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By all accounts, Cassander was present when Alexander died in June 323. If we assume a 90 journey on the Royal Road and another week to travel from Macedon to Ionia, this puts the latest Cassander could have left very early March 323. Given that Alexander was preparing for another expedition when he died, if Antipater was aware of this expedition, then Cassander would have left at least a few weeks earlier, somewhere February 323.

Since Alexander’s arrival in Carmania (~December 325) was a surprise to many of the local Satraps, we keeping with a ~100 day lag in communication, we may assume that the earliest his return from India would not be announced in Macedon would be late March 324.
Alexander received letters from both Olympias and Antipater complaining about the other’s behavior. Since when he arrived Cassander argued with Alexander defending his father against lies, potentially spread by Olympias, it seems that Cassander’s mission was related to these letters. If Alexander first received these letters on his return from India, then he could have sent a reply to Antipater about March 324. If Olympias and Antipater waited until they learned he had returned from India, then we should add about 3 months to this date, ~June 324. In this case, Alexander’s reply would reach Macedon in ~September 324. If Cassander set out immediately upon Alexander’s reply, he would arrive December 324.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that Cassander was somehow involved in a plot to poison Alexander and that Hephaestion was also a victim of such a plot. Since Hephaestion died in Ecbatana in October 324, had Cassander been involved in this plot, he must have left no later than July 324.

At this point we have a few dates for Cassander’s departure from Macedon, ranging from March 324 to March 323.

In June 324, Harpalus arrived in Athens with stolen money and mercenaries. Shortly thereafter, ~July 324, three purported representatives from Alexander petitioned Athens for his custody: Olympias, Antipater and Philoxenus, satrap of Caria. If Cassander had been sent by his father to Alexander regarding this matter, he would arrive ~October 324.

In ~August 324, Alexander ordered Craterus to return to Greece to replace Antipater. If a messenger were sent to Antipater at this time, he could probably move faster than the returning veterans, but his letter would still not reach Antipater before November 324. One source says that Alexander gave Craterus a letter for Antipater instructing him that the returning veterans should have the best seates in the theatres and should sit there with garlands on their heads. If Alexander expected Craterus to hand deliver the letter, there would be no reason to send a messenger. However, the contents of this letter about continued duties in Greece conflict with general story that Craterus was to remove Antipater from his post, and have him lead new recruits back to Alexander (perhaps also answer the charges that Cassander argued in his place). If there was an advance messenger (likely with instructions to begin gathering a new force) and Antipater dispatched Cassander immediately upon receipt of the message, then Cassander would arrive January 323.

In reviewing these events, none seem to pin down when Antipater dispatched Cassander to Alexander. They do suggest that Cassander was sent ahead of Antipater’s notification that he was being relieved of his post.

Of course, I have simplified travel in the ancient world, which had sailing seasons, and the fastest time of ~100 days may have been considerably longer. I have also not accounted for a reduction in time due as Alexander’s marched West from March 324 to March 323.

I would love any insights others have thought or read regarding the timing and content Cassander’s mission.

Kassander has only to reach Babylon ; now, Dareios managed to get a substantial army from Babylon to Cilicia in 45 days including 5 crossing the Euphrates, Thymondas probably covered the distance from Babylon to Lycia in fifteen, small bodies move much quicker than armies and by utilising the rivers it is possible to travel for 24hrs which speeds things up to.

Secondly, the story of Antipater's replacement is probably a later fiction; Arrian's account is totally confused and good evidence of the unrevised state of his work (VII 12) Antipater would be particularly dull if he did not realise that there were complaints about him going to Alexander so Kassander would have been sent WITH the complainants to refute their accusations as they were made. The fact that Antipater was worried speaks for a timing after the so-called reign of terror; poison plots are a real red-herring.If Hephaistion WAS poisoned the significant fact is that Alexander did not investigate it but contented himself with killing the doctor, Glaukos; although even that tradition is not secure.

I shall consider the timings more and post tomorrow, curse 'x-box live' and using other people's PCs!

