Antigonus II Gonatas: A Political Biography (Routledge Classical Monographs) by Gabbert Janice J

Author:Gabbert, Janice J. [Gabbert, Janice J.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Greek History & Culture
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Published: 2002-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

was the son of the Demetrius who, twenty years earlier, had tried and almost succeeded in conquering all of Asia, and that he was the grandson of the Antigonus who, a little over thirty years earlier, had almost conquered all of Alexander's empire.

Hostility between the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Antigonids of Macedonia was long-standing and remained a feature of Hellenistic geopolitics. Hostility between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids of Asia was not much less, and indeed, the so-called "Second Syrian War" between these two is nearly contemporaneous with the Chremonidean War. The Antigonids and Seleucids maintained friendly or at least neutral relations, especially in the preceding two decades, but there is no evidence for a formal alliance in either the Chremonidean War or the Second Syrian War, nor for any direct involvement of one in support of the other.

Ptolemy controlled parts of Syria and Asia Minor, in contention with the Seleucids. He also exercised some control or hegemony over many of the Aegean islands, in contention with Antigonus, who does not seem to have placed a high priority on any hegemony or influence in the islands, beyond whatever opportunity offered. Ptolemy attempted to exert influence on the cities of mainland Greece, without much success prior to the Chremonidean War because most of the Greek cities were under a rather tight hegemony of Antigonus Gonatas.

So, it was due to continuous Ptolemaic agitation that in the spring of 264 BC (the archonship of Peithidemos, Athenian archon year 265/4)43 an alliance was formed between Ptolemy, Athens, Sparta, the Elians, Achaeans, Tegeans, Mantineans, Orchomenians (Arcadian), Phialians, Kaphueans, and "some" Cretans (I.G. II2, 687) against Antigonus Gonatas. The decree recording the alliance and declaration of war was moved by the Athenian Chremonides, (who spent most of his adult life as a mercenary in the service of Ptolemy) hence the name of the war. The list of allies is revealing. Many were Spartan dependencies, all were militarily insignificant, none strategically located (except perhaps Athens, if she had controlled her port and border forts, which she did not). More important is the long list of Greek entities which were not among the allies (such as Corinth, Argos, Troezen, Megara, Thebes, Megalopolis, and Sicyon), either because they were garrisoned by Antigonus or because they were not sufficiently hostile to him.

The declaration of war offers no specific grievances by any party, but merely states in very general terms that Antigonus is unjust and

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