Antigonus I Monophthalmus ( , "Antigonus the One-Eyed"; 382 – 301 BC) was a
Macedonian Greek general and
successor of Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
. A prominent military leader in Alexander's army, he went on to control large parts of
Alexander's former empire. He assumed the title of ''
basileus
''Basileus'' () is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs throughout history. In the English language, English-speaking world, it is perhaps most widely understood to mean , referring to either a or an . The title ...
'' (king) in 306 BC and reigned until his death. He was the founder of the
Antigonid dynasty, which ruled over Macedonia until its conquest by the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
in 168 BC.
Antigonus likely served under
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
. He took part in Alexander's
invasion of Achaemenid Persia and was named
satrap
A satrap () was a governor of the provinces of the ancient Median kingdom, Median and Achaemenid Empire, Persian (Achaemenid) Empires and in several of their successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic period, Hellenistic empi ...
of
Phrygia
In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; , ''Phrygía'') was a kingdom in the west-central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River.
Stories of the heroic age of Greek mythology tell of several legendary Ph ...
. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, he also received
Pamphylia
Pamphylia (; , ''Pamphylía'' ) was a region in the south of Anatolia, Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean to Mount Taurus (all in modern-day Antalya province, Turkey). It was bounded on the ...
and
Lycia
Lycia (; Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 ''Trm̃mis''; , ; ) was a historical region in Anatolia from 15–14th centuries BC (as Lukka) to 546 BC. It bordered the Mediterranean Sea in what is today the provinces of Antalya and Muğ ...
in accordance with the
Partition of Babylon
The Partition of Babylon was the first of the conferences and ensuing agreements that divided the territories of Alexander the Great. It was held at Babylon in June 323 BC.
Alexander’s death at the age of 32 had left an empire that stretched fro ...
. However, he later incurred the enmity of
Perdiccas, the regent of Alexander's empire, and was driven from Phrygia. He fled to Greece and formed an alliance with
Antipater
Antipater (; ; 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general, regent and statesman under the successive kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collapse of the Argead house, his son Cassander ...
, later joined by
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...
, against Perdiccas. Perdiccas was murdered by his own officers in 320 BC, and Antipater was elected the new regent. During a
series of wars between Alexander's successors, Antigonus briefly emerged as the most powerful of the
Diadochi
The Diadochi were the rival generals, families, and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for control over his empire after his death in 323 BC. The Wars of the Diadochi mark the beginning of the Hellenistic period from the Mediterran ...
, ruling over Greece,
Asia Minor
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
,
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
,
Phoenicia
Phoenicians were an Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syria, Syrian ...
and northern
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...
.
Cassander
Cassander (; ; 355 BC – 297 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC until 297 BC, and '' de facto'' ruler of southern Greece from 317 BC until his death.
A son of Antipater and a contemporary of Alexander the ...
,
Seleucus
Seleucus or Seleukos (Ancient Greek: Σέλευκος) was a Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonian Greek name, possibly meaning "very bright" or “very white”. It is likely related to the ancient name Zaleucus (Ancient Greek language, Ancient ...
, Ptolemy and
Lysimachus
Lysimachus (; Greek language, Greek: Λυσίμαχος, ''Lysimachos''; c. 360 BC – 281 BC) was a Thessaly, Thessalian officer and Diadochi, successor of Alexander the Great, who in 306 BC, became king of Thrace, Anatolia, Asia Minor and Mace ...
formed a coalition against him, which culminated in his decisive defeat and death at the
Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. His kingdom was divided up by Lysimachus and Seleucus, but his son
Demetrius
Demetrius is the Latinization of names, Latinized form of the Ancient Greek male name, male Greek given names, given name ''Dēmḗtrios'' (), meaning "devoted to goddess Demeter".
Alternate forms include Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dimitris, Dmytro, ...
survived and went on to seize control of Macedonia in 294 BC.
