Battle of Corupedium

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Battle of Corupedium
Part of the Wars of the Diadochi
Date 281 BC
Location Near Sardis
Result Decisive Seleucid victory
Hellenistic Thrace Seleucid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Lysimachus   Seleucus

The Battle of Corupedium, also called Corupedion or Curupedion (Ancient Greek: Κύρου πεδίον or Κόρου πεδίον, "the plain of Kyros or Koros") is the name of the last battle of the Diadochi, the rival successors to Alexander the Great. It was fought in 281 BC between the armies of Lysimachus and Seleucus I Nicator. Lysimachus had ruled Thrace for decades and parts of modern western Turkey ever since the Battle of Ipsus. Recently he had finally gained control over Macedon. Seleucus ruled the Seleucid Empire, including lands currently covered by modern eastern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq and Iran. Almost nothing is known about the battle itself save that Seleucus won the battle. Lysimachus died during the fighting. According to Memnon of Heraclea's History of Heraclea Pontica, Lysimachus was killed by a javelin thrown by Malacon, a Heracleian soldier serving under Seleucus.[1]

Although the victory gave Seleucus nominal control over nearly every part of Alexander's empire, save the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, his victory was short-lived. After crossing the Hellespont to take possession of Lysimachus' European possessions not long after the battle, Seleucus was assassinated by Ptolemy Keraunos and Macedon swiftly became independent once again. It was typical of the times that these two former companions and former allies should, as old men, end up fighting each other to the death.


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