ANTIGONUS I., called Cyclops, from his having lost an eye, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, was the son of Philip of Elymiotis. In the division of the provinces after Alexander’s death, 323 B.C., Pamphylia, Lycia, and Phrygia Major fell to his share. But Perdiccas, having an eye to universal dominion, determined to divest him of his government, and laid plans for his life, by bringing various accusations against him. Antigonus escaped with his son Demetrius into Greece, where he obtained the favour and protection of Antipater, 321 B.c.; and when soon after, on the death of Perdiccas, a new division took place, he had the province of Susiana added to his former share. He was likewise intrusted with the command of the war against Euinenes, who had joined Perdiccas against the coalition of Antipater, Antigonus, and the other generals. Eumenes was thoroughly defeated, and was obliged to retire with only 600 men to the inaccessible castle of Nora, and a new army that was marching to his relief was also routed by Antigonus. In the interval Antipater had died (318 b.c. ), and the opportunity excited the ambition of Antigonus to possess the whole of Alexander’s empire. Polysperchon succeeding Antipater in the regency, to the exclusion of Cassander his son, Antigonus resolved to set himself up as lord of all Asia. On account of the great power of Eumenes, he greatly desired to gain him over to his interest; but that faithful commander, effecting his escape from Nora, raised an army, and was appointed the royal general in Asia. He defeated Antigonus in several engagements, but was at last delivered up to him through treachery, and put to death Upon this the governor of Upper Asia yielded to Antigonus, The latter now seized upon all the treasures at Susa, and ...directed his march towards Babylon, of which Seleucus was governor. Seleucus fled to Ptolemy, and entered into a league with him, together with Lysimachus and Cassander, in order to check the exorbitant power of Antigonus (315 b.c. ) Notwithstanding this Antigonus made a successful attempt upon Syria and Phoenicia, though these provinces were soon after recovered by Ptolemy, who defeated his son Demetrius, while he himself was employed against Cassander in Asia Minor They were again taken by Antigonus, who, flushed with success, sent an expedition against the Nabathaean Arabs dwelling in the deserts adjacent to Judaea. In the first enterprise his troops were cut to pieces by the Arabs; but his son commanded the second, and was more successful. Demetrius then expelled Seleucus from Babylon; and, success attending his arms wherever he went, the confederates had to make a treaty with Antigonus, stipulating that he should remain in possession of all Asia, but that the Greek cities should retain their liberty. This agreement was soon violated, under the pretence that garrisons had been placed in some of these cities by Antigoħus. At first Ptolemy made a successful descent into Asia Minor, and on several of the islands of the Archipelago; but he was at length totally defeated by Demetrius, in a naval engagement off Salamis, in the island of Cyprus On gaining this victory Antigonus assumed the title of king, and bestowed the same upon his son; and from that time (306 b.c. ) his reign in Asia, and that of Ptolemy in Egypt, and of the other generals of Alexander in their respective provinces, properly commence. Antigonus now prepared a large army, and a formidable fleet, the command of which he gave to Demetrius, and hastened to attack Ptolemy in his own dominions. His invasion of Egypt, however, proved a failure; a battle with Ptolemy at Mount Casius gained Antigonus no advantage, and, after a few other fruitless efforts, he was obliged to retire (306 b.c.) Demetrius Attempted the reduction of Rhodes; but, meeting with obstinate resistance, he was obliged to make a treaty upon the best terms that he could, in order to join his father in •crushing a confederacy that had been formed between Cassander, Seleucus, and Lysimachus. Father and son advanced with their united forces into Phrygia, and met the enemy at Ipsus. A decisive battle was fought, in which Antigonus fell, in the 81st year of his age, 301 b.c., and with him fell the fortunes of his house.
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