Antigonus

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Antigonus( c. 320 – 239 BC) was a Macedonian Greek ruler who solidified the position of the Antigonid dynasty in Macedon after a long period defined by anarchy and chaos and acquired fame for his victory over the Gauls who had invaded the Balkans.

Variants

• Antigonos
• Antigonus Gonatas
• Antigonos Gonatas
• Ancient Greek: Ἀντίγονος Γονατᾶς, Antígonos

Birth and family

Antigonus Gonatas was born around 320 BC. The origin of the Hellenistic nickname Gonatas is unknown. He was descended from the Diadochi (the successors of Alexander the Great) on both his father's and mother's side. His father was Demetrius Poliorcetes, himself the son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus, who then controlled much of Asia. His mother was Phila, the daughter of Antipater, who had controlled Macedonia and the rest of Greece since 334 BC and was recognized as regent of the empire, which in theory remained united. Cassander, Antipater's oldest son who would become King of Macedon in 305 BC, was his uncle. The year of Antigonus Gonatas' birth, however, Antipater died, leading to further struggles for territory and dominance.

The careers of Antigonus's grandfather Antigonus Monophthalmus and father showed great swings in fortune. After coming closer than anyone to reuniting the empire of Alexander, Antigonus Monophthalmus was defeated and killed in the great Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC and the territory he formerly controlled was divided among his enemies, Cassander, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, and Seleucus.

History

Buddha Prakash writes....On Alexander’s death in Babylonia in June 323 B.C. his generals fought for the spoils of his conquests. Among them Antigonos and Seleucos contended for his domains in Asia. Fortune at first favoured Antigonos, but in 312 B.C. Seleucos occupied Babylon and in 306 B.C. assumed the regal title and next year planned to repeat the feat of Alexander by crossing over the Indus into the Panjab.

[p.93]: After receiving such large territories from Seleucos, Candragupta did not mind giving him a force of 500 elephants which tilted the scales of victory in his favour at the battle of Ipsos in Phrygia with Antigonos in 301 B.C. It was in keeping with the old policy of sending military contingents, particularly elephant corps, to western Asia for the assistance of their friends pursued by Pukkusati and Poros. Its object was obviously to keep in touch with Asian developments and exercise some influence on them from the standpoint of Indian interests. Candragupta could have naturally thought that, after bringing Seleucos to his knees, it was desirable to prop him against his rival Antigonos whose rise to power might become a menace for him.

The defeat of Seleucos had such a powerful impact on popular mind as to become a legend overnight. Hence the rumour began to circulate that Seleucos entered into a matrimonial relation with Candragupta leading some to think that he married his daughter to him. But Seleucos had only two wives Apama and Stratonice and only one daughter Phila who was married to Antigonos Gonatas. Thus there could be no question of his having any matrimonial connection, much less marrying his daughter, to Candragupta. It was mainly a fancy of popular imagination stirred by the momentous triumph of the Maurya monarch over his Greek rival.

Relations with India

Antigonus is mentioned in the Edicts of Ashoka as one of the recipients of the Indian Emperor Ashoka's Buddhist proselytism. ...."The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred yojanas (5,400–9,600 km) away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as far as Tamraparni (Sri Lanka)."

Death and appraisal

In 239 BC, Antigonus died at the age of 80 and left his kingdom to his son Demetrius II, who was to reign for the next 10 years. Except for a short period when he defeated the Gauls, Antigonus was not a heroic or successful military leader. His skills were mainly political. He preferred to rely on cunning, patience, and persistence to achieve his goals. While more brilliant leaders, like his father Demetrius and his neighbour Pyrrhus, aimed higher and fell lower, Antigonus achieved a measure of security. It is also said of him that he gained the affection of his subjects by his honesty and his cultivation of the arts,[16] which he accomplished by gathering round him distinguished literary men, in particular philosophers, poets, and historians. A tomb in Vergina is suggested to be his own.