Antigonus III Doson
Encyclopedia
Antigonus III Doson was king of Macedon
from 229 BC
to 221 BC
. He belonged to the Antigonid dynasty
.
and cousin of Demetrius II, who after the latter died in battle and rescued Macedonia and restored Antigonid control of Greece. Modern encyclopedic articles sometimes mistakenly identify him as either the "half-brother" or "nephew" of Demetrius II. Given the complex family relations of Macedonian dynasties and the tendency of Macedonian rulers to give children of different wives the same name, such confusion is understandable. Doson's father, however, was actually Demetrius the Fair
, (briefly king of Cyrene), the son of Demetrius Poliorcetes and his third wife, Ptolemaïs, daughter of Ptolemy I Soter
and sister of Ptolemy II Philadelphus
. Doson's father, Demetrius the Fair
, who was half-brother of the father of Demetrius II Antigonus II Gonatas
, who was Poliorcetes' son by his first wife, Phila, Antipater
's daughter and Cassander
's sister. His mother was a Greek noblewoman Olympias of Larissa
and his brother is a little known Greek Macedonian nobleman called Echecrate. Beyond this fact there is only circumstantial inference from the few surviving anecdotal reports to clarify Gonatas' background.
As Demetrius Poliorcetes' namesake, Demetrius the Fair
was not only strikingly handsome but ambitious to the point of recklessness. As the grandson of Ptolemy I Soter
, he had been summoned from Macedonia to marry Berenice II
, the heir to the vacant throne of Cyrene
[modern Libya]. But rather than content himself with his young bride, Demetrius openly became lover of her powerful mother, Apama II
. So the jealous bride took her revenge by having him assassinated.
It is highly improbable that Antigonus Doson was himself born of this ill-fated Cyrenian venture. Given the lurid circumstances of his father's death and the lack of any hint that he himself was in line for any throne or had ever been in North Africa
, it is more likely that Doson was Demetrius' son by a prior, less politically advantageous marriage and was left in Macedonia when his father set off for Cyrene.
Even the meaning of Antigonus' by-name is obscure and uncertain. Plutarch
's suggestion that it indicated that he did not live up to his promises can hardly be correct since, once fate placed him in a position of authority he used it more wisely and effectively than any of his Antigonid predecessors.
, presumably since he was the child's sole surviving adult male relative. Only after Doson demonstrated his leadership abilities by succeeding (where his cousin Demetrius had failed) in expelling the Dardanii invaders, was he persuaded by other Macedonian leaders to claim the throne for himself by marrying the widowed queen Phthia, (227 BC
). Apparently, both the Macedonian army and nobility thought the political situation too volatile to wait for Philip V to mature enough to assume command. Times of political crisis and uncertainty always call for firm direction from experienced leadership. And in this crisis Antigonus Doson was Macedonia's unanimous choice. Unlike his Antigonid ancestors, he had no viable rivals to challenge his right to rule. Yet, even as king he apparently envisioned himself as caretaker for his cousin's son, Philip V, for he was never accused of trying to make his own sons heirs to his throne.
and the Achaean league. When Sparta
, the historic rival of the latter, attempted to establish hegemony over the whole Peloponnese, Aratus of Sicyon
- long the leader of Greek opposition to Macedonian domination - invited Antigonus to intervene (226 BC
). Establishing his base on the heights above Corinth, Antigonus reconstituted a broad-based Hellenic league (224 BC
) under his leadership before launching his attack on Sparta. Outmatched by the larger, better equipped Macedonian army, the Spartan forces were so overwhelmed in the battle of Sellasia (222 BC) that their king, Cleomenes
, had to seek refuge in Egypt
.
Greece was finally at peace. But Antigonus had no time to show how he would exercise leadership over a pan-Hellenic confederacy. For, while his forces were campaigning in the southern Peloponnese, Illyrians
invaded Macedonia from the north. Antigonus had to rush north to repel this new threat. But though Macedonian forces were again victorious on the battlefield, their commander died of a ruptured artery as he was shouting orders to his troops.
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
from 229 BC
229 BC
Year 229 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Albinus and Centumalus...
to 221 BC
221 BC
Year 221 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asina and Rufus/Lepidus...
