Polysperchon in Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898)

（Πολυσπέρχων). A Macedonian, and a distinguished officer of Alexander the Great (Arrian, Anab. iii. 11). In B.C. 323 he was appointed by Alexander II. in command of the army of invalids and veterans, which Craterus had to conduct home to Macedonia. He afterwards served under Antipater in Europe, and so great was the confidence which the latter reposed in him, that Antipater on his death-bed (319 B.C.) appointed Polysperchon to succeed him as regent and guardian of the king, while he assigned to his own son Cassander the subordinate station of Chiliarch. Polysperchon soon became involved in war with Cassander, who was dissatisfied with this arrangement. It was in the course of this war that Polysperchon basely surrendered Phocion to the Athenians, in the hope of securing the adherence of Athens. (See Phocion.) Although Polysperchon was supported by Olympias, and possessed great influence with the Macedonian soldiers, he proved no match for Cassander, and was obliged to yield to him the possession of Macedonia about 316. For the next few years Polysperchon is rarely mentioned, but in 310, he again assumed an important part by reviving the long-forgotten pretensions of Heracles, the son of Alexander and Barsiné, to the throne of Macedonia. Cassander marched against him, but distrusting the fidelity of his own troops, he entered into secret negotiations with Polysperchon, and persuaded the latter, by promises and flatteries, to murder Heracles (Diod.xx. 28). From this time he appears to have served under Cassander; but the period of his death is not mentioned.