Cassander

Cassander was raised in Macedon by the court. His father, Antipater, was an aspiring nobleman who was gifted the control of Macedon when Alexander went away on his campaigns.
Antipater had previously held a good relationship with both Alexander and Olympias, but when he became more powerful and influental in Macedonia Olympas began losing her trust in him. She wrote numerous letters to Alexander, claiming that Antipater was a traitor to the state. Wether this was true, or wether it was just Olympias usual suspicion that was surfacing, nobody knows. 
Cassander was a cavalryman during the campaigns of Alexander, leading his squadron of Companions into battle. He fought in several sieges and battles for his king.
When Alexander returned to Babylon, he called Antipater to him in order for him to answer to the accusations of Olympias. Cassander came in Antipaters place. But Alexander was a changed man. He had picked up drinking and was no longer the kind and understandable man he had once been. He yelled at Cassander, frequently, and with the power of a lion at that. During his time at the court, Cassander grew more and more fearfull of Alexander.
Alexander eventually went ill, and some silent rumours blamed Cassander for poisoning the king. These rumours were untrue, as Cassander was much to afraid of Alexander to harm him. In time, Alexander died and the vast empire he had created was torn apart by the internal strife that followed.
Cassander's brother, Polyperchon, relieved Antipater of the control of Macedon. This was much to Cassander's dismay, and eventually he managed to assassinate his brother. This allowed Cassander to gain total control over Macedonia and Greece.
Even though Cassander was popular among the Macedonian masses, the greek masses were harder to please. This was because Cassander treated them as his subjects rather than his allies. Olympias, mother of Alexander, took this to her advantage and raised an army to defeat Cassander. Cassander responded by raising an army of his own and meeting the greeks in the field. He managed to defeat her army, and then captured and executed Olympias.
Not only did he execute Olympias, but eventually he also executed Alexanders son: Alexander IV and Roxane. This was done to secure absolute control over Macedonia, and shortly afterwards Cassander crowned himself king of Macedon, just as the other successors had done in their respective lands.
Shortly after Cassanders crowning, the Greeks of Athens rebelled against the Macedonian hegemony. Cassander marched the Macedonian Army south to meet their army outside the gates of Athens. He defeated the Greeks at the ensuing Battle of Athens but was wounded by Leonida during the Siege of Athens. He eventually agreed to sign a peace treaty with the greeks and relative harmony sweapt through the lands.
During the Olympiad, Kratesipolis approached him with an offer of uniting Macedon and Hellas that would involve Cassander marrying Leonida. He accepted the offer as it would bolster his power both in Greece and abroad.
NOTE: This only concerns the EoA character of Cassander. This is based on facts, but alot it is fiction.
Category:Characters