Antipater (general) - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Biography

Career under Philippe II

The origins of Antipater are ignored. One is unaware of practically very his career before 342, date on which Philippe II charges it with controlling Macedonia while it conducts campaign against tribes Thraces. During this regency, Antipater is distinguished by sending troops in Eubée against Athens which tries to raise the cities against the domination Macedonian. With autumn 342, it represents Philippe with the Amphictyonique League of Delphes, a religious organization of which Macedonia forms part since 346. Starting from 340, in the absence of Philippe left to besiege Byzance, regency falls to the young Alexandre. Following the victory of Philippe to the battles of chéronée, Antipater is sent in embassy in Athens in order to conclude a peace treaty and to return the skins of the died Athenians to the combat. After the assassination of Philippe in 336, it helps the young Alexandre to reach the throne; it seems then at that time being close to Alexandre and Olympias.

Antipater is, with Parménion, the general more tested. He vainly advises in Alexandre not to begin Asian forwarding before he has a heir. In 334, it is indicated “strategist of Europe”, with load for him to ensure the regency of Macedonia and to preserve the Ligue of Corinth while repressing possible movements of rebellion in Greece.

Regent of Macedonia

Antipater has under the reign of Alexandre very wide capacities. It follows an advised policy and shows its attachment with a traditional and “patriarchal” monarchy in which the nobility can be described freely within the royal Council. While Alexandre conquered Asia, Antipater appears in fact like the sovereign with the eyes of the Macedonians. It uses the Ligue of Corinth in order to maintain the Greeks in the dependence all while resting, like Philippe II, on oligarchical or tyrannical modes supported by garrisons Macedonians. Antipater takes part indirectly in the conquest by sending for example reinforcements to the winter 334 - 333 during the stay of Alexandre to Gordion. It must also face in Égée with the Persian fleet ordered by Memnon of Rhodos which, fortunately for Antipater, dies during the seat of Mytilène at the beginning of 333. The remainder of the Persian fleet is dispersed after the victory of Alexandre with Issos.

Antipater is quickly with the catch with the Greek cities which benefit from the absence of Alexandre to raise itself, Memnon of Rhodos having taken before contact with the king of Sparte, Agis III, and the cities most hostile with the Macedonians. In 332, Antipater must face the revolt of tribes Thraces taken along by a strategist Macedonian. Then in spring 331, at the time when Alexandre leaves Egypt, Antipater is threatened by the ambitions of Acted. This one, which has just conducted campaign in Crete, intends to subject all the Peloponnese and besieges Megalopolis with the support of quotas Achaean, élidiens and arcadiens. Antipater receives a share of the treasure of Suse; what enables him to recruit many mercenaries and of raising an army twice more than its adversary. It concluded a trève with the tribes thraces and carries out in person the offensive in the Peloponnese. It demolishes the army Spartan with Bataille of Megalopolis during which Agis finds death. Sparte negotiates peace directly with Alexandre who imposes the payment of 120 talents and especially their entry to him in the league of Corinth. After the death of Acted, Greece between under the cane of Antipater during one time of peace until in 322.

With the wire of the conquest of Asia, Antipater expresses more and more its reserve towards the orientalizing policy of Alexandre, the prejudice towards the “Barbarians of Asia” being still tough in Greece as in Macedonia. Moreover, it does not conceive that a king can receive divine honors. In 324, Alexandre indeed announced to the Greeks that they must from now on honor it with a public worship as “an Unconquered God” ( Théos Anikètos ). Lastly, Antipater does not admit the new imperial policy of Alexandre in Greece. He considers that the king involves himself in the interior matters of the cities in their ordering the return of the outlaws and a re-establishment in their goods. Antipater is charged to make apply these royal edicts while its hostility with regard to this policy goes up to Alexandre by the means of Olympias.

The relations between Antipater and Olympias, which sent to his/her son several letters denouncing the disloyalty of the regent, indeed seriously worsened since the departure of Alexandre. So much so that Olympias is forced in 331 to exile itself in Épire of which she exerts regency. According to Plutarque, Alexandre would fear the ambition and the double-play of Antipater, “white outside, crimson inside”; for as much according to Arrien, Alexandre would not have doubted the honesty of the regent. Encouraged by the queen-mother, Alexandre decides initially, at the end of spring 324, to call Antipater in Babylon to ask him for accounts. But the regent refuses and sends his son Cassandre (accompanied by Iolas) to plead his cause. In vain, since Alexandre charges faithful the Cratère with turning over to Macedonia with a quota of veterans with secretly for mission of relieving Antipater, by the force so necessary. But the death of Alexandre in June 323 modifies this plan.

