Antigonid Dynasty
The Antigonid Dynasty was a prominent ruling house in ancient Macedonia that emerged following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE. Established by Antigonus I Monophthalmos in 306 BCE, the dynasty faced immediate challenges, as Antigonus was eventually killed in battle. His son, Demetrius I Poliorcetes, experienced a tumultuous reign, losing and regaining control of Macedonia multiple times. The dynasty saw a resurgence under Antigonus II Gonatas, who stabilized the kingdom in 276 BCE and laid the groundwork for future rulers.
Subsequent monarchs like Antigonus III Doson sought to unite Greek city-states and foster cooperation, yet internal and external conflicts persisted. Philip V's alliance with Hannibal during the Second Punic War ultimately led to the dynasty's decline. Following Philip's defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 BCE and the subsequent defeat of his son Perseus in 168 BCE, the Antigonid monarchy was abolished. Rome then reorganized the region into independent republics, later transforming Macedonia into a Roman province, marking the end of the Antigonid influence.
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Antigonid Dynasty
Related civilizations: Eastern Mediterranean, Hellenistic Greece, Roman Republic.
Date: 306 to 168 b.c.e.
Locale: Macedonia
Antigonid Dynasty
After the death of Alexander the Great, his lieutenants proceeded to civil war and a division of the Macedonian empire. A provincial governor, Antigonus I Monophthalmos, the “One-Eyed,” acquired Asia Minor and, calling himself king, established the Antigonid (an-TIHG-uh-nihd) Dynasty in 306 b.c.e. He soon perished in battle against a coalition of his enemies. However, his son, Demetrius I Poliorcetes, “Besieger of Cities,” survived, only to win and lose Macedonia.
Renewing the dynasty’s fortune, Antigonus II Gonatas became king of Macedonia in 276 b.c.e. and, from Pella, created a secure foundation for the rule of his successors. Although Demetrius II quarreled with Aetolia, Antigonus III Doson established a broad Hellenic alliance and, as its leader, encouraged cooperation between Greece and Macedonia. Yet Philip V drew that alliance into a dangerous struggle by supporting Hannibal of Carthage against Rome in the Second Punic War (218-201 b.c.e.). After defeating the Carthaginian general, the Romans vanquished Philip at Cynoscephalae in 197 b.c.e. and his son Perseus at Pydna in 168 b.c.e. After abolishing the Antigonid monarchy, Rome established four independent Macedonian republics. Years later, when adventurers claiming descent from Perseus aroused revolt, Rome intervened and reorganized Macedonia as a Roman province.
Bibliography
Billows, Richard A. Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1990.
Gabbert, Janice J. Antigonus II Gonatas: A Political Biography. New York: Routledge, 1997.