Antigonus I Monophthalmus ( , "Antigonus the One-Eyed"; 382–301 BC) was a Macedonian Greek general and successor of Alexander the Great who founded the Antigonid dynasty, which ruled over Macedonia until its conquest by the Roman Republic in 168 BC. 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 (king) in 306 BC and reigned until his death.
Antigonus likely served under Philip II of Macedon. He took part in Alexander's invasion of Achaemenid Persia and was named satrap of Phrygia. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, he also received Pamphylia and Lycia in accordance with the Partition of Babylon. 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, later joined by Ptolemy, 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, ruling over Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Phoenicia and northern Mesopotamia. Cassander, Seleucus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus 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 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, [and] others that his family was linked to the Macedonian royal house [...] both seem unlikely. [...] [I]n 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.Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVII, 17, 3–4. There is an anecdote recorded by Plutarch about an Antigonus who lost an eye at the Siege of Perinthus in 340 BC after "a catapult 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). His importance at Philip's court is shown by the friendships he established with Antipater and Eumenes, two of Philip's chief lieutenants.Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, 35; Diod. XVIII 23,3; 41,6; 44,3; 54,4; Plut. Eum. 10,35.
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; therefore Antigonus did not participate in the Battle of the Granicus. When Alexander marched east, he appointed Antigonus as satrap of Phrygia. 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.Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed, 42; Curius IV 1,35. After the Battle of Issus, 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. 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.Curtius Rufus, Historia Alexandri Magni, IV 34–35 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) after Alexander's death in 323 BC, Antigonus held authority over Phrygia, Lycaonia, Pamphylia, Lycia and western Pisidia confirmed by Perdiccas, the regent of the empire. However, he incurred the enmity of Perdiccas by refusing to assist Eumenes to obtain possession of the provinces allotted to him: Paphlagonia and Cappadocia. 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 to Greece, where he obtained the favor of Antipater, the viceroy of Macedonia (321 BC), and Craterus, one of Alexander's top generals. During the First War of the Diadochi, he formed a coalition with Antipater, Craterus and Ptolemy. In 320 BC, Antigonus sailed to and secured Cyprus.Arrian, Ta Met' Alex. 1,30; Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p. 66. The war ended in 320 BC, when Perdiccas was murdered by discontented officers (Seleucus and Antigenes) while unsuccessfully trying to invade Ptolemy's satrapy of Egypt.Arrian, History of the Diadochi, 1,28; Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 33,1-36,5; Cornelius Nepos, Parallel Lives, Eumenes 5,1.
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 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, Alketas, Domikos, Attalos and Polemon in Asia Minor. Antigonus decided to first deal with Eumenes, who was in Cappadocia. 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. 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.Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p. 79.
Antipater's death and the Second Diadochi War When Antipater died in 319 BC, he left the regentship to Polyperchon, excluding Cassander, 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.Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 72, 2–3.
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).Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 72, 3–4. 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,Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 59, 1–3. and begun to raise a naval force on behalf of Polyperchon.Diodorus Sicilus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 63,6. 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.Polyainos,Strategemata IV 6,9. Antigonus had settled his affairs in Asia Minor and marched east into Cilicia, intent on doing battle with Eumenes in Syria.Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State p.88. 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.Diodorus Sicilus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 73,1-2.