); but in ad-tion. Perdiccas took advantage of his new position
dition to this we find him repeatedly charged with to establish his influence over the feeble mind of
separate commands of importance, sometimes in the nominal king Arrhidaeus, while he lulled his
conjunction with Ptolemy, Craterus, or Hephaestion, rival Meleager into security by the profoundest
sometimes as sole general. He appears to have dissimulation, until his schemes were ripe for exe-
especially distinguished himself in the battle against cution, and he was able to crush at one blow
Porus, and shortly after we find him commanding Meleager himself with all his leading partisans.
the whole left wing of the army in the action with (MELEAGER). By this decisire stroke he freed
the Cathaeans. Again, in the attack of the chief himself from one of his most formidable adversaries,
city of the Malli it was Perdiccas who was ap- but at the same time he necessarily aroused the
pointed to conduct the assault on one side of the fears of all others who felt themselves to be either
fortress, while Alexander himself led that on the his rivals or his enemies. For a time, however, he
other. (Arr. Anab. iii. 18, iv. 16, 21, 22, 28, 30, thought himself secure in the possession of the
v. 12, 13, 22, vi. 6, 9, 15, Ind. 18; Curt. vii. supreme power; the king was a mere puppet in
6. § 19, viii. 10. § 2, 14. SS 5, 15, ix, 1. & 19. ) his hands, and the birth of Alexander, the ex-
Nor was he forgotten in the distribution of honours pected son of Roxana, appeared greatly to strengthen
at Susa, where he received a crown of gold for his his authority, while the partition of the several
services in common with the other Somatophylaces, satrapies or governments of Asia and Europe among
and the daughter of Atropates, the satrap of Media, the generals of Alexander, removed to a distance
in marriage. (Arr. vii. 4. & 7, 5. $ 9. ) In virtue and separated from one another all his more for-
of his office as Somatophylax, he was one of those midable competitors. An alarming revolt of the
in constant attendance upon the king's person Greek soldiers who had been settled in the pro-
when not employed on other military services (see vinces of Upper Asia, was successfully put down
Curt. vi. 8. $ 17, viii. 1. $$ 45, 48), and thus was through the agency of Pithon, and the whole of
naturally one of the officers who were gathered those who had submitted were barbarously mas-
around the bed of the dying Alexander, who is sacred by the express orders of the regent (Diod.
said in his last moments to have taken the royal xviii. 7. )
signet ring from his finger and given it to Perdic- Perdiccas now deemed himself at leisure (B. 6. 322)
cas (Diod. xvii. 117, xviii. 2; Curt. . 5. § 4;to undertake the reduction of Cappadocia, which
.
a
## p. 187 (#203) ############################################
PERDICCAS.
187
2. )
Her
ed a leading
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Fould be best
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Babria
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PERDICCAS.
bad been neglected by Alexander, and continued | caused the discontent among his troops which had
in virtual independence under its satrap, Ariarathes. been long gathering in secret, and had been exas-
The campaign was quickly decided ; Ariarathes perated rather than repressed by the severity with
was defeaten in two successive battles, taken pri- which he had punished the first symptoms of dis-
soner, and put to death by order of the regent, who affection, to break out into open mutiny ; the in-
handed over the government of Cappadocia to his fantry of the phalanx were the first to declare
friend and partisan Eumenes. From thence he themselves, but their example was soon followed
marched into Pisidia, where he reduced the im- by the cavalry, and a band of officers headed by
portant cities of Laranda and Isaura. Meanwhile Seleucus and Antigenes hastened to the tent of
the jealousies and apprehensions of his principal Perdiccas, and despatched him with many wounds.
adversaries had been long secretly at work, to (Diod. kviii. 23, 25, 29, 33–36; Arrian, up.
combine them into a league against his power. Phol. p. 70, b. 71, a; Justin. xiii. 6, 8; Plut.
Ptolemy appears to have been from the first re- Euin. 5, 8; Com. Nep. Eum. 3, 5; Strab. xvii.
garded by the regent with especial suspicion and p. 794.
