Editing Seleucus I Nicator (section)

==Satrap of Babylonia (311–306 BC)==

===Conquest of the eastern provinces===
[[File:Diadochi.png|thumb|350px|The kingdoms of [[Seleucus I]], [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]], [[Ptolemy I]], [[Cassander]] and [[Lysimachus]]]]
Soon after Seleucus' return, the supporters of Antigonus tried to get Babylon back. [[Nicanor (satrap)|Nicanor]] was the new satrap of Media and the ''strategos'' of the eastern provinces. His army had about 17,000 soldiers. Evagoras, the satrap of [[Aria (satrapy)|Aria]], was allied with him. It was obvious that Seleucus' small force could not defeat the two in battle. Seleucus hid his armies in the marshes that surrounded the area where Nicanor was planning to cross the Tigris and made a surprise attack during the night. Evagoras fell in the beginning of the battle and Nicanor was cut off from his forces. The news about the death of Evagoras spread among the soldiers, who started to surrender ''en masse''. Almost all of them agreed to fight under Seleucus. Nicanor escaped with only a few men.<ref name="G79">Grainger 1990, p. 79; Boyi p. 126</ref>

Even though Seleucus now had about 20,000 soldiers, they were not enough to withstand the forces of Antigonus. He also did not know when Antigonus would begin his counterattack. On the other hand, he knew that at least two eastern provinces did not have a satrap. A great majority of his own troops were from these provinces. Some of Evagoras' troops were Persian. Perhaps a portion of the troops were Eumenes' soldiers, who had a reason to hate Antigonus. Seleucus decided to take advantage of this situation.<ref name="G79" />

Seleucus spread different stories among the provinces and the soldiers. According to one of them, he had in a dream seen Alexander standing beside him. Eumenes had tried to use a similar propaganda trick. Antigonus, who had been in Asia Minor while Seleucus had been in the east with Alexander, could not use Alexander in his own propaganda. Seleucus, being Macedonian, had the ability to gain the trust of the Macedonians among his troops, which was not the case with Eumenes.<ref name="G80">Grainger 1990, p. 80</ref>

After becoming once again satrap of Babylon, Seleucus became much more aggressive in his politics. In a short time he conquered Media and Susiana. [[Diodorus Siculus]] reports that Seleucus also conquered other nearby areas, which might refer to [[Persis]], [[Aria (region)|Aria]] or [[Parthia]]. Seleucus did not reach [[Bactria]] and [[Sogdiana]]. The satrap of the former was [[Stasanor]], who had remained neutral during the conflicts. After the defeat of Nikanor's army, there was no force in the east that could have opposed Seleucus. It is uncertain how Seleucus arranged the administration of the provinces he had conquered. Most satraps had died. In theory, [[Polyperchon]] was still the lawful successor of Antipater and the official regent of the Macedonian kingdom. It was his duty to select the satraps. However, Polyperchon was still allied with Antigonus and thus an enemy of Seleucus.<ref name="G81">Grainger 1990, p. 81</ref>

===Response===
[[File:Seleucos I Bucephalos coin.jpg|thumb|Seleucus I coin depicting [[Alexander the Great]]'s horse [[Bucephalus]].]]
Antigonus sent his son Demetrius along with 15,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry to reconquer Babylon. Apparently, he gave Demetrius a time limit, after which he had to return to Syria. Antigonus believed Seleucus was still ruling only Babylon. Perhaps Nicanor had not told him that Seleucus now had at least 20,000 soldiers. It seems that the scale of Nicanor's defeat was not clear to all parties. Antigonus did not know Seleucus had conquered the majority of the eastern provinces and perhaps cared little about the eastern parts of the empire.<ref name="G82">Grainger 1990, pp. 82–83</ref>

When Demetrius arrived in Babylon, Seleucus was somewhere in the east. He had left [[Patrocles (geographer)|Patrocles]] to defend the city. Babylon was defended in an unusual way. It had two strong fortresses, in which Seleucus had left his garrisons. The inhabitants of the city were transferred out and settled in the neighbouring areas, some as far as Susa. The surroundings of Babylon were excellent for defence, with cities, swamps, canals and rivers. Demetrius' troops started to besiege the fortresses of Babylon and conquered one of them. The second fortress proved more difficult for Demetrius. He left his friend Archelaus to continue the siege, and himself returned west leaving 5,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry in Babylon. Ancient sources do not mention what happened to these troops. Perhaps Seleucus had to reconquer Babylon from Archelaus.<ref name="G83">Grainger 1990, p. 83; Boiy p. 127</ref>

