24 Facts About Antigonus I

Antigonus I Monophthalmus, son of Philip from Elimeia, was a Macedonian Greek nobleman, general, satrap, and king.

Antigonus I was a major figure in the Wars of the Diadochi after Alexander's death, declaring himself king in 306 BC and establishing the Antigonid dynasty.

Antigonus I must have been an important figure in the Macedonian Army because when he emerges in historical sources he is in command of a large part of Alexander's army .

Since Antigonus I was of the same age as Philip, and a nobleman, he almost certainly must have served during Philip's campaigns.

In 334 BC, Antigonus I served as the commander of the allied Greek infantry, a division of Alexander's invasion army of the Persian Empire.

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Antigonus I 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.

At the division of the provinces after Alexander's death in 323 BC, Antigonus I held authority over Phrygia, Lycaonia, Pamphylia, Lycia and western Pisidia confirmed by Perdiccas, the regent of the empire.

Antigonus I was entrusted with the command of the war against the former members of the Perdiccan faction who had been condemned at Triparadisus.

Antigonus I decided to first deal with Eumenes, who was in Cappadocia.

Antigonus I entered into negotiations with Eumenes, but Eumenes had already been swayed by Polyperchon, who gave him authority over all other generals within the empire.

Antigonus I 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.

Antigonus I responded to a request for the return of the baggage train sent by Teutamus, one of their commanders, by demanding they give him Eumenes, the Silver Shields complied, arrested Eumenes and his officers and handed them over.

Antigonus I was disinclined to kill Eumenes, in this he was backed up by his son Demetrius, but most of the council insisted he execute Eumenes and so it was decided.

In 314 BC, Antigonus I 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.

In 312 BC, Antigonus I captured Lydia and all of Caria, and drove off Asander, he then sent his nephews Telesphorus and Polemaios against Cassander in Greece.

Antigonus I met Demetrius's forces at the battle of Gaza where Ptolemy won a stunning victory.

Antigonus I 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.

Antigonus I soon found himself at war with all four, largely because his territory shared borders with each of them.

Antigonus I was obliged to recall Demetrius from Greece, where his son had recently had an indecisive encounter with Cassander in Thessaly.

Antigonus I died in the battle after being struck by a javelin, in the eighty-first year of his life.

Antigonus I' kingdom was divided up, with most of his territories ending up in the hands of the new kingdoms ruled by Lysimachus and Seleucus.

Meanwhile, Antigonus I' surviving son Demetrius took control of Macedonia in 294 BC.

Antigonus I' descendants held this possession, off and on, until it was conquered by the Roman Republic after the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC.

Antigonus I's son Demetrius is described as being of "heroic stature", meaning no doubt he was a large man, but Antigonus was even taller.