What is "craterus"

Craterus or Krateros (; c. 370 BC – 321 BC) was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi.

He was the son of a Macedonian nobleman named Alexander from Orestis and brother of admiral Amphoterus. Craterus commanded the phalanx and all infantry on the left wing in Battle of Issus (333 BC). In Hyrcania he was sent on a mission against the Tapurians, his first independent command with the Macedonian army. At the Battle of the Hydaspes River (326 BC, near modern Jhelum) he commanded the rearguard, which stayed on the western bank; his men crossed the river only during the final stages of the battle.

At the festivities in Susa, Craterus married princess Amastris, daughter of Oxyathres, the brother of Darius III. Craterus and Polyperchon were appointed to lead 11,500 veteran soldiers back to Macedonia. Craterus was in Cilicia, where he was building the fleet, when Alexander unexpectedly died in Babylon.

In 322 BC Craterus aided Antipater in the Lamian War against Athens. He sailed with his Cilician navy to Greece and led troops at the Battle of Crannon in 322 BC. When Antigonus rose in rebellion against Perdiccas and Eumenes, Craterus joined him, alongside Antipater and Ptolemy. He married Antipater's daughter Phila. He was killed in battle against Eumenes in Asia Minor when his charging horse fell over him, somewhere near the Hellespont, in 321 BC.

Craterus may refer to:

• Craterus of Macedon, King of Macedon in 399 BC
• Craterus, Macedonian general of Alexander the Great
• Craterus (historian), half-brother of Antigonus II Gonatas, compiler of historical documents relative to the history of Attica
• Crates (engineer), also known as Craterus
• Craterus, son of Antipater, from Amphipolis (ca. 100–30 BC), Rhapsode winner in Amphiarian games

Craterus ( Greek: Κρατερός; 321 – c. 263 BC) was a Macedonian historian. Although the identification is not confirmed by any source, he was probably the son of Alexander the Great's general Craterus and his wife Phila. By his mother's third marriage he became the stepson of Demetrius Poliorcetes and the half-brother of Antigonus II Gonatas. When Antigonus became king of Macedon, Craterus was made governor of Corinth and Chalcis. He loyally ruled Corinth from 280 BC until his death. Craterus had a son named Alexander who achieved the governorship of Corinth and Euboea after his death, but around 253 BC resolved to challenge the Macedonian supremacy and seek independence as a tyrant.

As a historian Craterus distinguished himself as a diligent compiler of documents relating to the history of Attica. He made a collection of Attic inscriptions, containing decrees of the people (psephismaton synagoge) and out of them he seems to have constructed a diplomatic history of Athens. This work is frequently referred to by Harpocration and Stephanus of Byzantium, the latter of whom s. v. Nymphaion quotes the ninth book of it.

With the exception of the statements contained in these and other passages, the work of Craterus is lost.