Antipater and the lamiaque war

The death of Alexandre appears being a good news for Antipater. This one is indeed confirmed in its functions of “strategist of Europe” within a triumvirate formed with Perdiccas, Chiliarque of the empire, and Cratère, tutor of the king. Moreover a rumor, propagated by Olympias and taken again by the Vulgate of Alexandre, shows it to have made it poison via its sons Cassandre and Iolas, wine waiter of the king. It is possible besides that the publication of part of the royal Éphémérides by Antipater, which report the banquets dionysiaques during the last days of the king, is used to clear it.

It is at this time that Antipater must face a new coalition in Greece which leads to the lamiaque Guerre (323/322). As of the death of Alexandre, the Athèniens are raised against the domination Macedonian. Hypéride causes an alliance with mainly Étoliens, Thessaliens, Locriens and Phocidiens. Extremely of a quota of mercenaries paid with the treasure taken with Harpale, the strategist Léosthène demolishes the Macedonians in Béotie. Antipater must give up the Thermopyles and decides, considering the numerical inferiority of its army, to be locked up in Lamia while waiting for the reinforcements from Asia (end 323). It sends an embassy led by Hécatée (tyrant of Cardia) near Léonnatos so that this one, which is supposed to lead countryside in Cappadoce to the profit of Eumène de Cardia, passes to Macedonia. Lysimaque cannot as for him come to assistance of Antipater because it is occupied subjecting the tribes thraces.

Superiority of the Athenian fleet, reinforced considerably since the administration of Lycurge, cease with the arrival in Égée of a powerful squadron Cypriot phenician and . Cleithos, the admiral Macedonian, demolishes the Athenian fleet in the Hellespont allowing the crossing of the troops of Léonnatos. This one finds death with the feet of the ramparts of Lamia but the arrival of its army makes it possible Antipater to evacuate the city. In spring 322, the Athenian fleet is destroyed with broad Amorgos. This serious defeat, which marks the end of the Athenian naval power, makes it possible to release the Aegean Sea and to bring in Greece the reinforcements of Crater. With the head of a quota of: 50000 infantrymen and: 5000 riders veterans, this one joined Antipater, at the summer 322, which to seal this alliance offers to Cratère to marry his/her daughter Phila. The contribution of these troops is decisive. In August 322, the Greek allies are crushed with the Bataille of Crannon in Thessalie. Following this complete victory, Antipater imposes on Athens a drastic peace. The democracy is abolished to be replaced by an oligarchical mode. Hypéride is tortured and carried out, constrained Démosthène with the suicide. Antipater and Cratère intend to invade Étolie but arrival EM Macedonia of Antigone which informs them of the royal ambitions of Perdiccas encourages them to give up this project.

The coalition against Perdiccas

Perdiccas indeed wishes to collect with its profit the prestige of the dynasty argéade in order to consolidate its claim with the throne of Macedonia. Initially, Antipater wanted to conclude an alliance while offering to him to marry his/her daughter Nikaia, which Perdiccas accepted. Nikaia arrives to Asia Mineure where Perdiccas is before the autumn 322. But on another side, Olympias wants to carry wrong to Antipater and seeks to get rid of Philippe III. For that, she seeks the alliance of Perdiccas while proposing to him to marry the proper sister of Alexandre, Cléopâtre, widow of Alexandre d' Épire, and to go on the Macedonia in order to bring back the skin of Alexandre there. Perdiccas thus ends up giving up Nikaia to accept the union with Cléopatre with the beginning of the year 321. It is a union much more prestigious, because it makes of him the uncle of the young person Alexandre IV. But it dangeureusement alienates Antipater which sets up a coalition against him.

This first coalition of the Diadoque S joins together mainly Antipater, Cratère, Ptolémée and Antigone against Perdiccas. In spring 321, Antigone unloads its troops with Éphèse while Antipater and Cratère cross without difficulty the Hellespont, the troops of Perdiccas deserting in mass. The chiliarque one, then stationed in Cilicie with the kings, decides to go against Ptolémée, while Eumène de Cardia is charged to defend Asia Mineure against Antipater and its allies. Perdiccas finds death in Egypt, while Eumène demolishes Cratère in Asia Mineure in spring 321, the Macedonians rejoined by Eumène after the death of Crater escaping quickly at Antipater. With autumn 321, Eumène misses fighting battle to Antipater in Lydie but Cléopâtre manages to convince it to leave Sardes and to avoid the combat with the pretigieux regent.

