Royal and satrapal armies in Babylonia during the Second Diadoch War. TheChronicle of the Successorson the events during the seventh year of Philip Arrhidaeus (=317/316 BC)

Abstract

AbstractThe passage in theChronicle of the Successorsdealing with the year Phil.07 (=317/316 BC;ABC10 Obv. 14–18 =BCHP3 Obv. 33–37) is often used as a marker to favour the low-chronology hypothesis for the early Hellenistic period and Second Diadoch War. This in-depth study of this passage deals with the nature of the troops mentioned there (lúeren2.meš lugal, ‘royal troops’, andlúḪa-ni-i šàlugal, ‘royalḪanûtroops”) and the possible implications for the chronological debate. The result is that the passage is not pivotal for the low chronology because it is not only in a low-chronology scenario that it is possible. The use of ‘royal (Ḫanû) troops' in theChronicledoes not exclude the high chronology for the Second Diadoch War.