Early career
Antigonus was born in Macedonia around 382 BC to a nobleman named Philip and his wife, whose name is unknown. While some sources claim that Antigonus "came from peasant or yeoman stock,
ndothers that his family was linked to the Macedonian royal house
..both seem unlikely.
.. all probability the family was socially prominent and from the Macedonian nobility."
Not much is known about Antigonus's early career. He must have been an important figure in the Macedonian Army, as by the time he emerges in historical sources he is noted as being in command of a large part of Alexander's army, with responsibility over approximately 7,000 allied Greek infantry. There is an anecdote recorded by
Plutarch
Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...
about an Antigonus who lost an eye at the
Siege of Perinthus in 340 BC after "a
catapult
A catapult is a ballistics, ballistic device used to launch a projectile at a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden rel ...
bolt struck him in the eye".
According to historian
Richard Billows, this story "fits Antigonos better than we ''know'' it to fit anyone else."
Since Antigonus was of the same age as Philip, and a nobleman, he almost certainly served in Philip's campaigns, possibly under Philip's brothers, (
Alexander II and
Perdiccas III
Perdiccas III (Ancient Greek, Greek: Περδίκκας Γ΄) was king of the Hellenic kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 365 BC to 360 BC, succeeding his brother Alexander II of Macedon, Alexander II.
Son of Amyntas III of ...
). His importance at Philip's court is shown by the friendships he established with
Antipater
Antipater (; ; 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general, regent and statesman under the successive kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collapse of the Argead house, his son Cassander ...
and
Eumenes
Eumenes (; ; ) was a Ancient Greece, Greek general, satrap, and Diadoch, Successor of Alexander the Great. He participated in the Wars of Alexander the Great, serving as Alexander's personal secretary and later on as a battlefield commander. Eume ...
, two of Philip's chief lieutenants.
Satrap of Phrygia
In 334 BC, Antigonus served as the commander of the allied Greek infantry, a division of Alexander's invasion army of the Persian Empire. Alexander did not trust his Greek infantry and had left them behind when he marched to confront the Western
Satraps
A satrap () was a governor of the provinces of the ancient Median kingdom, Median and Achaemenid Empire, Persian (Achaemenid) Empires and in several of their successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic period, Hellenistic empi ...
; therefore Antigonus did not participate in the
Battle of the Granicus
The Battle of the Granicus in May 334 BC was the first of three major battles fought between Alexander the Great of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon and the Persian Achaemenid Empire. The battle took place on the road from Abydos (Hellespont ...
. When Alexander marched east, he appointed Antigonus as satrap of
Phrygia
In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; , ''Phrygía'') was a kingdom in the west-central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River.
Stories of the heroic age of Greek mythology tell of several legendary Ph ...
. As Satrap of Phrygia, Antigonus besieged a garrison of mercenaries (1,000 Carians and 100 Greeks) the Persians had left behind and after their surrender he enrolled them in his service allowing him to send his own Greek troops (1,500 mercenaries) to reinforce Alexander for the major battle that was about to be fought at Issus. After the
Battle of Issus
The Battle of Issus (also Issos) occurred in southern Anatolia, on 5 November 333 BC between the League of Corinth, Hellenic League led by Alexander the Great and the Achaemenid Empire, led by Darius III of Persia, Darius III. It was the second g ...
, he succeeded the Achaemenid satrap of Greater Phrygia,
Atizyes, who had died during the battle. Antigonus successfully performed his primary responsibility: to defend Alexander's lines of supply and communication during the latter's extended campaign against the Achaemenid
Persian Empire
The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, it was the larg ...
. Following Alexander's
victory at Issus, part of the Persian army regrouped in Cappadocia and attempted to sever Alexander's lines of supply and communication running through the centre of Asia Minor; however, Antigonus defeated the Persian forces in three separate battles. After defeating the Persian counter-attack, Antigonus focused on conquering the rest of Phrygia and maintaining Alexander's lines of communication and supply.