Regent of the empire

The death of Perdiccas involves a new distribution of the stations. With the council of Triparadisos in Syria, Antipater, which is present for the first time in Asia, receives the full powerss with the title of épimélète (protective) of the kings. He becomes at the same time regent of the empire and tutor of the kings, even if this load is initially designed to fall to Antigone. Nevertheless the authority of Antipater appears being briefly disputed. It must undergo in Triparadisos a mutiny fomented by Eurydice. The army indeed claims at Antipater the gratifications promised by Alexandre. Eurydice shows Antipater as a public but the intervention of the troops of Antigone makes it possible to the regent to take again the control of the situation.

Antipater immediately entrusts vast capacities to Antigone which receives, in addition to one maintenance in its satrapies, the title of “strategist of Asia”, with load for him to overcome Eumène de Cardia. Antigone profits consequently from capacities equivalent to those entrusted to Antipater under the reign of Alexandre. Antipater associates to him however like second clean sound son Cassandre, indicated Chiliarque of the cavalry (and nonchiliarque of the empire like known as sometimes). But the disagreement between Antigone and Cassandre bursts shortly after. Repudiated by his/her father who did not return yet to Europe, Cassandre however manages to convince it not to separate from the kings and to take them along with him to Macedonia. This gesture of distrust towards Antigone, to which was before entrusted the guard of the kings, is compensated by the marriage between Phila, widow of Cratère, with the son of Antigone, Démétrios. From now on the two former generals of Philippe II share the imperial authority: Antipater in Europe and Antigone in Asia. He also seeks to be combined the good graces of Ptolémée by offering the hand of his daughter to him Eurydice into 321. The decision to bring back the kings to Macedonia was heavy consequences. They leave the “center” of the empire and start to be marginalized. Asia east from now on delivered to the ambitions of Antigone.

The imperial regency of Antipater is marked in Greece by the resumption of the conflict against the Étoliens which, benefitting from the departure of Antipater and Crater for Asia, invaded the Thessalie. This one is reconquered by Polyperchon, its second since 324, helped by an invasion of Acarnaniens, undoubtedly caused by the Macedonians. The city of Athens finds a certain prosperity under the government of Phocion. But the resentment against the Macedonians, whose garrison holds the fort of Munychie, remains strong. Also Démade, regarded as a friend of Macedonia, is sent at Antipater in order to obtain the departure of the occupying troops. But Démade, shown to have betrayed before with the profit of Perdiccas, is carried out by Cassandre after having seen his/her cut the throat of son.

At the beginning 319, the threat which from now on Antigone in Asia represents obliges it to modify its policy, and perhaps already to prepare a recourse to Eumène de Cardia. Indeed this one, taken refuge in the fortress of Nora in Cappadoce, proposed peace negotiations with Antipater via Hiéronymos de Cardia, the future historian of the diadoques ones. This embassy, accommodated with the honors by the regent, shows that a bringing together had place between Antipater and Eumène with the detriment of Antigone.

Antipater dies a little later in summer 319, at the 78 years age. With him the last disappears from the companions of Philippe, contemporary of Parménion. Admittedly, Antipater directly did not take part in the forwarding of Alexandre, but it made it possible while maintaining Greece under the supervision Macedonian and while applying the royal decisions to it, in spite of some reserves towards the Eastern policy of Alexandre and the increasing hatred of Olympias. Its succession, entrusted to Polyperchon, groin of the generals Macedonians, starts again the conflict between the Diadoque S.

Succession of Antipater

Feeling its close end, Antipater took care to prepare its succession by the way of a will. Polyperchon, the elder one of the generals of Alexandre, is indicated épimélète kings, with load for him to maintain Macedonia out of the bosom of Antigone and Ptolémée. Cassandre as for him is confirmed in its functions of equestrian Chiliarque. The choice of Antipater, which leads to the ousting of his/her own son, can be explained by the fear which from now on Antigone inspires. Perhaps Antipater wishes it to respect the tradition Macedonian by entrusting regency, charges nonhereditary, with a strategist experienced and respected by the Macedonians. The designation of Polyperchon releases Antigone of any supervision in any case; because only Antipater exerted on him a relative authority.

This new organization places Cassandre under the subordination of Polyperchon, so that he refuses to subject himself and asserts for itself the paternal heritage. In Macedonia, factions are organized around each protagonist: Olympias takes the party of Polyperchon, by hatred of Antipatrides, while Cassandre obtains the support of Antigone. As for Polyperchon, it rejoins with its cause Eumène de Cardia which it indicates “strategist of Asia” in the name of the kings, with load for him to fight Antigone.

Antipater had of an unknown woman seven children:

Cassandre ;

Pleistarchos ;

Philippe, father of Antipater II;

Iolas, wine waiter of Alexandre;

Nikaia, wife of Lysimaque;

Eurydice, wife of Ptolémée {{Ier}};

Phila, wife of Crater then of Démétrios I {{er}} Poliorcète.

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