)
distrust, and Perdiccas was only waiting for a plau- We know little or nothing of the character of
sible pretext to dispossess him of his important Perdiccas beyond what may be gathered from the
government of Egypt. But the regent knew that part he took in the events above related, but in
Antipater also was scarcely less hostile to him, and these he certainly appears in the darkest colours.
had already entered into recret engagements with His only redeeming qualities were his great per-
Ptolemy, from which he now sought to detach him sonal courage (see on this point an anecdote
by requesting his daughter Nicaea in marriage. related by Ael. v. H. xii. 39), and his talents
Antipater could not reſuse so splendid an offer, as a general. His selfish and grasping ambition
and immediately sent Nicaea to Perdiccas in Asia, was wholly unrelieved by any of the generosity
But just about the same time the regent received and magnanimous spirit which had adorned that of
overtures from Olympias, who offered him the Alexander. At once crafty and cruel, he arrayed
hand of her daughter Cleopatra in return for his against himself, by his dark and designing policy,
support against Antipater. He did not, however, all the other leaders in the Macedonian empire,
deem the moment yet come for an open rupture while he alienated the minds of his soldiers and
with the latter, and consequently married Nicaea, followers by the arrogance of his demeanour, as
but with the secret purpose of divorcing her and well as by unsparing and needless severity, and he
espousing Cleopatra in her stead at a subsequent ultimately fell a victim not to the arms of his ad-
period. From this time, if not before, it appears versaries, but to the general discontent which he had
certain that he began to look forward to establish himself excited.
ing himself eventually on the throne of Macedonia, 2. One of the generals who held a subordinate
and regarded the proposed alliance with Cleopatra command under Eumenes in the war against An-
merely as a stepping-stone to that object. (Arrian, tigonus, B. C. 321. He was preparing to desert to
ap. Phot. p. 69, b. 70, a. ; Diod. xviii. 14, 16, 22, the enemy, when Eumenes became apprised of his
23 ; Justin. xiii. 6. )
project, and sent Phoenix against him, who surprised
It was at this juncture that the daring enter- bus camp in the night, took him prisoner, and
prisc of Cynane (Cynane) threatened to disconcert brought him before Eumenes, who caused him to
all the plans of Perdiccas ; and though he succeeded be put to death. (Diod. xviii. 40. ) [E. H. B ]
in frustrating her ambitious schemes, his cruelty in PERDICCAS I. (liepdiknas), was, according to
putting her to death excited such general dissatis- | Herodotus, the founder of the Macedonian mon-
faction, that he found himself compelled, in order archy, though Justin, Diodorus, and the later
to appease the murmurs of tl. e soldiery, to give her chronographers, Dexippus and Eusebius, represent
daughter Eurydice in marriage to the king Arrhi-Caranus as the first king of Macedonia, and make
daeus. (Arr. ap. Phol. p. 70, a. b. ) Shortis | Perdiccas only the fourth. (Caranus. ] Thucy-
after, bis attempt to bring Antigonus to trial for dides, however, seems to follow the same version
some alleged offences in the government of his of the history with Herodotus, since he reckons
satrapy, brought on the crisis which had been so only eight kings before Archelaus. (Thuc. 100.
long impending. That general made his escape See also Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. p. 221; Müller's
to Macedonia, where he revealed to Antipater the Dorians, App. i. $ 15. ) According to Herodotus,
full extent of the ambitious schemes of Perdiccas, Perdiccas and his two brothers, Gauanes and Aë-
and thus at once induced Antipater and Craterus ropus, were Argives of the race of Temenus, who
to unite in a league with Peolemy, and openly filed from their native country to Illyria, and from
declare war against the regent. Thus assailed on thence into the upper part of Macedonia, wbere
all sides, Perdiccas determined to leave Eumenes they at first served the king of the country as
in Asia Minor, to make head against their common herdsmen, but were afterwards dismissed from his
enemies in that quarter, while he himself directed service, and settled near Mount Bermius, from
his efforts in the first instance against Ptolemy. whence, he adds, they subdued the rest of Ma-
In the spring of B. c. 321 accordingly, he set out cedonia (Herod. viii. 137, 138). It is clear, how.
on his march against Egypt, at the head of a for- ever, that the dominions of Perdiccas and his
midable army, and accompanied by the king Ar immediate successors, comprised but a very small
rhidaeus, with his bride Eurydice, as well as by part of the country subsequently known under
Roxana and her infant son. He advanced without ihat name. (See Thuc. ii. 99. ) According to Eu-
opposition as far as Pelusium, but found the banks sebius (ed. Arm. p. 152, 153), Perdiccas reigned
of the Nile strongly fortitied and guarded by forty-eight years, but this period is, doubtless, a
Ptolemy, and was repulsed in repeated attempts to purely fictitious one. He was succeeded by his
force the passage of the river ; in the last of which, son Argaeus. (Herod. viii. 139. ) From a fray.
near Memphis, he lost great numbers of men, by ment of Diodorus (Exc. Vat. p. 4), it would appear
the depth and rapidity of the current. This disaster that Perdiccas was regarded as the founder of Aegae
Field
LH;
1
Brod
of the
)
## p. 188 (#204) ############################################
188
PERDICCAS.
PERDICCAS.
or Edessa, the capital of the early Macedonian | talces, indeed, ravaged the open country without
monarchs.
