Hellenistic armies

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The Hellenistic armies is a term that refers to the various armies of the successor kingdoms to the Hellenistic period, emerging soon after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, when the Macedonian empire was split between his successors, known as the Diadochi (Greek: Διάδοχοι).

Initially, the Hellenistic armies were very similar to those commanded by Alexander the Great, but during the era of the Epigonoi (Ἐπίγονοι, "Successors") the differences became obvious, with the Diadochi growing to favor large masses of soldiers rather than smaller, well-trained ones, and weight was valued over maneuverability. The limited availability of Greek conscripts in the east led to an increasing dependence on mercenary forces, whereas the Hellenistic armies in the west were continuously involved in wars, which soon exhausted local manpower, paving the way for Roman supremacy in the region.

The major Hellenistic states were the Seleucid Empire, Ptolemaic Egypt, and Macedonia under the Antigonid dynasty. Smaller states included the Kingdom of Pergamum, Pontus, Epirus, the Achaean League, the Aetolian League, and the city states of Syracuse, Athens, Sparta, and others.