Alexander's death
At the division of the provinces (the so-called
Partition of Babylon
The Partition of Babylon was the first of the conferences and ensuing agreements that divided the territories of Alexander the Great. It was held at Babylon in June 323 BC.
Alexander’s death at the age of 32 had left an empire that stretched fro ...
) after Alexander's death in 323 BC, Antigonus held authority over Phrygia,
Lycaonia
Lycaonia (; , ''Lykaonia''; ) was a large region in the interior of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), north of the Taurus Mountains. It was bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the north by Galatia, on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia, while to ...
,
Pamphylia
Pamphylia (; , ''Pamphylía'' ) was a region in the south of Anatolia, Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean to Mount Taurus (all in modern-day Antalya province, Turkey). It was bounded on the ...
,
Lycia
Lycia (; Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 ''Trm̃mis''; , ; ) was a historical region in Anatolia from 15–14th centuries BC (as Lukka) to 546 BC. It bordered the Mediterranean Sea in what is today the provinces of Antalya and Muğ ...
and western
Pisidia
Pisidia (; , ; ) was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Pamphylia, northeast of Lycia, west of Isauria and Cilicia, and south of Phrygia, corresponding roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey. Among Pisidia's set ...
confirmed by
Perdiccas, the
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
of the empire. However, he incurred the enmity of Perdiccas by refusing to assist
Eumenes
Eumenes (; ; ) was a Ancient Greece, Greek general, satrap, and Diadoch, Successor of Alexander the Great. He participated in the Wars of Alexander the Great, serving as Alexander's personal secretary and later on as a battlefield commander. Eume ...
to obtain possession of the provinces allotted to him:
Paphlagonia
Paphlagonia (; , modern translit. ''Paflagonía''; ) was an ancient region on the Black Sea coast of north-central Anatolia, situated between Bithynia to the west and Pontus (region), Pontus to the east, and separated from Phrygia (later, Galatia ...
and
Cappadocia
Cappadocia (; , from ) is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. It is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. Today, the touristic Cappadocia Region is located in Nevşehir ...
.
Leonnatus had left with his army for Greece, leaving Antigonus alone to deal with Cappadocia, a task he apparently could not or would not complete without additional aid. Perdiccas seems to have viewed this as a direct affront to his authority, and led the royal army to conquer the area. From there, Perdiccas turned west towards Phrygia as a provocation toward Antigonus, who escaped with his son
Demetrius
Demetrius is the Latinization of names, Latinized form of the Ancient Greek male name, male Greek given names, given name ''Dēmḗtrios'' (), meaning "devoted to goddess Demeter".
Alternate forms include Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dimitris, Dmytro, ...
to Greece, where he obtained the favor of
Antipater
Antipater (; ; 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general, regent and statesman under the successive kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collapse of the Argead house, his son Cassander ...
, the viceroy of Macedonia (321 BC),
and
Craterus, one of Alexander's top generals. During the
First War of the Diadochi
The Wars of the Diadochi (, romanized: ', ''War of the Crown Princes'') or Wars of Alexander's Successors were a series of conflicts fought between the generals of Alexander the Great, known as the Diadochi, over who would rule his empire followi ...
, he formed a coalition with Antipater, Craterus and
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...
. In 320 BC, Antigonus sailed to and secured Cyprus. The war ended in 320 BC, when Perdiccas was murdered by discontented officers (
Seleucus
Seleucus or Seleukos (Ancient Greek: Σέλευκος) was a Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonian Greek name, possibly meaning "very bright" or “very white”. It is likely related to the ancient name Zaleucus (Ancient Greek language, Ancient ...
and
Antigenes) while unsuccessfully trying to invade Ptolemy's satrapy of Egypt.
