[2] Eumenes recruited a small army and marched south into Cilicia where he made an alliance with Antigenes and Teutamus (commanders of the Argyraspides (Silver Shields) and the Hypaspists (Shield-bearers), two corps of veterans of Alexander the Great's wars of conquest).

[3] In Cilicia, Syria and Phoenicia Eumenes recruited additional troops for his army and ships for his fleet and renewed the war against Antigonos.

Eumenes avoided battle and the armies marched and countermarched through Babylonia, Susiana and Media until finally, in the summer of 316 BC, they faced off across a plain in the lands of the Paraitakenoi, to the northeast of Susa.

In the summer of 316 BC, Antigonus moved southward from Media towards Persia in the hope of forcing Eumenes to battle.

On the fifth day, supplies were running low so Antigonus decided to march away to Gabiene, where the countryside was rich and unplundered.

When Antigonus found out his opponent had left he gave chase with his cavalry while the rest of his army followed at moderate speed.

His heavy infantry was made up of 8,000 Macedonians, 8,000 Pantodapoi, 3,000 Lycians and Phamphylians and 9,000 Greeks mercenaries; the light infantry is not specified; the cavalry consisted of 1,800–2,400 Macedonians[note 1], 1,000 Lydians and Phrygians, 1,000 Medians and Parthians, 1,000 Thracians, 1,500 cavalry brought by his ally Peithon, 500 allied Greeks, 500 unspecified mercenaries, 2,200 Tarentines [note 2], 400 unspecified lancers, and 300 pages.

Antigonus deployed his light horse (c. 7,000 horsemen) on the left under Peithon, his heavy cavalry (3,700 horsemen) and light infantry were placed on the right flank resting on the hills under his own command and his phalanx held the center, with the Macedonians on the right, the Asians in the center and the mercenaries (probably Greeks) on the left, while the war elephants were spread across the line.

[8] Antigonus's oldest son Demetrius, aged about twenty, was with his father commanding the heavy cavalry on the right and making his major combat debut.

[10] In the center, the two phalanxes engaged, again to Eumenes’ advantage due to the incredible skill of the Argyraspides who, despite their age (50 to 70 years old), seemed invincible.