Definition

Proper noun: * A decisive military engagement in 301 BC: The Battle of Ipsus was a major conflict fought between the coalition of Alexander the Great's former generals, Seleucus I Nicator and Lysimachus, against Antigonus I Monophthalmus and his son Demetrius Poliorcetes. It is considered the final and most significant battle of the early Wars of the Diadochi (the Successors), which determined the political division of Alexander's empire.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Battle of Ipsus resulted in the death of Antigonus and the end of his dream of reuniting Alexander's empire.
  • Historians study the Battle of Ipsus to understand the transition from the Hellenistic period to the era of the Hellenistic kingdoms.
  • The coalition's victory at the Battle of Ipsus led to the establishment of the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires as major powers.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Significance: The term is used to mark a pivotal historical turning point. It signifies the end of a unified Macedonian empire and the beginning of the stable, multi-state Hellenistic world.
  • The political map of the Near East was permanently altered after the Battle of Ipsus.

Variants and Related Words

• Ipsus: The ancient town in Phrygia (Asia Minor) where the battle was fought. The battle is named for this location.
• Wars of the Diadochi: The series of conflicts among Alexander the Great's generals following his death, of which the Battle of Ipsus was the climactic event.
• Antigonid Dynasty: The Hellenistic dynasty founded by Antigonus I's surviving son, Demetrius, which later ruled Macedonia. Its scope was severely limited by the outcome at Ipsus.

Synonyms

• The Ipsus Campaign: A less common term referring to the military operations culminating in the battle.
• The Fourth War of the Diadochi: The specific conflict within the larger succession wars that included the Battle of Ipsus as its conclusion.

Related Phrases

• To meet one's Ipsus: An extremely rare and scholarly metaphorical phrase, meaning to face a decisive, career-ending defeat or confrontation, analogous to Antigonus's fate.
  • The CEO's risky strategy led the company to its Ipsus.

Noun

1. a battle between the successors of Alexander the Great (301 BC); Lysimachus and Seleucus defeated Antigonus and Demetrius