Death of Perdiccas
With the death of Perdiccas in 321 BC, a new attempt at dividing the empire took place at
Triparadisus. Antipater was made the new regent of the empire and Antigonus became
Strategos
''Strategos'' (), also known by its Linguistic Latinisation, Latinized form ''strategus'', is a Greek language, Greek term to mean 'military General officer, general'. In the Hellenistic world and in the Byzantine Empire, the term was also use ...
of Asia. Antigonus was entrusted with the command of the war against the former members of the Perdiccan faction who had been condemned at Triparadisus.
Antigonus took charge of a part of the Royal Army, and after being reinforced with more reliable troops from Antipater's European army, he marched against the ex-Perdiccans
Eumenes
Eumenes (; ; ) was a Ancient Greece, Greek general, satrap, and Diadoch, Successor of Alexander the Great. He participated in the Wars of Alexander the Great, serving as Alexander's personal secretary and later on as a battlefield commander. Eume ...
, Alketas, Domikos, Attalos and Polemon in Asia Minor. Antigonus decided to first deal with Eumenes, who was in
Cappadocia
Cappadocia (; , from ) is a historical region in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. It is largely in the provinces of Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde. Today, the touristic Cappadocia Region is located in Nevşehir ...
. Despite being outnumbered, Antigonus adopted a bold aggressive strategy. He eventually out-generaled and defeated Eumenes at the
Battle of Orkynia, forcing him to retire to the fortress of Nora (). Leaving Eumenes under siege, Antigonus now marched on the combined forces of
Alcetas,
Dokimos,
Attalos and
Polemon near
Cretopolis in
Pisidia
Pisidia (; , ; ) was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Pamphylia, northeast of Lycia, west of Isauria and Cilicia, and south of Phrygia, corresponding roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey. Among Pisidia's set ...
. Antigonus surprised and defeated his opponents at the
Battle of Cretopolis. Antigonus, in two brilliant campaigns in the course of one campaigning season, had annihilated the remnants of the Perdiccan faction with the exception of Eumenes, who was bottled up in Nora.
Antipater's death and the Second Diadochi War
When Antipater died in 319 BC, he left the regentship to
Polyperchon, excluding
Cassander
Cassander (; ; 355 BC – 297 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC until 297 BC, and '' de facto'' ruler of southern Greece from 317 BC until his death.
A son of Antipater and a contemporary of Alexander the ...
, his son. Antigonus and the other dynasts refused to recognize Polyperchon, since it would have undermined their own ambitions. Antigonus entered into negotiations with Eumenes, but Eumenes had already been swayed by Polyperchon, who gave him authority over all other generals within the empire. Affecting his escape from Nora through trickery, Eumenes raised a small army and fled south into Cilicia. Antigonus did not move against Eumenes directly because he was tied up in northwestern Asia Minor campaigning against
Cleitus the White who had a large fleet at the Hellespont.
Cleitus was able to defeat Antigonus's admiral
Nicanor in a sea battle but he was caught off guard the next morning when Antigonus and Nicanor launched a double assault by land and sea on his camp, Cleitus was taken completely by surprise and his entire force was captured or killed (see:
Battle of Byzantium). Meanwhile, Eumenes had taken control of Cilicia, Syria and Phoenicia, formed an alliance with
Antigenes and Teutamos, the commanders of the
Silver Shields and the
Hypaspists, and begun to raise a naval force on behalf of Polyperchon. When it was ready he sent the fleet west to reinforce Polyperchon, but off the coast of Cilicia it was met by Antigonus's fleet and changed sides. Antigonus had settled his affairs in Asia Minor and marched east into Cilicia, intent on doing battle with Eumenes in Syria. Eumenes somehow had advance knowledge of this and marched out of Phoenicia, through Syria into Mesopotamia, with the idea of gathering support in the
upper satrapies.
Eumenes gained the support of Amphimachos, the satrap of Mesopotamia, then marched his army into Northern
Babylonia
Babylonia (; , ) was an Ancient history, ancient Akkadian language, Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as a ...
