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Alexander, nephew ofGonatasKATERINA PANAGOPOULOU
Alexander (ca. 290–245 BCE), son of Krateros,
a half-brother of Antigonos Gonatas and
step-grandchild of Demetrios Poliorketes,
married Nikaia around 279 (Livy 35.26;
Plut. Pelop. 14; Paus. 13.50) and succeeded
his father as Gonatas’ garrison commander at
CORINTH between 270 and 252. He declared
himself independent from the Antigonids and
claimed basileia for himself around 250,
possibly with the backing of the Ptolemies.
He was poisoned at Corinth around 245
(Plut. Arat. 17–18.1).
Our knowledge of Alexander rests on
POMPEIUS TROGUS (Prolegomena 26), PLUTARCH
(Aratus 17–18.1, De amicitia frat. 15), brief
mentions in POLYBIUS (20.4.4), the Suda (s.v.
“Euphorion”), and three decrees illustrating
the impact of his revolt at Corinth upon
ATHENS (IG II2 1225) and ERETRIA (IG II2 774,
IG XII 9.212). In the first decree, the Athenian
residents on Salamis honor the Antigonid
strategos of Piraeus and of other forts,
Herakleitos, son of Asklepiades, for protecting
their chora from pirates during the war
against Alexander and for punishing those
soldiers who abandoned Salamis to join
Alexander’s army. In IG II2 774, the Eretrians
honor Aristomachos of Argos for insisting
on including the Athenians in the truce that
Alexander offered him. In IG XII 9.212, the
Eretrians honor Arrhidaios, son of Alexandros,
a Macedonian officer, for helping the Greeks to
expel garrisons from their cities (Billows 1993).
Alexander was recognized as king by
Euboean cities; he made CHALCIS his second
capital and the Eretrians honored him as
“king” and their “benefactor.” He may also
have reorganized Euboea’s federal institutions,
launched some confederal bronze coins
(Picard 1979: 272–3, nos. 22–6), and put
pressure through pirates on Gonatas, who
maintained control of Athens and Piraeus.
The revolt of the key Antigonid naval base
at Corinth damaged the network of cities con-
trolled by Gonatas in southern Greece and gen-
erated new coalitions. Alexander approached
ARATOS OF SIKYON, who prompted rebellions
against tyrants of cities in the Peloponnese to
the benefit of the ACHAIAN LEAGUE. This severe
blow to Macedonian sovereignty in the Pelo-
ponnese was halted by Alexander’s premature
death in ca. 245, subsequent to which Gonatas
regained control of Corinth and the status quo
ante was restored.
SEE ALSO: Antigonos II Gonatas; Euboea;
Sikyon.
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Billows, R. A. (1990)Antigonus the One-Eyed and the
creation of the Hellenistic state, app. 3: nos. 10
(368–9) and 60 (396–7). Berkeley.
Billows, R. A. (1993) “IG XII 9.212, a Macedonian
officer at Eretria.” Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und
Epigraphik 96: 249–57.
Orsi, D. P. (1987) “La Rivolta di Alessandro,
governatore di Corinto.” Sileno 13:
103–22.
Picard, O. (1979) Chalkis et la confederation
eubeenne: etude de numismatique et d’histoire,
IVe-Ier siecle. Athens.
Scholten, J. B. (2000) The politics of plunder,
Aitolians and their Koinon in the early Hellenistic
era, 279–217 BC. London.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition. Edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine,
and Sabine R. Huebner, print pages 303–304.
© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2013 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah09020
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