(E. H. B. ) opposition, and took some small towns, but was
PERDICCAS II. (11 epdirkas), king of Mace disappointed of the promised co-operation of the
donia, was the son and successor of Alexander I. Athenian feet, and after a short stay in Chalcidice,
It is impossible to fix the date of his accession with was compelled, by want of provisions, to return
any degree of precision, on account of the great home. Seuthes, the nephew of the Thracian king,
discrepancy in the statements of ancient authors con- who had been secretly gained over by Perdiccas,
cerning the length of his reign, to which Dexippus was mainly instrumental in bringing about this
and Eusebius allot only twenty-two or twenty-three resolution, in reward for which service Perdiccns
years, while Theopompus extended it to thirty- gave him his sister Stratonice in marriage. (Thuc.
five, and the Parian Chronicle, apparently follow- ii. 95–101; Diod. xii. 50, 51. )
ing Nicomedes of Acanthus, to as much as forty- From this time we hear no more of the pro-
one years. (See Athen. v. p. 217; Clinton, F. H. ceedings of Perdiccas for some years, but he appears
vol. ii. p. 222; Dexipp. ap. Sumicell
. p. 262, d ; to have continued always on hostile terms with
Marm. Par. ) It is certain, however, that he Athens, and it was in great part at his instigation
had been on the throne of Macedonia for some that Brasidas in B. C. 4:24 set out on his celebrated
time when his name first appears in history, shortly expedition to Macedonia and Thrace. (Thuc. iv.
before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian war. 79. ) Iinmediately on the arrival of the Spartan
During the carly yerrs of his reign he had enter- general, Perdiccas made use of his new auxiliary to
tained friendly relations with the Athenians, who, prosecute a private quarrel of his own with Arrhi-
as it appears, had even bestowed on him the rights baeus, prince of Lyncestis. But Brasidas, though
of a citizen as a reward for the services of his he at first joined his forces with those of the Mace
father Alexander during the Persian war. (Thuc. donian king, interposed rather as a mediator than
i. 57 ; Demosth. de Syntax. p. 173, c. Aristocr. an auxiliary, and soon concluded a treaty with
p. 687, who erroneously calls Perdiccas king at Arrhibaeus, by which proceeding he so much of-
the time of the Persian invasion. ) But the coun- fended Perdiccns, that the latter withdrew a part
tenance furnished by the Athenians to the preten- of the supplies which he had engaged to furnish to
sions of his brother Philip, as well as to Derdas, the Lacedaemonian army, and took little part in
a Macedonian chieftain, at this time in hostility to the operations of Brasidas in Chalcidice and
Perdiccas, completely estranged the mind of the Thrace. But the following spring (B. C. 423)
latter, and led to an open rupture between him the conclusion of a truce for a year between the
and Athens. In B. c. 432, the Athenians sent a Athenians and Lacedaemonians having suspended
fleet and army to Macedonia to support Philip and the operations of Brasidas, Perdiccas induced
Derdas against Perdiccas, while the latter openly him once more to join in a campaign against Ar-
espoused the cause of Potidaea, which had shaken rhibaeus. The king had also reckoned on the com
off the Athenian yoke, at the same time that he operation of a body of Illyrians, but these ex-
sent ambassadors to Lacedaemon and Corinth, to pected allies suddenly joined the enemy, and the
induce those powerful states to declare war against Macedonian troops, alarmed at their defection,
Athens. His negotiations, for a time, produced no were seized with a panic, and compelled Perdiccas
effect. But the Athenian generals also accom- to make a hasty retreat, leaving his Spartan
plished but little: they took Therma, but laid auxiliaries at the mercy of the enemy. Brasidas,
siege, without effect, to Pydna, and concluded a indeed, saved his army by a masterly retreat, but
hasty treaty with Perdiccas, in order to be more the minds of the Spartans were irritated against
at liberty to pursue operations against Potidaea. the Macedonian king, and it was not long before
This peace, however, was broken almost imme matters came to an open rupture. Before the close
diately afterwards, and Perdiccas sent a body of of the year Perdiccas abandoned the Spartan al-
horse to the assistance of the Potidaeans, but these liance, and concluded peace with Athens. (Thuc. iv.
troops failed in operating a diversion in favour of 82, 83, 103, 107, 124-128, 132. )
their allies. (Thuc. i. 57–59, 61-63; Diod. xii. But he was little disposed to enter heartily into
34. ) Perdiccas, however, continued on hostile the cause of his new allies, whom he supported so
terms with Athens, until the following year (B. C. feebly as to lead to the failure of their arms in
431), when Nymphodorus brought about a peace Chalcidice, and in B. c. 418 he secretly joined the
between them by which the Macedonian king ob- new league concluded between Sparta and Argos.