, where he put them into winter quarters. During the winter he negotiated with
Seleucus
Seleucus or Seleukos (Ancient Greek: Σέλευκος) was a Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonian Greek name, possibly meaning "very bright" or “very white”. It is likely related to the ancient name Zaleucus (Ancient Greek language, Ancient ...
, the satrap of Babylonia, and
Peithon, the satrap of Media, seeking their help against Antigonus. Antigonus, finding out Eumenes had left his provinces, took some time securing Cilicia and northern Syria before he marched into Mesopotamia. Unable to sway Seleucus and Pheiton, Eumenes had left his winter quarters early and marched on
Susa
Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...
, a major royal treasury, in
Susiana. In Susa, Eumenes sent letters to all the satraps to the north and east of Susiana, ordering them in the kings' names to join him with all their forces. When the satraps joined Eumenes he had a considerable force, with which he could look forward with some confidence to doing battle against Antigonus. Eumenes then marched southeastwards into Persia, where he picked up additional reinforcements Antigonus, meanwhile, had reached Susa and left Seleucus there to besiege the place, while he himself marched after Eumenes. At the river Kopratas, Eumenes surprised Antigonus during the crossing of the river and killed or captured 4,000 of his men. Antigonus, faced with disaster, decided to abandon the crossing and turned back northward, marching up into Media, threatening the upper satrapies. Eumenes wanted to march westward, and cut Antigonus's lines of supply, but the satraps refused to abandon their satrapies and forced Eumenes to stay in the east. In the late summer of 316 BC, Antigonus moved southward again in the hope of bringing Eumenes to battle and ending the war quickly. Eventually the two armies in southern Media and fought in the indecisive
Battle of Paraitakene
The Battle of Paraitakene (also called Paraetacene; ) was fought in 317 BC, during the second of the succession wars that were fought after the death Alexander the Great; the so called Wars of the Diadochi. In Paraitakene, a district of Persi ...
. Antigonus, whose casualties were more numerous, force marched his army to safety the next night. During the winter of 316–315 BC, Antigonus tried to surprise Eumenes in Persia by marching his army across a desert and catching his enemy off guard, unfortunately, he was observed by some locals who reported it to his opponents. A few days later both armies drew up for battle. The
Battle of Gabiene
Battle of Gabiene was the second great battle between Antigonus I Monophthalmus, Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes, two of Alexander the Great's successors (the so-called Diadochi). The battle was fought near Gabiene in Persia in the winter o ...
was as indecisive as the previous battle at Parataikene. According to Plutarch and Diodorus, Eumenes had won the battle but lost control of his army's baggage camp thanks to his ally
Peucestas' duplicity or incompetence. This loss was especially severe for the Silver Shields; the camp contained loot they had accumulated over 30 years of successful warfare, as well as the soldiers' women and children. Approached by Teutamus, one of their commanders, Antigonus offered to return the baggage train in exchange for custody of Eumenes. The Silver Shields complied, arresting Eumenes and his officers and handing them over. The war was thus at an end. Eumenes was placed under guard while Antigonus held a council to decide his fate. Antigonus, backed up by his son Demetrius, was inclined to spare the prisoner, but the council overruled them and Eumenes was executed.
As a result, Antigonus now was in possession of the empire's Asian territories, his authority stretching from the eastern satrapies to Syria and Asia Minor in the west. He seized the treasuries at
Susa
Susa ( ) was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh River, Karkheh and Dez River, Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital o ...
and entered
Babylon
Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-s ...
. The governor of Babylon,
Seleucus
Seleucus or Seleukos (Ancient Greek: Σέλευκος) was a Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonian Greek name, possibly meaning "very bright" or “very white”. It is likely related to the ancient name Zaleucus (Ancient Greek language, Ancient ...
