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Posted by Mark

The Antigonid dynasty, one of the four Hellenistic kingdoms that emerged after the death of the Alexander the Great, was established in 306 BC by its eponymous founder Antigonus I Monophthalmus (‘the One-Eyed’) and his son Demetrius Poliorcetes (‘the Besieger’). Originally based in Asia Minor and Syria, the family later gained control over the territory of Macedonia in 276 BC under the aegis of Antigonus II Gonatas (276-74, 272-239 BC). The kingdom subsequently came to prominence, reaching its peak during the reign of Philip V (221-179 BC), before coming to an end following successive conflicts with Rome and the defeat of its final ruler, Perseus, in 168 BC.

While the Antigonids were an important part of the political scene in the Hellenistic period, study of them has been largely overshadowed by that of the Ptolemies, Seleucids and Attalids, which (other than the Attalids) were longer-lasting and saw a greater engagement with non-Greek peoples. This lack of attention has obscured the significance of this dynasty in the politics and culture of the ancient Mediterranean. It is the aim of this Network, therefore, to rectify this situation by drawing together scholars working on this dynasty and the powers that engaged with it from a range of disciplines and institutions, by promoting collaborative and interdisciplinary research through conferences and workshops, and by providing access to relevant sources and scholarship.