The Making of a King

Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon and the Greeks

Robin Waterfield

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English

Oxford University Press
16 December 2021

History; European history; Ancient history: to c 500 CE; Classical history & classical civilisation

In the third century BCE, Macedon dominated mainland Greece, but was rapidly descending into chaos. One of the consequences was a massive invasion of Celts, who ravaged and plundered Macedon and northern Greece for several years. Antigonus Gonatas, son of one of Alexander the Great's Successors, finally defeated the Celts and laid the foundations for a long but troubled reign (276-239 BCE). In order to achieve stability, he adopted repressive measures towards many of the Greek cities. The Making of a King is the first book in more than a century to tell the gripping story of Antigonus' rule: how he gained the throne, how he held it, the nature of his court, the measures he took towards the Greeks, and their responses. While Antigonus was confirming his rule in Macedon by introducing constitutional changes there, the Greeks were making their own changes. Their only hope for independence lay in greater unity. Two great confederacies of Greek cities emerged: the Aetolians in central Greece, and the Achaeans in the Peloponnese. Robin Waterfield charts Antigonus' conflicts with the Greeks and with his perennial enemy, Ptolemy of Egypt. Successes, both diplomatic and military, against these enemies in the 260s and 250s BCE were not enough to gain him peace, and in his final years he saw his control of Greece whittled away by rebellion and the Greek confederacies. Ultimately, the lack of firm control of Greece by Macedon made it possible for Rome to take its place as the arbiter of the Greeks' future.

By: Robin Waterfield
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 20mm, Width: 160mm, Spine: 240mm
Weight: 1g
ISBN: 9780198853015
ISBN 10: 0198853017
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 16 December 2021
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Robin Waterfield is an independent scholar and translator, living in southern Greece. In addition to more than twenty-five translations of works of Greek literature, he is the author of numerous books, ranging from children's fiction to Greek history.

Reviews for The Making of a King: Antigonus Gonatas of Macedon and the Greeks

The book is well written, with the prose being pleasing and enjoyable to read. Both general and scholarly audiences can gain substantial insights into a broad range of subjects from W.'s efforts, which have done justice to the fascinating epoch that was the early Hellenistic period. * V. VIJAYARAGHAVAN, The Classical Review * The Making of a King is an extremely welcome addition to scholarship, and it does illuminate what it sets out to illuminate. Readers will find it a superb introduction to the history of the period and will profit from it regardless of their level of prior experience. * John Holton, Newcastle University, UK, Royal Studies Journal * This would make a fine addition to any course on the rise and fall of Macedon and its re-emergence. * Danny Pucknell, The Journal of Classics Teaching * the book is vividly written, draws attention to the problem of the scarcity of sources and the importance of epigraphic material, and addresses numerous topics. * Sabine Müller, Bryn Mawr Classical Review * Waterfield succeeds in putting forth a brilliantly written account of one of the least known and most underestimated figures in Greek history alongside the third-century historical context out of which he emerged. Both the general reader without any prior knowledge and the student who already knows his way around these issues will gain from this study. * Benjamin Pedersen, Bryn Mawr Classical Review * Waterfield paints a fascinating image of Hellenistic court life and of Antigonus' intellectual interests. * Kostas Vlassopoulos, Greece & Rome Vol. 70.2 *