, fled to Ptolemy and entered into a league with him,
Lysimachus
Lysimachus (; Greek language, Greek: Λυσίμαχος, ''Lysimachos''; c. 360 BC – 281 BC) was a Thessaly, Thessalian officer and Diadochi, successor of Alexander the Great, who in 306 BC, became king of Thrace, Anatolia, Asia Minor and Mace ...
and Cassander.
The Third Diadochi War
In 314 BC, Antigonus received envoys from the allied dynasts Ptolemy, Cassander and Lysimachus who demanded he cede Cappadocia and Lycia to Cassander, Hellespontine Phrygia to Lysimachus, Phoenicia and Syria to Ptolemy, and Babylonia to Seleucus, and that he should share the treasure he had accumulated. His only answer was to advise the dynasts to be ready for war. Antigonus sent
Aristodemus
In Greek mythology, Aristodemus (Ancient Greek: Ἀριστόδημος) was one of the Heracleidae, son of Aristomachus and brother of Cresphontes and Temenus. He was a great-great-grandson of Heracles and helped lead the fifth and final atta ...
with a 1,000 talents to the
Peloponnesus
The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic regions of Greece, geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the ...
to raise an army there and also to make an alliance with his old enemy Polyperchon, he and Polyperchon were then to make war on Cassander,
[Diodorus Sicilus, ''Bibliotheca Historica'', XIX 57,4-5.] he sent an army under his nephew
Polemaeus through Cappadocia to the Hellespont to keep Cassander and Lysimachus from invading Asia Minor,
he himself invaded Phoenicia which was under Ptolemy's control, and besieged
Tyre. The
Siege of Tyre took a year, and after securing Phoenicia he marched his main army into Asia Minor intent on taking out
Asander
Asander or Asandros (; lived 4th century BC) was the son of Philotas (father of Parmenion), Philotas and brother of Parmenion and Agathon (son of Philotas), Agathon. He was a Ancient Macedonians, Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, a ...
(satrap of
Lydia
Lydia (; ) was an Iron Age Monarchy, kingdom situated in western Anatolia, in modern-day Turkey. Later, it became an important province of the Achaemenid Empire and then the Roman Empire. Its capital was Sardis.
At some point before 800 BC, ...
and
Caria
Caria (; from Greek language, Greek: Καρία, ''Karia''; ) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Carians were described by Herodotus as being Anatolian main ...
, and ally to Ptolemy and Cassander), leaving the defence of Syria and Phoenicia to his oldest son
Demetrius
Demetrius is the Latinization of names, Latinized form of the Ancient Greek male name, male Greek given names, given name ''Dēmḗtrios'' (), meaning "devoted to goddess Demeter".
Alternate forms include Demetrios, Dimitrios, Dimitris, Dmytro, ...
.
In 312 BC, Antigonus captured Lydia and all of Caria, and drove off Asander, he then sent his nephews
Telesphorus and Polemaeus against Cassander in Greece. While Antigonus was engaged in the west, Ptolemy took advantage of the situation and invaded from the south. He met Demetrius's forces at the
battle of Gaza where Ptolemy won a stunning victory. After the battle, Seleucus, who was fighting for Ptolemy, made his way back to
Babylonia
Babylonia (; , ) was an Ancient history, ancient Akkadian language, Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in the city of Babylon in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq and parts of Kuwait, Syria and Iran). It emerged as a ...
, and soon established control over his old satrapy and went on to secure the eastern provinces against Antigonus. Seleucus's conquest led to the
Babylonian War, during which Seleucus defeated both Demetrius and Antigonus, and secured control over the eastern provinces. After the Babylonian War, which lasted from 311 BC to 309 BC, a peace was concluded between Antigonus and Seleucus leaving them both to consolidate their power in their respective realms (Antigonus in the West and Seleucus in the East).
In the West, Antigonus had worn down his enemies and forced a peace upon them. By this peace he had attained the zenith of his power. Antigonus's empire and alliance system now comprised Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Phoenicia and northern Mesopotamia.
