Antigonus the One-Eyed: Alexander's most Ambitious General

In the wake of the legendary conqueror Alexander the Great, his mightiest generals vied for dominance over his empire, the largest the world had ever yet seen. One of these was Antigonus Monophthalmus, the One-Eyed.
His epic tale is one of power and ambition, with more than a touch of hubris. Had it not been for how worried he made the other Successors, or Diadochi, he may well have remained the most powerful of all. And yet it was precisely his power in life that ultimately led to his death, at the age of 81, in the place he spent all his life - in the front line of battle.
As soon as the Partition of Babylon was held, Antigonus went on an expansive spree of war, picking off enemies and annexing lands, one after the other. Accompanied or aided at all times by his son Demetrius, who would won day perhaps even eclipse him, Antigonus soon had all Asia under his dominion. From Macedonian noble to Satrap of Lycaonia to Royal General of Asia to Lord of all Asia.
But naturally with such power came danger, and his competitors, other Diadochi like Seleucus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus, did not like how ambitious Antigonus was getting. He'd already proved his worth in Asia, Egypt, Greece, on land and on sea, and had set his eyes on the rest of the known world.
This video is a sort of documentary of his story, from meteoric start to tragic yet epic downfall, and a look into how his person and deeds laid the foundations of an empire which lasted in Macedon until the Roman Republic conquered it.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:44 Early Life & Family
03:40 What does his name mean?
04:28 Alexander's Campaigns
05:57 The Fallout after Alexander's Death
06:40 The War with Eumenes Begins
07:17 Battle of Orkynia
09:02 Eumenes is Besieged
10:04 Antigonus targets Alcetas
11:17 Total Imperial Power
13:16 Polyperchon arms Eumenes
14:50 Consolidation of Asia
15:19 Battle of Paraitakene
17:05 Battle of Gabiene
19:11 Antigonus, Lord of Asia
20:46 Demetrius becomes a Successful General
21:46 The Babylonian War
22:26 Battle of the 25 of Abu
23:05 Seleucus cripples Antigonus
23:20 Demetrius takes Athens by Storm
25:00 Demetrius takes Greece by Storm
25:47 Battle of Ipsus
26:21 Demetrius establishes the Antigonid Dynasty
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Sources Used
Ancient Texts:
Diodorus Siculus - Historical Library (Βιβλιοθήκη Ἱστορική)
Plutarch - Life of Alexander (Βίοι Παράλληλοι: Αλέξανδρος)
Plutarch - Life of Eumenes (Βίοι Παράλληλοι: )
Plutarch - Life of Demetrius (Βίοι Παράλληλοι: )
Plutarch - Moralia: Sayings Of Kings And Commanders (Ἠθικά: - Regum et Imperatorum Apophthegmata)
Plutarch - Moralia: Whether an Old Man Should Engage in Public Affairs (Ἠθικά: - An Seni Respublica gerenda sit)
Curtius Rufus - Histories of Alexander the Great (Historiae Alexandri Magni)
Lucian of Samosata - Macrobii (Μακρόβιοι)
Cornelius Nepos - Life of Eumenes (Corneli Nepotis Eumenes)
Cicero - On Duties (De Officiis)
Polyaenus - Strategies (Στρατηγήματα)
Champion, J. (2014) Antigonus the One-Eyed: Greatest of the Successors
amzn.to/3GuWFBs
Credits
If you see any of your artwork in the video, please let me know so I can give you credit!
Film, TV & Game Clips:
'Alexander' (2004) | Oliver Stone | Intermedia Films ©
''Assassin's Creed Odyssey' (2018) | Ubisoft Montreal ©
'Rome: Total War' (2004) | Creative Assembly ©
Music:
All Music is licensed by Epidemic Sound
www.epidemicsound.com/
#Antigonus #AlexanderTheGreat #Diadochi #Macedon #MilitaryHistory #Classics #ClassicalStudies #AncientGreece #AncientMacedon #Hellenism #Successors #AncientGreece #AncientGreekia

[@helioselexandros]

Amazing. Alexanders father really set up the dream team. Most capable of leaders. Alexander had so many great generals and to be called the best of the best he deally mustve been on another level to stand out so high among so many competent men. Im fascinated by alexander and all of the diadochi and love learning about their personalities. Great j9b

[@buttercxpdraws8101]

Excellent video. More on the Diadochi please 🙏💕

[@wankawanka3053]

Amazing video would love to see more of the successors explored like this

[@diegoortiz7104]

Just came across this video and loved it you have a great knowledge of history and have a clear and informative voice no hesitation that's always a great trait keep it up man cant wait to see this channel grow and become as big as other history creators best of luck 👍👍👍👍

[@AntiquityforAll]

Really appreciate this, thanks!

[@l-nolazck-rn24]

I love these videos so freaking much

[@eddienom]

Great Video!

[@troydodson9641]

Legend of the Cyclops lives on. Excellent presentation, sire! Glory to you who gives life to words and can even give them their original language! I do love the Successors, but which do you adore?

[@AntiquityforAll]

I have to say Antigonus is my favourite, but I have huge respect for Eumenes for his accomplishments.

[@troydodson9641]

@Antiquity for All Agreed sir. Fine words

[@theconservativecoconut6887]

02:10 one eye, tall, full of testosterone and live to be 80 yrs... Super human

[@refractable2479]

💯

[@henkstersmacro-world]

👍👍👍

[@Vinilupus]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@DistantLights]

The successor I root for the most is Ptolemy, but Antigonus and especially his son Demetrius, are some of my favorites too

[@MatthewLum11]

Antigonus might win the "ambitious" category, but Ptolemy was definitely the most cunning of the diadochi. Stealing the giant mock-mausoleum wagon containing Alexander the Great's coffin and smuggling it back to Egypt, was by far one of the most daring and fruitful single endeavors that any one of Alexander's generals achieved after his death. It made Ptolemy a living legend among the Alexander the Great's army, and to this day, Alexander's tomb has never been found. ⚰️

[@jay2159]

Mine would be Cassander, despite ordering the assassination of Alexander IV he was able to stabilize Macedon during his reign and found the city of Thessaloniki. It was only after his death and that of his oldest son that his two youngest querlled and create a era of chaos which lasted until Antigonos II Gonatos took over

[@rockstarzephyr439]

You're Ellinka is soooo good.

[@elshebactm6769]

👍🏿🤠👍🏿

[@hansrijke8477]

Antigones died 81 years old at the battlefield !

[@AntiquityforAll]

An absolute unit of a man!

[@billychops1280]

It frustrates me that I can’t fully comprehend Ancient Greek as a a Greek person, I understand 20% of the sentence for a certainty, can decipher the other 50% with 90% accuracy but am at a loss for the remaining 30%

[@warrenbuffet2848]

you forgot the part where the athenians let his son down and said go to hell when he needed help. That after calling him savior god.

[@wankawanka3053]

Demetrius had a habit of becoming a jerk whether it was to the athenians or to his own troops later against pyrrhud

[@AlexanderTullis]

These Greek kings warring with each other and then giving the loser their troops back. =)

[@hansrijke8477]

Antigonus the one eyed lost the big battle because off the 2600 elephants that where put in his son place so he could not help his father the sons name is Dimitrius !