. He belonged to the Antigonid dynasty
Antigonid dynasty
The Antigonid dynasty was a dynasty of Hellenistic kings descended from Alexander the Great's general Antigonus I Monophthalmus .-History:...
.
Family Background
He was a grandson of Demetrius PoliorcetesDemetrius I of Macedon
Demetrius I , called Poliorcetes , son of Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Stratonice, was a king of Macedon...
and cousin of Demetrius II, who after the latter died in battle and rescued Macedonia and restored Antigonid control of Greece. Modern encyclopedic articles sometimes mistakenly identify him as either the "half-brother" or "nephew" of Demetrius II. Given the complex family relations of Macedonian dynasties and the tendency of Macedonian rulers to give children of different wives the same name, such confusion is understandable. Doson's father, however, was actually Demetrius the Fair
Demetrius the Fair
For the similarly named Macedonian ruler, see Demetrius II of Macedon.Demetrius the Fair or surnamed The Handsome , also known in modern ancient historical sources as Demetrius of Cyrene, was a Hellenistic king of Cyrene.-Family:Demetrius was of Greek Macedonian descent...
, (briefly king of Cyrene), the son of Demetrius Poliorcetes and his third wife, Ptolemaïs, daughter of Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter I , also known as Ptolemy Lagides, c. 367 BC – c. 283 BC, was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt and founder of both the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Dynasty...
and sister of Ptolemy II Philadelphus
Ptolemy II Philadelphus
Ptolemy II Philadelphus was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BCE to 246 BCE. He was the son of the founder of the Ptolemaic kingdom Ptolemy I Soter and Berenice, and was educated by Philitas of Cos...
. Doson's father, Demetrius the Fair
Demetrius the Fair
For the similarly named Macedonian ruler, see Demetrius II of Macedon.Demetrius the Fair or surnamed The Handsome , also known in modern ancient historical sources as Demetrius of Cyrene, was a Hellenistic king of Cyrene.-Family:Demetrius was of Greek Macedonian descent...
, who was half-brother of the father of Demetrius II Antigonus II Gonatas
Antigonus II Gonatas
Antigonus II Gonatas was a powerful ruler who firmly established the Antigonid dynasty in Macedonia and acquired fame for his victory over the Gauls who had invaded the Balkans.-Birth and family:...
, who was Poliorcetes' son by his first wife, Phila, Antipater
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
's daughter and Cassander
Cassander
Cassander , King of Macedonia , was a son of Antipater, and founder of the Antipatrid dynasty...
's sister. His mother was a Greek noblewoman Olympias of Larissa
Larissa
Larissa is the capital and biggest city of the Thessaly region of Greece and capital of the Larissa regional unit. It is a principal agricultural centre and a national transportation hub, linked by road and rail with the port of Volos, the city of Thessaloniki and Athens...
and his brother is a little known Greek Macedonian nobleman called Echecrate. Beyond this fact there is only circumstantial inference from the few surviving anecdotal reports to clarify Gonatas' background.
As Demetrius Poliorcetes' namesake, Demetrius the Fair
Demetrius the Fair
For the similarly named Macedonian ruler, see Demetrius II of Macedon.Demetrius the Fair or surnamed The Handsome , also known in modern ancient historical sources as Demetrius of Cyrene, was a Hellenistic king of Cyrene.-Family:Demetrius was of Greek Macedonian descent...
was not only strikingly handsome but ambitious to the point of recklessness. As the grandson of Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter I , also known as Ptolemy Lagides, c. 367 BC – c. 283 BC, was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt and founder of both the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Dynasty...
, he had been summoned from Macedonia to marry Berenice II
Berenice II
Berenice II was the daughter of Magas of Cyrene and Queen Apama II, and the wife of Ptolemy III Euergetes, the third ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt....
, the heir to the vacant throne of Cyrene
Cyrene
Cyrene may refer to:* Cyrene , a Greek mythological figure* Cyrene, Libya, an ancient Greek colony in North Africa* USS Cyrene , a motor torpedo boat tender* 133 Cyrene, an asteroid...
[modern Libya]. But rather than content himself with his young bride, Demetrius openly became lover of her powerful mother, Apama II
Apama II
For other uses of this name see, Apama Apama II , sometimes known as Apame II was a Syrian Greek Princess of the Seleucid Empire and through marriage was a Queen of Cyrenaica.Apama II was of Greek Macedonian and Persian descent...