tained the restoration of Therma. He now sup- This led to a renewal of hostilities between him
ported the Athenian general Phormion against the and the Athenians, but apparently without any
Chalcidians, but his disposition seems to have been important result. At a subsequent period we find
still unfriendly, and we find him soon after sending him again in alliance with Athens, without any
secret assistance to the expedition of the Am- account of the circumstances that led to this
braciots and their allies against Acarnania (1d. change ; but it is evident that he joined one or
ii. 29, 80. )
other of the belligerent parties according to the
He was soon threatened by a more formidable dictates of his own interest at the moment. (Thuc. v.
danger. In B. C. 429, Sitalces, king of the power. 80, 83, vi. 7, vii. 9. ) The exact date of the death
ful Thracian tribe of the Odrysians, invaded Ma- of Perdiccas cannot be determined, but it is clear
cedonia with an army of 150,000 men, with the from Thucydides that it could not have occurred
declared object of establishing Amyntas, the son of before the end of B. c. 414, or the beginning of 413.
Philip, upon the throne of that country. Perdiccas The Parian Chronicle, by a strange error, assigns
was wholly unable to oppose this mighty host, and it to the archonship of Asiyphilus, B. C. 4:20. (Thuco
contented himself with observing their movements, vii. 9 ; Marm. Par. ; Clinton, F. H. vol. i. pp. 74,
harassing them with his light cavalry, and cutting 223. )
[E. H. B. ]
off their supplies. The very magnitude of the bar- PERDICCAS III. (Depdiknas), king of Mace-
barian army proved the cause of its failure. Si- I donia, was the second son of Anyotas II. , by his
## p. 189 (#205) ############################################
PERENNIS.
189
arty ris
or Pertical
Perican
of the per
the appear
teras
UTL277
sa che non
PERDICCAS.
wife Eurydice. He was still very young when PERDIX (Déport), the sister of Daedalus, and
the assassination of his brother Alexander II.
of a treatise, Mepl Nooáypas, De Podagra, which Cannae. In order to raise soldiers he armed not
has been attributed by some persons to Michael only slaves, but even criminals. (Fasti Capit. ;
Psellus (Leo Allatius, De Psellis, $ 52, ap. Fabric. Liv. xxii. 57, 59, xxiii. 14. )
Bibl. Graec. vol. v. ed. vet. ). It consists of forty-five PERAETHUS (Tépaidos), a son of Lycaon,
short chapters, besides the preface and conclusion, from whom the town of Peraetheis in Arcadia was
and, though principally compiled from former believed to have derived its name. (Paus. viii.
writers, is curious and interesting. A good ana- 3. & 1, 27. $ 3. )
(L. S. )
lysis of its contents is given by Mr. Adams, in his PERCENNIUS, a common soldier, and pre-
commentary on Paulus Aegineta (iii. 78). It was viously employed in the theatres to hiss or applaud,
first published without the author's name, in a as the case might be, was the ringleader in the
Latin translation by Marcus Masurus, Rom. 1517, formidable mutiny of the Pannonian legions, which
8vo. ; and afterwards in Greek and Latin, Paris, broke out at the beginning of the reign of Tiberius,
1558, 8vo. The last and best edition is by J. S. A. D. 14. He was killed by order of Drusus
Bernard, Greek and Latin, Ludg. Bat. 1743, 8vo. , shortly after his arrival in the camp. (Tac. Ann. i.
sometimes found with a new title page, Arnhem. 16, 17, 28, 29. )
1753. The Latin translation by Masurus is in- PERDICCAS (Tlepdiskas). 1. Son of Orontes,
serted in H. Stephani Medicae Artis Principes, I a Macedonjan of the province of Orestis, was
alera
๔
7 Pet
andard
56, is
are's
li
. R]
A3
Ti
14
1
## p. 186 (#202) ############################################
186
PERDICCAS.
PERDICCAS.
the kii
17
*N
one of the most distinguished of the generals of Justin. xii. 15; it is remarkable that Arrian does
Alexander the Great. We are told that he was not even allude to this circumstance. )
descended from a royal house (Curt. x. 7. $ 8) In the deliberations which followed the death of
probably that of the independent princes of Orestis, the king (B. C. 323), Perdiccas assumed a leading
and it appears that in consequence of his noble part. In the general council of the officers he was
birth he early held a distinguished place at the the first to propose that the crown should be re-
court of Philip of Macedon. We find him men served for the child of which Roxana was then
tioned as one of the select officers who, under the pregnant, supposing it to prove a male : and it was
title of owWatodunakes, were immediately about immediately suggested by Aristonous that the re-
person at the time of his death ; and he gency in the mean time should be confined to Per-
was one of the first to avenge that crime upon the diccns. This proposal — with the modification put
assassin Pausanias. (Diod. xvi. 94. ) It is pro- forward by Pithon, that Leonnatus should be asso-
bable that he continued to hold the same honour- ciated with him in the supreme authority, -obiained
able post under the youthful Alexander, though he the concurrence of almost all the chief officers, sup-
is not distinctly mentioned as doing so until a ported by the whole body of the Macedonian ca.
