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Demetrius the Besieger offers the first historical and historiographical biography of Demetrius Poliorcetes (336-282 BC) to be published in English. Also known as 'The Besieger of Cities', Demetrius is an outstanding, yet enigmatic figure who presided over the disintegration of Alexander the Great's Empire after 323 BC, and the most fascinating and high profile of the Diadochoi, or Successors to Alexander the Great. His campaigns, initiatives, and personal life bestride the opening forty years of the so-called 'Hellenistic' age and are pivotal in its formation as he became the first of the Hellenistic Kings. As his name suggests, Demetrius was prodigious in his military adventures, and profligate in his private life, rendering him an icon for artists, writers, politicians, and soldiers for many centuries. He was especially famous for his spectacular siege operations against enemy cities, and gained his unique nickname from his innovation in building gigantic siege engines, which became legendary in the ancient world. However, much of Demetrius' life was enigmatic, oscillating wildly between successful and catastrophic ventures, and his intrinsic qualities remain debatable to this day. What is indisputable is that he presided over a formative period in history marked by great flux and enormous change. His endeavours resulted in the fusion of Asiatic and Greek cultures, producing the hybrid Hellenistic kingdoms which dominated the ancient world for some 200 years until the rise of the Roman Empire. The period is of crucial importance in ancient Greek history, and marks the point from which Hellenistic influence became fundamental in the development of modern Western culture. Content :List of Maps and FiguresList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1: The Young Demetrius Poliorcetes2: Demetrius and Phila3: A Diadoch's Apprenticeship4: Demetrius in Syria, 315-312 BC5: The Battle of Gaza6: The Aftermath of Gaza7: Demetrius in Babylonia8: The Silent Years: 310-308 BC9: The Antigonid 'Liberation' of Athens in 307 BC10: Demetrius in Athens11: The Antigonid Campaign in Cyprus, 306 BC12: The Fruits of Victory: Kingship, Lamia, Africa13: The Great Siege of Rhodes14: Demetrius' Return to Greece, 304-303 BC15: The Mysteries and the League16: The Campaign of Ipsus17: Demetrius' Flight18: The Besieger Alone19: Demetrius and Athens. Again20: The Acquisition of Macedonia21: King of the Macedonians22: Demetrius the Living God23: A New Anabasis?24: Wolves at the Door: 288-285 BC25: Demetrius' Fortunes Unravel26: The Final Campaign27: The End of the Reign of Demetrius Poliorcetes28: ConclusionEndmatterAppendix 1: The Colossus of RhodesAppendix 2: Chronology of the Life of Demetrius Poliorcetes (336-282 BC)