1. Biography

Antigonus, son of Demetrius the Fair, half brother of Antigonus Gonatas (reigned 277-239 BC) and governor of Cyrene and of the Thessalian Olympiad, became known under the appellation ‘Doson’.¹ Antigonus Doson (c.263-221 BC)² obviously received basic education in the Macedonian capital of Pella, at the court of Antigonus Gonatas, without, however, harbouring any ambitions of ascending to the Macedonian throne. At Pella he probably met with the poet Aratus of Soloi, the Stoic philosopher Perseus of Kition, the Cynic Bion, the historians Dionysius of Heraclea and Hieronymus of Cardia.³ Doson was designated ‘guardian’ of the young Philip V and ‘general’ following the death of the Macedonian king Demetrius II during a battle against Dardani invaders (229 BC).⁴ Doson married the Epirote widow of Demetrius II and mother of Philip V, Phthia (Chrysis).

2. Military activities

The young Antigonus repelled the Dardani invaders, intercepted the incursions of the Aetolians into Thessaly by ceding them Achaea Phthiotis and temporarily abandoned aspirations to restore Macedonian influence south of Thermopylae. Early in 229 BC, shortly before an imminent mutiny in the army, he received the royal title. His policy allowed the reconstitution of the Thessalian League and led to the restoration of Macedonian influence in the Peloponnese.⁵ The campaign he waged in Caria in 227 BC, obviously against the Ptolemies, allowed him to create only a short-lived sphere of influence in the area around Carian Mylasa, reviving Antigonid interest in the coast of Asia Minor.⁶ In the Peloponnese the Achaean League was so repressed by the Spartan king Cleomenes III, that in 227-226 BC its leader Aratus was forced to request the help of Antigonus promising him Acrocorinth in return. Doson led his troops to the Isthmus, recaptured Arcadia in two campaigns, and in the winter of 224 BC he formed a ‘joint coalition’ of all his allies under his command, aimed at providing mutual support to all participants in case of war. In 222 BC he defeated the Spartan king Cleomenes at Sellasia and captured Sparta.⁷ He immediately turned to expel the Illyrians that had invaded Macedonia. He died in a battle against the Dardani in the summer of 221 BC, having first taken steps to ensure his succession by his son, Philip, making sure that important state functions were taken over by experienced advisors.⁸ His policy revolved around traditional axes, but he managed to revitalize Macedonia and created the strong material infrastructure that would support Philip V’s policies.