Editing Perdiccas (section)

== Civil war and invasion of Egypt==
{{main|First War of the Diadochi}}

=== Theft of the body of Alexander the Great ===
In late 321 and early 320&nbsp;BC, as part of his kingly aspirations, Perdiccas intended to send Alexander's body back to [[Vergina|Aegae]] in [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]], the traditional place of burial for the Macedonian Argead Royal Family.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=178}} The officer [[Arrhidaeus]] (not the king) was chosen to escort the body back to [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]], having constructed an elaborate funeral carriage.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=178}} Perdiccas had informed Arrhidaeus of his plans, but Arrhidaeus began conveying Alexander's body to Egypt instead of Macedon, and met no resistance as he did so.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=178. Alexander himself apparently wanted to be buried in the [[Siwah Oasis]] originally}}{{sfn|Anson|2015|pp=105-106}} Ptolemy, who had already come to an understanding with Antipater and Craterus, had probably colluded with Arrhidaeus and [[Archon of Pella|Archon]], satrap of Babylon in order to have Alexander's body go to Egypt.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|pp=178, 179}} Perdiccas, enraged by this news, sent an army to recover the body, but Ptolemy defeated this force and successfully brought Alexander's remains back to Egypt, where they were housed in the city of [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]].{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=178}}

Since the Partition of Babylon, Ptolemy had conquered [[Cyrenaica]] without Perdiccas' approval,{{sfn|Green|1990|p=13}} and within a year of gaining his satrapy had unlawfully executed Cleomenes, the officer Perdiccas had attached to him.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=179}} Perdiccas, who already distrusted Ptolemy, regarded his diverting of Alexander's body as an unacceptable provocation, "an act of war", and after convening his officers decided to invade Egypt.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=179}}{{sfn|Waterfield|2011|p=49}}

=== Campaign against Ptolemy ===
Perdiccas' strategy was for his supporters to hold [[Asia Minor]] against Antipater and Craterus while he brought the royal army, and kings (Philip III and Alexander IV), south to eliminate Ptolemy. Perdiccas gave Eumenes of Cardia supreme command (as ''[[autokrator]]'') to hold the [[Hellespont]], and ordered Alcetas and Neoptolemus to obey Eumenes.{{sfn|Anson|2015|pp=106-107. He probably received the command due to his loyalty to Perdiccas, skill in battle, and victories in Cappadocia and Armenia. Eumenes' satrapy was also expanded to include Antigonus' old provinces}}{{sfn|Bosworth|2005|p=84}} [[Cleitus the White]] was ordered to aid Eumenes navally.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=180}} Perdiccas probably expected to be able to defeat Ptolemy and then turn to combat Antipater and Craterus.{{sfn|Anson|2014|p=63}} Before Perdiccas left Pisidia, he attempted once more to entreat Cleopatra of Macedon to marry him, now needing the increased authority the marriage would bring, but she refused, not knowing who would win the war to come.{{sfn|Anson|2015|p=111}}{{sfn|Just.|loc=13.6.7, observes that Perdiccas "courted two wives at once, but obtained neither"}}{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=178. Another possibility is that Cleopatra agreed, but there was no time for the marriage to be formalized before Perdiccas left for Egypt}} Perdiccas marched to Cilicia first, deposing the satrap [[Philotas (satrap)|Philotas]] due to his friendship with Craterus, replacing him with one [[Philoxenus (general)|Philoxenus]].{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=179}}

He prepared a fleet there while sending [[Docimus]] to Babylon to supplant the satrap Archon for collusion with Ptolemy.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=179}} Perdiccas also prepared another fleet, led by [[Sosigenes of Rhodes]] and [[Aristonous of Pella|Aristonous]], to conquer [[Cyprus]] and the Cypriot kings who had allied themselves to Ptolemy.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=180}} As he was heading south, Perdiccas, having heard that Alcetas and Neoptolemus were refusing to work under Eumenes, ordered them once again to subordinate themselves to him.{{sfn|Anson|2014|p=64}} Finally, a third fleet led by Attalus, his brother-in-law, carried Perdiccas' sister Atalante and shadowed Perdiccas' army on their southward march.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=180}} Docimus conquered Babylon and killed Archon in battle, while Perdiccas reached [[Damascus]] and deposed [[Laomedon of Mytilene|Laomedon]], satrap of Syria for sympathies to Ptolemy.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=180}} Soon after arriving in Egypt, Perdiccas may have heard of Eumenes' victory over Neoptolemus, who had defected to Antipater and Craterus.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=181}}{{sfn|Anson|2014|p=66. See citation at the end of Assassination for further discussion}} With this boost in morale, and when further reinforcements joined him, Perdiccas marched towards the [[Nile]].

