Editing Perdiccas (section)

=== 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}}