Antigonid

Antigonid refers to the Antigonid dynasty, a Hellenistic Macedonian royal house that ruled the kingdom of Macedon from the late 4th century BCE until its conquest by Rome in 168 BCE. The dynasty traced its origins to Antigonus I Monophthalmus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, and was reestablished in Macedon by Antigonus II Gonatas after the Wars of the Diadochi.

Antigonus II Gonatas, ruling in the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BCE, secured Macedonian control and repelled Gallic invasions, establishing a stable base for the dynasty. His successors—Demetrius II Aetolicus, Antigonus III Doson, Philip V, and Perseus—continued to rule from the royal capital at Pella, maintaining a centralized monarchy and a professional army built around the Macedonian phalanx and cavalry.

During the Antigonid era, Macedon remained a major power in Greece, engaging in alliances and warfare with Greek leagues, the Achaean League, and the rising Roman Republic. The dynasty supported a policy of strategic influence in the Balkan peninsula and southern Greece, and minted coinage reflecting royal authority and Hellenistic culture. Philip V’s reign, in particular, brought renewed Roman attention and increased involvement in Greek affairs.

Perseus, the last Antigonid king, was defeated by Rome at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BCE, ending the dynasty’s rule and leading to Macedon’s transformation into a Roman province. The Antigonid line left a lasting imprint on the political landscape of the Hellenistic world and the later history of ancient Greece.