Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State (Volume 4)

Hellenistic Culture and Society

by Richard A. Billows

Called by Plutarch "the oldest and greatest of Alexander's successors," Antigonos the One-Eyed (382-301 BC) was the dominant figure during the first half of the Diadoch period, ruling most of the Asian territory conquered by the Macedonians during his final twenty years. Billows provides the first detailed study of this great general and administrator, establishing him as a key contributor to the Hellenistic monarchy and state. After a successful career under Philip and Alexander, Antigonos rose to power over the Asian portion of Alexander's conquests. Embittered by the persistent hostility of those who controlled the European and Egyptian parts of the empire, he tried to eliminate these opponents, an ambition which led to his final defeat in 301. In a corrective to the standard explanations of his aims, Billows shows that Antigonos was scarcely influenced by Alexander, seeking to rule West Asia and the Aegean, rather than the whole of Alexander's Empire.

Genres: Ancient History, History, Biography, Greece

544 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1990

About the author

Richard Billows is a professor of history at Columbia University. His specialty is the Classical Mediterranean, especially the Hellenistic World post-Alexander. He holds an undergraduate degree in History from Oxford University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews

[Stefanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great academic publication that the general public may want to avoid, but scholars of the period would neglect at their own risk. Although research has made great progress since the book was first published in the '90s, the quality of work is admirable. I was looking forward to reading Billows for years. Somewhat ironically, I was given the gift of time after I left academia. Still, a seminal work on the Successors, but claims and facts need checking with more recent work. Style and presentation are the epitome of dry academic writing: they leave nothing either to chance or to joy.

[Wulf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very concise and well written account of Antigonus, the Oldest and Greatest of the Diadochi! First half of the book is a biography of the man, starting from his growing up, the reign of Philip, then of Alexander, his command of the satrapy of Phrygia, and finally his 22 years after the death of Alexander, where he was a protagonist in all of the four wars of the diadochi in that time. It goes deep into detail where its possible to do so. Not much is known specifically about Antigonos before 323 BC, but the authour has made a good work on giving us a general picture of what it probably might have been like.

His campaigns, though, in the wars of diadochi are richly detailed and the author presents all the information in here, finding any detail to be worthy. Thus this book is much more thorough than say, Waterfields' Dividing the Spoils, when the matter in question was Antigonus.

The second half of the book gives the reader a view of the Hellenistic state Antigonus ruled. His argument that the Seleucid empire merely adopted many of the practices of Antigonus is well defended. He shows how Antigonus dealt with the greek poleis (league system, protecting their independence), with hellenistic colonization (founding cities, the synoecism of smaller poleis), with delegation to other men of command and governance (many different terms being used to separate garrison commanders, governors of a smaller region, commanders with 1.000 soldiers, etc etc), with the support of art and culture, with his close number of friends and councillors, and more.

Highly recommended to understand not only the wars of the diadochi but the Hellenistic states in general!

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive treatment of the subject. Well worth reading, more than once.

Antigonos built his reputation as Antigonos Monopthalmos and died under a hail of javelins as Antigonos the Corpulent.

Fascinating history.

The appendices are a treasure trove of information. I find Appendix 3 particularly interesting. It features thumbnail sketches, and sometimes more than that, of a plethora of interesting people from that era.

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 5 out of 5]

En fantastiskt välskriven genomgång av hur en av antikens brillianta regenter och generaler styrde sitt rike, och hur han trots sin skicklighet misslyckades med sin dynastiska planering.