Phoenix was a native of Tenedos

Tenedos

Tenedos or Bozcaada or Bozdja-Ada is a small island in the Aegean Sea, part of the Bozcaada district of Çanakkale province in Turkey. , Tenedos has a population of about 2,354. The main industries are tourism, wine production and fishing...

, who held a high rank in the army of Eumenes

Eumenes

Eumenes of Cardia was a Thracian general and scholar. He participated in the wars of the Diadochi as a supporter of the Macedonian Argead royal house.-Career:...

, 321 BC

321 BC

Year 321 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Calvinus and Caudinus...

. In the great battle fought by the latter against Craterus

Craterus

Craterus 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...

 and Neoptolemus

Neoptolemus (general)

For other uses, see Neoptolemus Neoptolemus was a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great....

, the command of the left wing, which was opposed to Craterus, was entrusted to Phoenix and Pharnabazus, and composed principally of Asiatic troops; Eumenes being apprehensive of opposing any Macedon

Macedon

Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....

ians to a general so popular with his countrymen. As soon as they came in sight of the enemy the two commanders charged the army of Craterus, which was unable to withstand the shock, and the aged general himself perished in the confusion. Shortly after we find Phoenix despatched by Eumenes with a select force against his revolted general Perdiccas

Perdiccas (general)

Perdiccas was one of the generals who held a subordinate command under Eumenes in the war against Antigonus, 321 BC...

, whom he surprised by a rapid night march, and took him prisoner almost without opposition. After the fall of Eumenes (316 BC

316 BC

Year 316 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rutilus and Laenas...

) Phoenix appears to have entered the service of Antigonus

Antigonus I Monophthalmus

Antigonus I Monophthalmus , son of Philip from Elimeia, was a Macedonian nobleman, general, and satrap under Alexander the Great. During his early life he served under Philip II, and he was a major figure in the Wars of the Diadochi after Alexander's death, declaring himself king in 306 BC and...

, but in 310 BC

310 BC

Year 310 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rullianus and Censorinus...

 he was persuaded by Ptolemy

Ptolemy (general)

Ptolemy ; died 309 BC) was a nephew of Antigonus, and who served as a general to Alexander the Great who afterwards became king of Asia....

 (the nephew and general of Antigonus), to whom he was attached by the closest friendship, to join the latter in his defection from Antigonus. Phoenix at this time held the important command of the Hellespontine Phrygia

Hellespontine Phrygia

Hellespontine Phrygia was an Achaemenid satrapy in ancient Anatolia, comprising lands of Troad, Mysia and Bithynia and whose seat was at Daskyleion, south of Cyzicus, Mysia. Pharnabazus was satrap of Darius III there, until Alexander the Great appointed Calas which was replaced by Arrhidaeus in the...

, on which account Antigonus hastened to send an army against him under the command of his younger son Philip

Philip (son of Antigonus)

Philip , son of Antigonus, king of Asia, was sent by his father in 310 BC, at the head of an army, to oppose the revolt of his general Phoenix, and to recover possession of the towns on the Hellespont held by the latter...

. The result of the operations is not mentioned; but Phoenix seems to have been not only pardoned by Antigonus, but received again into favour: and in the campaign which preceded the battle of Ipsus

Battle of Ipsus

The Battle of Ipsus was fought between some of the Diadochi in 301 BC near the village of that name in Phrygia...

 (302 BC

302 BC

Year 302 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Denter and Paullus...

), we find him holding the command of Sardis

Sardis

Sardis or Sardes was an ancient city at the location of modern Sart in Turkey's Manisa Province...

, which he was, however, induced to surrender to Prepelaus

Prepelaus

Prepelaus was a general in the service of Cassander, king of Macedonia. He is first mentioned in 315 BC, when he was sent by Cassander on a secret mission to Alexander the son of Polyperchon, whom he succeeded in detaching from the cause of Antigonus and inducing to join his arms with those of...

, the general of Lysimachus

Lysimachus

Lysimachus was a Macedonian officer and diadochus of Alexander the Great, who became a basileus in 306 BC, ruling Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedon.-Early Life & Career:...

. This is the last time his name is mentioned.