Battle of Ipsus
Cilicia had historically been ruled by the Syennesis dynasty, with their seat at Tarsus. Even as a Persian satrapy for some of the time, Cilicia was ruled by tributary kings. Following the division of Alexander the Great's empire Cilicia was governed by Philotas (323–321 BC), then Philoxenus. Following the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC Cilicia became a battleground between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires in their Syrian Wars. Following the partition of 301 BC after the Battle of Ipsus Pleistarchus the son of Antipater and brother of Cassander ruled it separately, but he was almost immediately expelled by Demetrius the son of Antigonus I the following year. Cilicia had a habit of changing hands frequently, Demetrius losing it in 286 BC and then regaining it.