later period (see Arr. Anab. iv. 21. $7, v. 13. valry. But the infantry, at the head of whom
§ 1, vi. 11. & 3, 28. $ 6); but besides this he had Meleager had placed himself (MELEAGER), refused
the separate command of one of the divisions of to acquiesce in this decision, and clamorously de
the phalanx, at the head of which we find him manded that Arrhidaeus, the bastard brother of
accompanying the young king in the campaign Alexander, should be at once proclaimed king.
against the Illyrians, and agnin at the siege of Matters soon came to an open rupture between
Thebes. On this last occasion he greatly distin- the two parties, and the cavalry, with most of the
guished himself, but was severely wounded, and leading men in the army, withdrew from Babylon,
narrowly escaped with his life. (Arr. ib. i. 6, 8; and encamped without the city. Perdiccas ai first
Diod. xvii. 12. ) During the earlier campaigns in remained behind, but an attempt made upon his
Asia we likewise find him commanding one of the life by his rival, which was frustrated only by his
divisions of the phalanx, which was composed of own intrepidity, soon compelied him to follow the
his own countrymen the Orestians, together with example of the seceders. The cavalry now threat-
the neighbouring tribe of the Lyncestians. This ened to cut off the supplies, and reduce Babylon to
post he held in all the three great battles of the a state of famine ; but after repeated embassies a
Granicus, Issus, and Arbela ; in the last of which compromise was at length effected, by which it
he was again severely wounded : and his name is was agreed that Arrhidaeus should be declared
also mentioned with distinction at the sieges of king, reserving however to the son of Roxana a
Halicarnassus and of Tyre. (Arr. Anub. i. 14, 20, share of the sovereignty, as soon as he should be
21, ii. 8, ii. 11; Curt. iii. 9. $7, iv. 3. $ 1, 16. born, while Perdiccas, under the honorary title of
§ 32; Diod. xvii. 57, 61. ) In the subsequent chiliarch of the étaipoi, should hold the chief com-
operations in Persia, Sogdiana, and India, his name mand under the new monarch, Meleager taking
occurs still more frequently ; and he appears to rank immediately under him. (Curt. X. 6–8;
have borne a continually increasing share in the Justin. xiii. 24; Arrian. ap. Phot. p. 69, a ;
confidence and favour of Alexander. At this time Dexipp. ibid. p. 64, b. ; Diod. xviii. 2. )
he was transferred from the infantry to the cavalry, But this arrangement, though sanctioned by a
where he commanded one of the hipparchies, or solemn treaty, was not destined to be of long dura-
divisions of the horseguards (étaipoi); but in ad-tion. Perdiccas took advantage of his new position
dition to this we find him repeatedly charged with to establish his influence over the feeble mind of
separate commands of importance, sometimes in the nominal king Arrhidaeus, while he lulled his
conjunction with Ptolemy, Craterus, or Hephaestion, rival Meleager into security by the profoundest
sometimes as sole general. He appears to have dissimulation, until his schemes were ripe for exe-
especially distinguished himself in the battle against cution, and he was able to crush at one blow
Porus, and shortly after we find him commanding Meleager himself with all his leading partisans.
the whole left wing of the army in the action with (MELEAGER). By this decisire stroke he freed
the Cathaeans. Again, in the attack of the chief himself from one of his most formidable adversaries,
city of the Malli it was Perdiccas who was ap- but at the same time he necessarily aroused the
pointed to conduct the assault on one side of the fears of all others who felt themselves to be either
fortress, while Alexander himself led that on the his rivals or his enemies. For a time, however, he
other. (Arr. Anab. iii. 18, iv. 16, 21, 22, 28, 30, thought himself secure in the possession of the
v. 12, 13, 22, vi. 6, 9, 15, Ind. 18; Curt. vii. supreme power; the king was a mere puppet in
6. § 19, viii. 10. § 2, 14. SS 5, 15, ix, 1. & 19. ) his hands, and the birth of Alexander, the ex-
Nor was he forgotten in the distribution of honours pected son of Roxana, appeared greatly to strengthen
at Susa, where he received a crown of gold for his his authority, while the partition of the several
services in common with the other Somatophylaces, satrapies or governments of Asia and Europe among
and the daughter of Atropates, the satrap of Media, the generals of Alexander, removed to a distance
in marriage. (Arr. vii. 4. & 7, 5. $ 9. ) In virtue and separated from one another all his more for-
of his office as Somatophylax, he was one of those midable competitors. An alarming revolt of the
in constant attendance upon the king's person Greek soldiers who had been settled in the pro-
when not employed on other military services (see vinces of Upper Asia, was successfully put down
Curt. vi. 8. $ 17, viii. 1. $$ 45, 48), and thus was through the agency of Pithon, and the whole of
naturally one of the officers who were gathered those who had submitted were barbarously mas-
around the bed of the dying Alexander, who is sacred by the express orders of the regent (Diod.