. So the jealous bride took her revenge by having him assassinated.
It is highly improbable that Antigonus Doson was himself born of this ill-fated Cyrenian venture. Given the lurid circumstances of his father's death and the lack of any hint that he himself was in line for any throne or had ever been in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, it is more likely that Doson was Demetrius' son by a prior, less politically advantageous marriage and was left in Macedonia when his father set off for Cyrene.
Even the meaning of Antigonus' by-name is obscure and uncertain. Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
's suggestion that it indicated that he did not live up to his promises can hardly be correct since, once fate placed him in a position of authority he used it more wisely and effectively than any of his Antigonid predecessors.
Regent of Macedonia
Nor is there any evidence that he was a power hungry usurper. Rather, the sources are clear that, when Demetrius II died in battle (229 BCE), the Macedonian nobility named Doson guardian of the nine year old heir apparent Philip V of MacedonPhilip V of Macedon
Philip V was King of Macedon from 221 BC to 179 BC. Philip's reign was principally marked by an unsuccessful struggle with the emerging power of Rome. Philip was attractive and charismatic as a young man...
, presumably since he was the child's sole surviving adult male relative. Only after Doson demonstrated his leadership abilities by succeeding (where his cousin Demetrius had failed) in expelling the Dardanii invaders, was he persuaded by other Macedonian leaders to claim the throne for himself by marrying the widowed queen Phthia, (227 BC
227 BC
Year 227 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Flaccus and Regulus...
). Apparently, both the Macedonian army and nobility thought the political situation too volatile to wait for Philip V to mature enough to assume command. Times of political crisis and uncertainty always call for firm direction from experienced leadership. And in this crisis Antigonus Doson was Macedonia's unanimous choice. Unlike his Antigonid ancestors, he had no viable rivals to challenge his right to rule. Yet, even as king he apparently envisioned himself as caretaker for his cousin's son, Philip V, for he was never accused of trying to make his own sons heirs to his throne.
King of Macedonia
As king, Antigonus III proved to be as much a master of tactical diplomacy as of military strategy. In less than a decade of rule he not only secured his nation's borders, he also reestablished it as the dominant power in the region. Unlike previous Macedonian rulers who attempted direct dominion over their fiercely independent neighbors to the West and South, he formed alliances with EpirusEpirus (ancient state)
Epirus was an ancient Greek state, located in the geographical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans. The homeland of the ancient Epirotes was bordered by the Aetolian League to the south, Thessalia and Macedonia to the east and Illyrian tribes to the north...
and the Achaean league. When Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, the historic rival of the latter, attempted to establish hegemony over the whole Peloponnese, Aratus of Sicyon
Aratus of Sicyon
Aratus was a statesman of the ancient Greek city-state of Sicyon and a leader of the Achaean League. He deposed the Sicyonian tyrant Nicocles in 251 BC. Aratus was an advocate of Greek unity and brought Sicyon into the Achaean League, which he led to its maximum extent...
- long the leader of Greek opposition to Macedonian domination - invited Antigonus to intervene (226 BC
226 BC
Year 226 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Messalla and Fullo...
). Establishing his base on the heights above Corinth, Antigonus reconstituted a broad-based Hellenic league (224 BC
224 BC
Year 224 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Torquatus and Flaccus...
) under his leadership before launching his attack on Sparta. Outmatched by the larger, better equipped Macedonian army, the Spartan forces were so overwhelmed in the battle of Sellasia (222 BC) that their king, Cleomenes
Cleomenes III
Cleomenes III was the King of Sparta from 235-222 BC. He succeeded to the Agiad throne of Sparta after his father, Leonidas II in 235 BC.From 229 BC to 222 BC, Cleomenes waged war against the Achaean League under Aratus of Sicyon. Domestically, he is known for his attempt to reform the Spartan state...
, had to seek refuge in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Greece was finally at peace. But Antigonus had no time to show how he would exercise leadership over a pan-Hellenic confederacy. For, while his forces were campaigning in the southern Peloponnese, Illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
invaded Macedonia from the north. Antigonus had to rush north to repel this new threat. But though Macedonian forces were again victorious on the battlefield, their commander died of a ruptured artery as he was shouting orders to his troops.
External links
- Antigonus III Doson entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith