Antigoneia 305-300 BCE
29mm 16.33g
Head of young Herakles facing right, wearing a lion’s skin. / ALEXANDPOY, Zeus enthroned left, holding an eagle and a sceptre, X on left, M on right, Ph below throne.
Price 3195, Müller 804
Antigonos I Monophthalmos was a man’s man. He was the ancient version of Chuck Norris, only he actually did a number of the crazy things attributed to him.
Antigonos was a major general under both Philip II and Alexander III. While under Philip, in the ill-fated siege of Perinthos he received a catapult shot to the eye. This made him very angry. He lost that eye (Monophthalmos means “one-eye”) but luckily had another one.
During Alexander’s missions, he helped ensure his king’s undefeated record in battles. Yet it was after Alexander‘s death that he really got into it. First, he sided against Perdikkas, and joined with Antipater and Ptolemy. He didn’t get to do much in that encounter other than take Cyprus, since Perdikkas was killed by his own soldiers along the Nile.
After Antipater died and left the regency to Polyperchon, Antigonos turned against him. Next followed his “dance with Eumenes” in which two of the most brilliant generals of the time faced off against each other in a series of encounters and escapades. At one time Antigonos even offered Eumenes a position of general in his army, since the two had a great deal of respect for each other and had earlier been friends. Eumenes, a man of principle dedicated to the throne, unfortunately turned it down. Antigonos finally bribed Eumenes’ own troops into handing him over, then after a few days of deliberation killed him.
After his victory, Antigonos realized that he didn’t really need to report to anyone. He was the most powerful man in Asia, and he promptly booted Seleukos from Babylon and seized most of Alexander‘s former Asian territories.
Seeing how powerful Antigonos had become, Ptolemy, Kassander, and Lysimachos united to defeat him. It was not an easy task and several times he nearly annihilated each of them. He drove Asandros out of Caria and took Phoenicia. Where he failed was in not preventing Seleukos from returning to Babylon and taking most of the eastern satrapies.
Antigonos, along with his son Demetrios I Poliorketes (“besieger of cities”) confronted Seleukos, but were defeated in a stunning upset. After this, the sides declared peace so they could build up enough forces to kill each other later.
This happened about five years later, when again Antigonos faced off against the same alliance plus Seleukos. Antigonos again took Cyprus, thanks to Demetrios annihilating Ptolemy‘s fleet at Salamis. He attacked Egypt and inflicted heavy casualties on Ptolemy, but the fickleness of the Nile forced him to retreat.
In 301 BCE, at the decisive Battle of Ipsus, the combined forces of Seleukos, Lysimachos, and Kassander finally defeated and killed Antigonos in battle. He was eighty-one years old.
Antigonos I Monophthalmos is born.
Antigonos Monophthalmos serves as commander of the allied infantry under Alexander the Great.
Antigonos is appointed satrap of Phrygia by Alexander the Great.
Antigonos Monophthalmos refuses to aid Eumenes, which angers Perdikkas.
Antigonos retains the satrapy of Phrygia after the death of Alexander.
Adea Eurydike nearly turns troops against Antigonos I Monophthalmos and Antipater at the Treaty of Triparidisos and take control over Alexander’s empire, but is eventually subdued by Antipater.
Antigonos Monophthalmos with Demetrios Poliorketes and Antipater forge an alliance.
Antigonos Monophthalmos tasked with eliminated Eumenes at the Partition of Triparadisus.
Antigonos Monophthalmos sails to and secures Cyprus. He is given aid by Dionysios of Herakleia Pontika. Antigonos thus marries his nephew Ptolemaios to Dionysios’ daughter.
Adramytteion seized by Antigonos I Monophthalmos.
Asandros expands his power into Lycia and Cappadocia in the absence of Antigonos.
Antigonos Monophthalmos defeats Eumenes at Gabiene by taking their baggage train and convincing the Silver Shields to hand Eumenes over. Antigenes is placed in a pit and burned alive.
Antigonos Monophthalmos creates the Koinon of the Nesiotes, the first federation of the Cyclades Islands, with Delos as its common sanctuary.
Antigonos marches against Asandros himself and presumably kills him.
Antigonos’s son, Demetrios I suffers a major defeat at the Battle of Gaza against Ptolemy I and Seleukos I.
The peace treaty for the Third Diadoch War, agreed to by Ptolemy, Kassander, Lysimachos, and Antigonos, recognizes the rights of Alexander IV and states he will succeed Kassander in Macedon when he is of age.
Antigonos Monophthalmos founds Antigoneia in Syria.
Alexandria Troas founded by Antigonos I Monophthalmos from the cities of Neandria, Skepsis, Hamaxitos, Kolone, Kebren, and Achilleion.
Antigonos declares himself king.
Antigonos Monophthalmos is defeated and killed at the Battle of Ipsus by the combined forces of Seleukos I and Lysimachos.