said in his last moments to have taken the royal xviii. 7. )
signet ring from his finger and given it to Perdic- Perdiccas now deemed himself at leisure (B. 6. 322)
cas (Diod. xvii. 117, xviii. 2; Curt. . 5. § 4;to undertake the reduction of Cappadocia, which
.
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PERDICCAS.
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PERDICCAS.
bad been neglected by Alexander, and continued | caused the discontent among his troops which had
in virtual independence under its satrap, Ariarathes. been long gathering in secret, and had been exas-
The campaign was quickly decided ; Ariarathes perated rather than repressed by the severity with
was defeaten in two successive battles, taken pri- which he had punished the first symptoms of dis-
soner, and put to death by order of the regent, who affection, to break out into open mutiny ; the in-
handed over the government of Cappadocia to his fantry of the phalanx were the first to declare
friend and partisan Eumenes. From thence he themselves, but their example was soon followed
marched into Pisidia, where he reduced the im- by the cavalry, and a band of officers headed by
portant cities of Laranda and Isaura. Meanwhile Seleucus and Antigenes hastened to the tent of
the jealousies and apprehensions of his principal Perdiccas, and despatched him with many wounds.
adversaries had been long secretly at work, to (Diod. kviii. 23, 25, 29, 33–36; Arrian, up.
combine them into a league against his power. Phol. p. 70, b. 71, a; Justin. xiii. 6, 8; Plut.
Ptolemy appears to have been from the first re- Euin. 5, 8; Com. Nep. Eum. 3, 5; Strab. xvii.
garded by the regent with especial suspicion and p. 794.
)
distrust, and Perdiccas was only waiting for a plau- We know little or nothing of the character of
sible pretext to dispossess him of his important Perdiccas beyond what may be gathered from the
government of Egypt. But the regent knew that part he took in the events above related, but in
Antipater also was scarcely less hostile to him, and these he certainly appears in the darkest colours.
had already entered into recret engagements with His only redeeming qualities were his great per-
Ptolemy, from which he now sought to detach him sonal courage (see on this point an anecdote
by requesting his daughter Nicaea in marriage. related by Ael. v. H. xii. 39), and his talents
Antipater could not reſuse so splendid an offer, as a general. His selfish and grasping ambition
and immediately sent Nicaea to Perdiccas in Asia, was wholly unrelieved by any of the generosity
But just about the same time the regent received and magnanimous spirit which had adorned that of
overtures from Olympias, who offered him the Alexander. At once crafty and cruel, he arrayed
hand of her daughter Cleopatra in return for his against himself, by his dark and designing policy,
support against Antipater. He did not, however, all the other leaders in the Macedonian empire,
deem the moment yet come for an open rupture while he alienated the minds of his soldiers and
with the latter, and consequently married Nicaea, followers by the arrogance of his demeanour, as
but with the secret purpose of divorcing her and well as by unsparing and needless severity, and he
espousing Cleopatra in her stead at a subsequent ultimately fell a victim not to the arms of his ad-
period. From this time, if not before, it appears versaries, but to the general discontent which he had
certain that he began to look forward to establish himself excited.
ing himself eventually on the throne of Macedonia, 2. One of the generals who held a subordinate
and regarded the proposed alliance with Cleopatra command under Eumenes in the war against An-
merely as a stepping-stone to that object. (Arrian, tigonus, B. C. 321. He was preparing to desert to
ap. Phot. p. 69, b. 70, a. ; Diod. xviii. 14, 16, 22, the enemy, when Eumenes became apprised of his
23 ; Justin. xiii. 6. )
project, and sent Phoenix against him, who surprised
It was at this juncture that the daring enter- bus camp in the night, took him prisoner, and
prisc of Cynane (Cynane) threatened to disconcert brought him before Eumenes, who caused him to
all the plans of Perdiccas ; and though he succeeded be put to death. (Diod. xviii. 40. ) [E. H. B ]
in frustrating her ambitious schemes, his cruelty in PERDICCAS I. (liepdiknas), was, according to
putting her to death excited such general dissatis- | Herodotus, the founder of the Macedonian mon-
faction, that he found himself compelled, in order archy, though Justin, Diodorus, and the later
to appease the murmurs of tl. e soldiery, to give her chronographers, Dexippus and Eusebius, represent
daughter Eurydice in marriage to the king Arrhi-Caranus as the first king of Macedonia, and make
daeus. (Arr. ap. Phol. p. 70, a. b. ) Shortis | Perdiccas only the fourth. (Caranus. ] Thucy-
after, bis attempt to bring Antigonus to trial for dides, however, seems to follow the same version
some alleged offences in the government of his of the history with Herodotus, since he reckons
satrapy, brought on the crisis which had been so only eight kings before Archelaus. (Thuc. 100.