The Fourth Diadochi War
The peace agreement was soon violated by Ptolemy and Cassander based on the pretext that Antigonus had placed garrisons in some of the free Greek cities. Ptolemy and Cassander renewed hostilities against Antigonus. Demetrius Poliorcetes, the son of Antigonus, wrested part of Greece from Cassander.
In 306 BC, Philip, Antigonus's youngest son, died a premature death, aged about 26–28. This was a severe blow to Antigonus, who not only lost a son, but also a general who might have been of the greatest value to him in the campaigns to come.
After defeating Ptolemy at the
naval
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operatio ...
Battle of Salamis in 306 BC, Demetrius conquered
Cyprus
Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
. Following that victory Antigonus assumed the title of king and bestowed the same royal rank upon his son.
This was effectively a declaration by Antigonus that he now was independent from the empire. The other dynasts, Cassander, Ptolemy, Lysimachus and Seleucus, soon followed Antigonus's lead and declared themselves kings.
Antigonus now prepared a large army and a formidable fleet, the command of which he gave to Demetrius, and hastened to attack Ptolemy in his own dominions. His invasion of
Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
, however, proved a failure as he was unable to penetrate Ptolemy's defences and was obliged to retire,
although he inflicted heavy losses on Ptolemy.
In 305 BC, Demetrius attempted the reduction of
Rhodes
Rhodes (; ) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands of Greece and is their historical capital; it is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, ninth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Administratively, the island forms a separ ...
, which had refused to assist Antigonus against Egypt.
The
siege of Rhodes lasted a year and ended in 304 BC when Demetrius, meeting with obstinate resistance, was obliged to make a peace treaty upon the terms that the Rhodians would build ships for Antigonus and aid him against any enemy except for Ptolemy. The Rhodians dubbed Ptolemy ("savior") for his aid during the lengthy siege.
The most powerful dynasts of the empire, now kings in their own right: Cassander, Seleucus, Ptolemy, and Lysimachus, responded to Antigonus's successes by allying with each other, often through marriage. Antigonus soon found himself at war with all four, largely because his territory shared borders with each of them. In 304–303, Demetrius had Cassander in a difficult position, having gained the support of the Greeks and defeating Cassander repeatedly. Antigonus demanded from Cassander the unconditional submission of Macedonia. Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Ptolemy responded by joining forces and attacking him. Lysimachus and Cassander's general Prepelaos invaded Asia Minor from Thrace, crossing the
Hellespont
The Dardanelles ( ; ; ), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli (after the Gallipoli peninsula) and in classical antiquity as the Hellespont ( ; ), is a narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey t ...
. Lysimachus had soon secured most of the
Ionia
Ionia ( ) was an ancient region encompassing the central part of the western coast of Anatolia. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionians who ...
n cities. Meanwhile, Seleucus was marching through Mesopotamia and Cappadocia. Antigonus was obliged to recall Demetrius from Greece, where his son had recently had an indecisive encounter with Cassander in Thessaly. Now Antigonus and Demetrius moved against Lysimachus and Prepelaos.
However, the united forces of Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Prepelaos defeated the army of Antigonus and Demetrius at the decisive
Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. Antigonus died during the battle in his eighty-first year after being struck by a javelin. Prior to Ipsus, he had never lost a battle. With his death, any plans for reuniting Alexander's empire came to an end. Antigonus's kingdom was divided up, with most of his territories ending up in the hands of the new kingdoms ruled by Lysimachus and Seleucus. The victors largely followed Antigonus's precedent and had themselves named as kings, but they did not claim power over the erstwhile empire of Alexander nor over each other. Instead, these kings established a troubled (and in the end failed) ''
modus vivendi
''Modus vivendi'' (plural ''modi vivendi'') is a Latin phrase that means "mode of living" or " way of life". In international relations, it often is used to mean an arrangement or agreement that allows conflicting parties to coexist in peace. In ...