I've just finished reading Dr Jeanne Reames chapter 'The Cult of Hephaestion' in 'Responses to Oliver Stone's Alexander' in which she suggests that as part of Alexander's 'recorganisation' on his return from India, Hephaestion was appointed chiliarch at the weddings at Susa (March 324). She also implies that at this time Iolas, Antipater's son, was appointed to the Persian post of Cup Bearer. Is this likely if Antipater was out of favour with Alexander?

Good point. While Alexander was wary of Antipater "being purple on the inside," and dismissive of his accomplishments in "battle of mice," I don't believe he fell out of favor until "new" letters from Olympias reached after his return from India.

The sources suggest Cassander met Alexander in Babylon. So unless Cassander was hanging out waiting for the eventual arrival of Alexander (put in doubt by episode of laughing about proskynesis), Cassander was newly arrived in Asia when he met Alexander.

Yet if Cassander is newly arrived, departing Macedon in spring 323, then what was so special about this time?

Craterus, assuming he did have orders to remove Antipater, was dispatched in mid-Aug 324, so word could have reached Antipater by ~Dec 324, prompting him to send his own envoy.

Harpalus escapes Athens and heads to Crete about Aug 324, hypothetically Philoxenus or Olympias could have somehow blamed this on Antipater, prompting him to send Cassander.

Greek envoys depart Athens to deliver golden crowns + temple issues ~Feb 323, potentially to argue against (rumors of) Gorgas' suggestion to invade Athens, could also have had mixed reports on Antipater, given the Athenian and Tegean voiced objection to the exiles decree.

A couple of points:

1. Robin Lane Fox says that couriers on the Royal Road could reach Sardis from Susa in 7 days (it took 90 days on foot, presumably less on horseback or chariot (if used)). So I think you might be looking at 2-3 weeks for letters to reach Alexander or Antipater, not months.

2. The sources suggest that Cassander arrived in Babylon after Alexander did in April 323. He may have arrived with the 3,000 artists assembled for Hephaestion’s funeral, and if he arrived unsummoned by Alexander, this might hint that either he, or Antipater, saw an opportunity to move into the power vacuum created by Hephaestion’s death – and by Craterus’s return to Greece. The two most powerful men at Alexander’s court were no longer there. So Cassander may have been sent to attend Hephaestion’s funeral – a gesture of support from the Macedonian regent?

If Alexander did summon Cassander, it might simply be that he wanted someone to give him a detailed report on the state of play in Greece, and who better than the regent’s son? Such a summons might also be a mark of respect towards Antipater, in effect a promotion for Cassander, indicating that Alexander had not forgotten him or his father.

3. It is very unlikely that Cassander was sent by Antipater to poison either Alexander or Hephaestion for the following reasons:

· The physical symptoms described don’t fit with poisoning in either death
· Macedonians didn’t do poison, they tended to go for the man-to-man stabbing option, and there seems to have been personal, not just political, motives for assassinations
· Cassander had no power base with the army so he had no hope of stepping into Alexander’s shoes
· Antipater was not a fool. He would not have thrown away the whole Persian Empire to avoid being summoned by Alexander. He would have waited until he got to Babylon where he had a chance of taking over.

4. Do we even know if Cassander was still in Babylon when Alexander died? I don’t recall that he had any part in the events immediately afterwards.

Thank you for that detailed reply!

Providing additional detail behind traveling the Royal Road in 7 days:

Total distance = 1,677 miles
Divided by 7 days = 239.6 miles/day
Divided by 24 hours = 9.98 miles/hour

If a horse can only travel 60 miles/day, this means switching mounts (and riders for messages) every 6 hours.

So for the same rider on a series of mounts, given requirements for sleep a trip is likely to take 2-3 weeks.

A rider on one mount would take about one month.

adisciplus wrote: So for the same rider on a series of mounts, given requirements for sleep a trip is likely to take 2-3 weeks.

I think there was a relay of men as well as horses if the situation demanded it, and a letter would be handed over to a new rider at any of the stations built alongside the road.

Best regards,