long impending. That general made his escape See also Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. p. 221; Müller's
to Macedonia, where he revealed to Antipater the Dorians, App. i. $ 15. ) According to Herodotus,
full extent of the ambitious schemes of Perdiccas, Perdiccas and his two brothers, Gauanes and Aë-
and thus at once induced Antipater and Craterus ropus, were Argives of the race of Temenus, who
to unite in a league with Peolemy, and openly filed from their native country to Illyria, and from
declare war against the regent. Thus assailed on thence into the upper part of Macedonia, wbere
all sides, Perdiccas determined to leave Eumenes they at first served the king of the country as
in Asia Minor, to make head against their common herdsmen, but were afterwards dismissed from his
enemies in that quarter, while he himself directed service, and settled near Mount Bermius, from
his efforts in the first instance against Ptolemy. whence, he adds, they subdued the rest of Ma-
In the spring of B. c. 321 accordingly, he set out cedonia (Herod. viii. 137, 138). It is clear, how.
on his march against Egypt, at the head of a for- ever, that the dominions of Perdiccas and his
midable army, and accompanied by the king Ar immediate successors, comprised but a very small
rhidaeus, with his bride Eurydice, as well as by part of the country subsequently known under
Roxana and her infant son. He advanced without ihat name. (See Thuc. ii. 99. ) According to Eu-
opposition as far as Pelusium, but found the banks sebius (ed. Arm. p. 152, 153), Perdiccas reigned
of the Nile strongly fortitied and guarded by forty-eight years, but this period is, doubtless, a
Ptolemy, and was repulsed in repeated attempts to purely fictitious one. He was succeeded by his
force the passage of the river ; in the last of which, son Argaeus. (Herod. viii. 139. ) From a fray.
near Memphis, he lost great numbers of men, by ment of Diodorus (Exc. Vat. p. 4), it would appear
the depth and rapidity of the current. This disaster that Perdiccas was regarded as the founder of Aegae
Field
LH;
1
Brod
of the
)
## p. 188 (#204) ############################################
188
PERDICCAS.
PERDICCAS.
or Edessa, the capital of the early Macedonian | talces, indeed, ravaged the open country without
monarchs.
(E. H. B. ) opposition, and took some small towns, but was
PERDICCAS II. (11 epdirkas), king of Mace disappointed of the promised co-operation of the
donia, was the son and successor of Alexander I. Athenian feet, and after a short stay in Chalcidice,
It is impossible to fix the date of his accession with was compelled, by want of provisions, to return
any degree of precision, on account of the great home. Seuthes, the nephew of the Thracian king,
discrepancy in the statements of ancient authors con- who had been secretly gained over by Perdiccas,
cerning the length of his reign, to which Dexippus was mainly instrumental in bringing about this
and Eusebius allot only twenty-two or twenty-three resolution, in reward for which service Perdiccns
years, while Theopompus extended it to thirty- gave him his sister Stratonice in marriage. (Thuc.
five, and the Parian Chronicle, apparently follow- ii. 95–101; Diod. xii. 50, 51. )
ing Nicomedes of Acanthus, to as much as forty- From this time we hear no more of the pro-
one years. (See Athen. v. p. 217; Clinton, F. H. ceedings of Perdiccas for some years, but he appears
vol. ii. p. 222; Dexipp. ap. Sumicell
. p. 262, d ; to have continued always on hostile terms with
Marm. Par. ) It is certain, however, that he Athens, and it was in great part at his instigation
had been on the throne of Macedonia for some that Brasidas in B. C. 4:24 set out on his celebrated
time when his name first appears in history, shortly expedition to Macedonia and Thrace. (Thuc. iv.
