Battle of Gabiene Battle of Gabiene ( 316 BC ) was a second great battle ( after Paraitacene ) between two of Alexander the Great ' s successors : Antigonus and Eumenes in the wars of the Diadochi . Background . After the death of Alexander the Great ( 323 BC ) , his generals immediately began squabbling over his empire . Soon it degenerated into open warfare , with each general attempting to claim the a portion of Alexander ' s vast kingdom . One of the most talented generals among the Diadochi was Antigonus Monophthalmos , so called because of an eye he lost in a siege . During the early years of warfare between the Successors , he faced Eumenes , a capable general who had already crushed Craterus . The two Diadochi fought a series of actions across Anatolia and Persia before finally meeting in what was to be the last clash at Gabiene ( ) . Antigonus had been a general for Philip II , king of Macedon , and later for his son Alexander . Skilled and experienced in war , he had proved himself in many battles . Eumenes was not of Macedonian origin , unlike the rest of Diadochi . He had been Alexander ' s secretary , but Alexander seemed to have recognized a military talent in Eumenes , and gave him several senior commands in the campaign in India . After Alexander ' s death , Eumenes quickly showed his skill , allying himself with Perdiccas and winning over much of Anatolia . Since the sole reference of this battle is ultimately from Eumenes ' personal aide Hieronymus of Cardia ( later transmitted through the historian Diodorus ) , who later switched his allegiance to Antigonus , he provides a unique perspective from both parties ' point of view . Strategy of Antigonus and Eumenes . In the middle of Persia , the two armies camped about four and a half miles apart from each other on an uncultivated , flat sandy plain . Antigonus , having a superiority in cavalry , resolved to mass his heavy Thracian cavalry , elephant and light infantry and skirmishers on his right and advance against Eumenes , while refusing his center infantry and his light horse on the left flank . Antigonus ' son , Demetrius , was given command of the striking force . Eumenes , having seen Antigonus ' deployment , placed himself and his best cavalry opposite Antigonus ' heavy cavalry along with his own elephants and light infantry . He intended to hold Antigonus ' charge while using his elite Argyraspides phalanx to win in the center just as they had done at Paraitacene . The Argyraspides were a unit of Alexander ' s veteran hypaspists who had fought under Philip and then Alexander . Despite the fact that these battle hardened veterans were old enough to be their opponents ' grandfathers , they were still highly respected and thought to be invincible in combat . Before the battle opened , Antigenes , the leader of the Argyraspides , rode over to Antigonus ' phalanx heckling them , " " Wicked men , are you sinning against your fathers , who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander ? " " . The morale of Antigonus ' pikemen sank and the phalanx of Eumenes raised a great cheer in response . Eumenes saw the opportunity and began advancing . The elephants and light troops , which had been placed in front of each opponent ' s army began a vicious combat , tusk to tusk as the light infantry attempted to hamstring the enemies ' elephants . The cavalry followed , but the conflagration turned to the advantage of Antigonus due to a superiority in number , until Peucestas , heading a large part of Eumenes ' cavalry , retreated from combat to a nearby river . The battlefield was so dry that great clouds of dust began rising from the fight . Antigonus saw this , and quickly issued orders to his far left flank of light horse . They were to ride around Eumenes ' flank into his rear and take the enemy ' s camp and baggage . The clouds of dust were so dense that Antigonus ' Tarantine and Median horse , under the command of his able subordinate , Peithon , were able to take the inadequately guarded camp completely unnoticed and seize control of the baggage . On the right flank , using the thick dust to cover his movements , Antigonus and Demetrius rode with their heavy cavalry around the engaged skirmishers and elephants to unexpectedly hit Eumenes ' horse on their flank . Taken by surprise a great part of Eumenes ' heavy cavalry under Eudemus routed , despite Eumenes ' heroic efforts to counterattack . Eumenes ' elephants and skirmishers also fled , having been beaten by Antigonus ' men . While Eumenes ' camp was being plundered and his left flank dissolving into rout , the Argyraspides advanced on Antigonus ' phalangites . Completely smashing them , the Argyraspides routed Antigonus ' entire phalanx killing five thousand men without a single loss . Eumenes ordered Peucestas to go back into combat with his cavalry and pursue the advantage , but the latter refused to move . Seeing this , Antigonus then ordered his light horse under Peithon , just finished plundering Eumenes ' camp to attack the Argyraspides in their rear . However , the Argyraspides were not ordinary soldiers , instead of panicking and fleeing , they calmly formed a large square and safely marched off the field . Aftermath . Although Antigonus was victorious , the battle ' s result was , like Paraitacene , inconclusive , with Eumenes still possessing a strong force . That evening , he attempted to convince the army to fight Antigonus again the next day for a conclusive result . However , his army was reluctant , as the satraps of this force wanted to retire to protect their satrapies . However , it was the Argyraspides who took matters into their own hands . Learning that Antigonus had ownership of their wives , children and the cumulative plunder of nearly 40 years of continuous warfare , they secretly opened negotiations with Antigonus for their safe return . In return for handing over Eumenes , they would get their baggage and families returned to them . Eager for the return of their baggage , the Argyraspides promptly handed Eumenes and his senior officers to Antigonus . Although reluctant at first , Antigonus was persuaded by his army to execute Eumenes . Eudemus , who had come from India as an ally of Eumenes and was responsible for the recruitment of Eumenes ' elephants and light infantry was also executed , as was the leader of the Argyraspides , Antigenes . The Macedonians of Eumenes were then drawn into the ranks of Antigonus ' army . However , given the demonstrated fickle loyalty of the Argyraspides , Antigonus never used them in a battle . They were sent to the far off satrapy of Arachosia ( in modern Afghanistan ) , where the local satrap Sibyrtius was given special orders to send them out in two or three on dangerous missions , to ensure they didn ' t survive and become a cohesive unit again .