Cyrus the Younger vs Eumenes of Cardia

Cyrus the Younger was appointed by his father Darius II as satrap of Lydia, Phrygia, and Cappadocia, and commander of all Persian forces in Anatolia. This gave him a power base for his ambitions.

Cyrus provided financial and military support to Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian War. He befriended the Spartan general Lysander, helping Sparta achieve final victory at Aegospotami in 405 BC.

Cyrus's forces engaged Artaxerxes II's army at Cunaxa, near Babylon. Cyrus personally led a charge against his brother but was killed in the fighting. His death ended the rebellion and left the Greek mercenaries stranded.

Cyrus gathered a Greek mercenary army of about 13,000 men and marched from Sardis to Babylon to overthrow his brother Artaxerxes II. The expedition was recorded by Xenophon in the Anabasis.

Eumenes was appointed as Alexander the Great's personal secretary (chief scribe) after the death of Philip II. This position gave him intimate knowledge of imperial administration and access to Alexander's inner circle.

Eumenes defeated Craterus and Neoptolemus at the Battle of the Hellespont. Craterus, Alexander's most trusted general, was killed in the battle. This victory established Eumenes as a major military commander in the Wars of the Diadochi.

After being declared an outlaw by Antipater, Eumenes was besieged by Antigonus Monophthalmus at the fortress of Nora in Cappadocia. He held out for over a year, negotiating a truce that allowed him to escape and continue his campaign.

Eumenes fought Antigonus Monophthalmus at Gabiene. Though the battle was tactically indecisive, Eumenes' own Silver Shields mutinied and handed him over to Antigonus, who had him executed. This ended his campaign.

After being betrayed by his own troops at Gabiene, Eumenes was executed by Antigonus Monophthalmus. His death removed the last major supporter of the Argead royal house and consolidated Antigonus's power in Asia.