==== Fording of the Nile and the Camel's Rampart ====
[[File:Nile R02.jpg|thumb|270x270px|The Nile river. A famously difficult river to cross throughout history, Perdiccas' attempt ultimately failed due to mis-execution and determined resistance from Ptolemy's armies.{{sfn|Waterfield|2011|pp=|p=64}}]]
Ptolemy had been fortifying his satrapy for two years, believing war with Perdiccas was highly likely, and this greatly contributed to Perdiccas' difficulties and ultimate defeat.{{sfnm|Anson|2014|1pp=60, 165|Diod.|2loc=18.33.3}} Perdiccas reached the most easterly tributary of the Nile near [[Pelusium]], and discovered that the opposite side was garrisoned. He had his troops construct a dam, probably intending to lower the water levels to ease a crossing, but the force of the river broke it apart.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=181}}{{sfn|Romm|2011|p=164}} It is possible that Perdiccas' invasion occurred while the [[Flooding of the Nile|Nile was flooding]].{{sfn|Anson|2014|pp=63, 69}} In any case, the destruction of the dam led some officers in Perdiccas' camp to defect; Perdiccas, in response, successfully inspired his army with gifts and titles to continue the war effort.{{sfnm|Heckel|2016|1p=182|Diod.|2loc=18.33.5}}

Perdiccas then decamped, not informing his soldiers where he intended to march. He travelled swiftly upstream to find a suitable point to cross, soon coming across a [[Ford (crossing)|ford]] which led to the cities of [[Tanis]] and [[Avaris]] on the other side of the Nile. However, a fort known as the 'Camel's Rampart' (''Kamelon Teichos'') inhibited his advance. Perdiccas then ordered his army to attack, leading an assault on the fortress at dawn.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=182}} Perdiccas' deployed his [[war elephants]] first, then the [[hypaspists]] and [[Silver Shields]], leading the cavalry in the rear in case Ptolemy arrived.{{sfn|Diod.|loc=18.34.1}} When a large army under Ptolemy then arrived to reinforce the fort, denying Perdiccas an easy victory, Perdiccas, undaunted, renewed the assault. His infantry attempted to [[escalade]] the walls while his elephants destroyed Ptolemy's defenses.{{sfn|Diod.|loc=18.34.2}} The fighting continued inconclusively for a considerable amount of time, with heavy losses for both sides, before Perdiccas finally broke off the siege and marched back to his camp.{{sfn|Diod.|loc=18.34.5}}{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=182}}

That same night, Perdiccas broke camp again and marched to another ford, this one near [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]]. Here, Perdiccas placed his elephants upstream of this new crossing, so as to block the currents that would otherwise sweep away his men, and his cavalry downstream, to catch any unlucky enough to be swept away regardless of the elephants' makeshift dam.

For a time this strategy worked, enabling a sizeable contingent of Perdiccas's army, led by Perdiccas himself, to cross the river and reach an island at its center.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=182}} Many drowned in the attempt, however, and soon the elephants began to sink in the mud of the riverbed, and the currents rose quickly. This proved to be a disaster for Perdiccas, as he had to abandon the crossing, leaving many of his infantry stranded on the island. Perdiccas had no choice but to return with his men. Most of this contingent drowned trying to make it back to the eastern bank, many being eaten by [[crocodiles]]. Perdiccas' losses totaled 2,000, including prominent officers.{{sfnm|Heckel|2016|1pp=182-183, citing |Diod.|2loc=18.36.1}}{{sfn|Green|1990|p=14}}

=== Assassination ===
Following what was so far a disastrous campaign, a mutiny broke out amongst Perdiccas' soldiers, who were disheartened by his failure to make progress in Egypt.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=183}} Angry at his incompetence and probably colluding with Ptolemy,{{sfn|Anson|2014|p=69}} Perdiccas was murdered by his officers ([[Peithon]], [[Antigenes (general)|Antigenes]], and [[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus]]), probably in the summer of 320&nbsp;BC, roughly three years after he had assumed the regency.{{sfn|Anson|2014|p=59}}{{sfnm|Heckel|2016|1p=182|Nep.|2loc=18.5.1}} His officers and the rest of his army defected to [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]].

News of Eumenes' victory at the [[Battle of the Hellespont (321 BC)|Battle of the Hellespont]] in 320&nbsp;BC where Craterus and Neoptolemus were killed, which would have instantly restored Perdiccas' authority, arrived in Egypt one day after his assassination.{{sfn|Heckel|2016|p=183. There is considerable scholarly confusion about the reports Perdiccas received about Eumenes' activity in Asia Minor from Egypt, but the claim that the news arrived too late - a day too late, is widely accepted}}{{sfn|Diod.|loc=18.37.1}} Anson notes that "if the news of Eumenes' victory over Craterus had arrived sooner, the entire history of the post-Alexander era might have been dramatically altered; Perdiccas might have emerged supreme, the successor of Alexander and the ruler of the vast Macedonian empire, with the inauguration of a  new royal family".{{sfn|Anson|2014|p=68}} What became of Alexander's signet ring that Perdiccas carried, and even whether he brought it into Egypt, is not known.{{sfn|Romm|2011|p=199}}