'' with each other, and accepted their kingdoms as separate realms.
Antigonus's surviving son Demetrius took control of Macedonia in 294 BC. Antigonus's descendants held this possession, off and on, until it was conquered by the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
after the
Battle of Pydna
The Battle of Pydna took place in 168 BC between Rome and Macedon during the Third Macedonian War. The battle saw the further ascendancy of Rome in the Hellenistic world and the end of the Antigonid line of kings, whose power traced back ...
in 168 BC.
Family
Antigonus's father was a nobleman named Philip. His mother's name is unknown. Antigonus had an older brother named Demetrius, a younger brother named Polemaeus, father of
Polemaeus. His nephew
Telesphorus may have been the son of a third brother. He also had a younger half-brother, Marsyas, from his mother's second marriage to Periander of Pella.
Antigonus married to Stratonice, his older brother's widow and had two sons: Demetrius I Poliorcetes and Philip.
Physical appearance

Antigonus was an exceptionally large man. His son Demetrius is described as being of "heroic stature", meaning no doubt he was a large man, but Antigonus was even taller. Besides this huge physique, he was made even more formidable in appearance because he was missing an eye, having lost it in battle (possibly at the
Siege of Perinthus).
[Richard A. Billows, ''Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State'', p. 7.]
Monophthalmus in historical fiction
Mary Renault, in her novel ''
Funeral Games'', translates Antigonus's sobriquet into English as "One Eye".
In the 2004 film ''
Alexander
Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here ar ...
,'' directed by
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone (born ) is an American filmmaker. Stone is an acclaimed director, tackling subjects ranging from the Vietnam War and American politics to musical film, musical Biographical film, biopics and Crime film, crime dramas. He has ...
, Antigonus is played by
Ian Beattie.
Antigonus appears (under the Greek form of his name, Antigonos) in
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp (; November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American author of science fiction, Fantasy literature, fantasy and non-fiction literature. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, both novels and works of ...
's historical novels ''
An Elephant for Aristotle'' and ''
The Bronze God of Rhodes'', set approximately twenty years apart.
Antigonus figures as the main antagonist in
Christian Cameron's historical novel ''A Force of Kings''.
Antigonus appears in the earlier chapters of
Alfred Duggan's historical novel ''Elephants and Castles'' (U.S. title: ''Besieger of Cities''), based on the life of his son Demetrius.
Antigonous is a supporting antagonist in the
Eric Flint
Eric Flint (February 6, 1947 – July 17, 2022) was an American author, editor, and e-publisher. The majority of his works are alternate history science fiction, but he also wrote humorous fantasy adventures. His works have been listed on ' ...
alternate history novel ''The Alexander Inheritance,'' and its sequel ''The Macedonian Hazard.''
References
Sources
*
* The contemporary
Babylonian Chronicles, especially th
Chronicle of the Diadochi (= ABC 10 = BCHP 3).
*
*
*
*
Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily (; 1st century BC) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek historian from Sicily. He is known for writing the monumental Universal history (genre), universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty ...
xviii., xx. 46-86
*
*
*
Justin
Justin may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Justin (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Justin (historian), Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire
* Justin I (c. 450–527) ...
br>
xv. 1–4* Köhler, "Das Reich des Antigonos," in the ''Sitzungsberichte d. Berl. Akad.'', 1898, p. 835 f.
*
Nepos,
Eumenes'
*
Plutarch
Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...
,
Demetrius'
*
*
External links
entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antigonus I Monophthalmus
382 BC births
301 BC deaths
Generals of Alexander the Great
Satraps of the Alexandrian Empire
Ancient Macedonian generals
Ancient Macedonians killed in battle
Ancient Elimiotes
4th-century BC Greek monarchs
Hellenistic Phrygia
Royalty and nobility with disabilities
Antigonid dynasty
Monarchs killed in action
Ancient Macedonian monarchs killed in battle
Demetrius I Poliorcetes