===Babylonian War===
{{Main|Babylonian War}}
[[File:LysimachusCoinWithHornedAlexander.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Coin of Lysimachus with an image of a horned Alexander the Great]]
Over the course of nine years (311–302 BC), while Antigonus was occupied in the west, Seleucus brought the whole eastern part of Alexander's empire as far as the [[Jaxartes]] and [[Indus River]]s under his authority.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911 |wstitle=Seleucid Dynasty |volume=24 |pages=603–604 |first=Edwyn Robert |last=Bevan |inline=1}}</ref>

In 311 BC Antigonus made peace with Cassander, Lysimachus and Ptolemy, which gave him an opportunity to deal with Seleucus.<ref name="G86">Grainger 1990, p. 86</ref> Antigonus' army had at least 80,000 soldiers. Even if he left half of his troops in the west, he would still have a numerical advantage over Seleucus. Seleucus may have received help from Cossaians, whose ancestors were the ancient [[Kassites]]. Antigonus had devastated their lands while fighting Eumenes. Seleucus perhaps recruited a portion of Archelaus' troops. When Antigonus finally invaded Babylon, Seleucus' army was much bigger than before. Many of his soldiers certainly hated Antigonus. The population of Babylon was also hostile. Seleucus, thus, did not need to garrison the area to keep the locals from revolting.<ref name="G89">Grainger 1990, pp. 89– 91</ref>

Little information is available about the conflict between Antigonus and Seleucus; only a very rudimentary Babylonian chronicle detailing the events of the war remains. The description of the year 310 BC has completely disappeared. It seems that Antigonus conquered Babylon. His plans were disturbed, however, by Ptolemy, who made a surprise attack in Cilicia.<ref name="G89" />

We do know that Seleucus defeated Antigonus in at least one decisive battle. This battle is only mentioned in ''Stratagems in War'' by [[Polyaenus]]. Polyaenus reports that the troops of Seleucus and Antigonus fought for a whole day, but when night came the battle was still undecided. The two forces agreed to rest for the night and continue in the morning. Antigonus' troops slept without their equipment. Seleucus ordered his forces to sleep and eat breakfast in battle formation. Shortly before dawn, Seleucus' troops attacked the forces of Antigonus, who were still without their weapons and in disarray and thus easily defeated. The historical accuracy of the story is questionable.<ref name="Grainger97">Grainger 1997, p. 54</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Polyaenus |url=https://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/bchp-diadochi/polyaenus.html |title=The Babylonian war |publisher=Livius.org |access-date=2012-11-07 |archive-date=31 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031180603/http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/bchp-diadochi/polyaenus.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Babylonian war finally ended in Seleucus' victory. Antigonus was forced to retreat west. Both sides fortified their borders. Antigonus built a series of fortresses along the [[Balikh River]] while Seleucus built a few cities, including [[Dura-Europos]] and [[Nisibis]].

===Seleucia===
The next event connected to Seleucus was the founding of the city of [[Seleucia]]. The city was built on the shore of the Tigris probably in 307 or 305 BC. Seleucus made Seleucia his new capital, thus imitating Lysimachus, Cassander and Antigonus, all of whom had named cities after themselves. Seleucus also transferred the mint of Babylon to his new city. Babylon was soon left in the shadow of Seleucia, and the story goes that [[Antiochus I Soter|Antiochus]], the son of Seleucus, moved the whole population of Babylon to his father's namesake capital in 275 BC. The city flourished until AD 165, when the Romans destroyed it.<ref name="Grainger97" /><ref>Boiy p. 45</ref>

A story of the founding of the city goes as follows: Seleucus asked the Babylonian priests which day would be best to found the city. The priest calculated the day, but, wanting the founding to fail, told Seleucus a different date. The plot failed however, because when the correct day came, Seleucus' soldiers spontaneously started building the city. When questioned, the priests admitted their deed.<ref>Grainger 1990, s.101</ref>