before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian war. 79. ) Iinmediately on the arrival of the Spartan
During the carly yerrs of his reign he had enter- general, Perdiccas made use of his new auxiliary to
tained friendly relations with the Athenians, who, prosecute a private quarrel of his own with Arrhi-
as it appears, had even bestowed on him the rights baeus, prince of Lyncestis. But Brasidas, though
of a citizen as a reward for the services of his he at first joined his forces with those of the Mace
father Alexander during the Persian war. (Thuc. donian king, interposed rather as a mediator than
i. 57 ; Demosth. de Syntax. p. 173, c. Aristocr. an auxiliary, and soon concluded a treaty with
p. 687, who erroneously calls Perdiccas king at Arrhibaeus, by which proceeding he so much of-
the time of the Persian invasion. ) But the coun- fended Perdiccns, that the latter withdrew a part
tenance furnished by the Athenians to the preten- of the supplies which he had engaged to furnish to
sions of his brother Philip, as well as to Derdas, the Lacedaemonian army, and took little part in
a Macedonian chieftain, at this time in hostility to the operations of Brasidas in Chalcidice and
Perdiccas, completely estranged the mind of the Thrace. But the following spring (B. C. 423)
latter, and led to an open rupture between him the conclusion of a truce for a year between the
and Athens. In B. c. 432, the Athenians sent a Athenians and Lacedaemonians having suspended
fleet and army to Macedonia to support Philip and the operations of Brasidas, Perdiccas induced
Derdas against Perdiccas, while the latter openly him once more to join in a campaign against Ar-
espoused the cause of Potidaea, which had shaken rhibaeus. The king had also reckoned on the com
off the Athenian yoke, at the same time that he operation of a body of Illyrians, but these ex-
sent ambassadors to Lacedaemon and Corinth, to pected allies suddenly joined the enemy, and the
induce those powerful states to declare war against Macedonian troops, alarmed at their defection,
Athens. His negotiations, for a time, produced no were seized with a panic, and compelled Perdiccas
effect. But the Athenian generals also accom- to make a hasty retreat, leaving his Spartan
plished but little: they took Therma, but laid auxiliaries at the mercy of the enemy. Brasidas,
siege, without effect, to Pydna, and concluded a indeed, saved his army by a masterly retreat, but
hasty treaty with Perdiccas, in order to be more the minds of the Spartans were irritated against
at liberty to pursue operations against Potidaea. the Macedonian king, and it was not long before
This peace, however, was broken almost imme matters came to an open rupture. Before the close
diately afterwards, and Perdiccas sent a body of of the year Perdiccas abandoned the Spartan al-
horse to the assistance of the Potidaeans, but these liance, and concluded peace with Athens. (Thuc. iv.
troops failed in operating a diversion in favour of 82, 83, 103, 107, 124-128, 132. )
their allies. (Thuc. i. 57–59, 61-63; Diod. xii. But he was little disposed to enter heartily into
34. ) Perdiccas, however, continued on hostile the cause of his new allies, whom he supported so
terms with Athens, until the following year (B. C. feebly as to lead to the failure of their arms in
431), when Nymphodorus brought about a peace Chalcidice, and in B. c. 418 he secretly joined the
between them by which the Macedonian king ob- new league concluded between Sparta and Argos.
tained the restoration of Therma. He now sup- This led to a renewal of hostilities between him
ported the Athenian general Phormion against the and the Athenians, but apparently without any
Chalcidians, but his disposition seems to have been important result. At a subsequent period we find
still unfriendly, and we find him soon after sending him again in alliance with Athens, without any
secret assistance to the expedition of the Am- account of the circumstances that led to this
braciots and their allies against Acarnania (1d. change ; but it is evident that he joined one or
ii. 29, 80. )
other of the belligerent parties according to the
He was soon threatened by a more formidable dictates of his own interest at the moment. (Thuc. v.
danger. In B. C. 429, Sitalces, king of the power. 80, 83, vi. 7, vii. 9. ) The exact date of the death
ful Thracian tribe of the Odrysians, invaded Ma- of Perdiccas cannot be determined, but it is clear
cedonia with an army of 150,000 men, with the from Thucydides that it could not have occurred
declared object of establishing Amyntas, the son of before the end of B. c. 414, or the beginning of 413.
Philip, upon the throne of that country. Perdiccas The Parian Chronicle, by a strange error, assigns
was wholly unable to oppose this mighty host, and it to the archonship of Asiyphilus, B. C. 4:20. (Thuco
contented himself with observing their movements, vii. 9 ; Marm. Par. ; Clinton, F. H. vol. i. pp. 74,
harassing them with his light cavalry, and cutting 223. )
[E. H. B. ]
off their supplies. The very magnitude of the bar- PERDICCAS III. (Depdiknas), king of Mace-
barian army proved the cause of its failure. Si- I donia, was the second son of Anyotas II. , by his
## p. 189 (#205) ############################################
PERENNIS.
189
arty ris
or Pertical
Perican
of the per
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UTL277
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PERDICCAS.
wife Eurydice. He was still very young when PERDIX (Déport), the sister of Daedalus, and
the assassination of his brother Alexander II.
