Antigonid Kingdom
Antigonid Kingdom a Macedonian domain that existed from 276 to 168 B.C. It was ruled by the descendants of Antigonus, a general in the army of Alexander the Great. Antigonus was one of the Diadochi, or Successors, who after Alexander's death in 323 B.C. fought for control of his empire. Antigonus' effort to become monarch failed, and he lost his life in the battle of Ipsus in 301. His son, Demetrius, continued the struggle for power. Antigonus (II) Gonatas, Demetrius' son, made himself king of Macedonia in 276 after he helped expel the Celts from Greece.
During the next century the Antigonids made repeated efforts to unite all Greece under their rule. Philip V (reigned 221–179 B.C.) seemed likely to succeed. However, civil war developed in Greece between the Aetolian and Achaean leagues. Philip then attempted to extend his kingdom toward Italy and brought on the First and Second Macedonian wars with Rome (214–197), in which he was defeated. The opposition of his son and successor Perseus to the Romans resulted in the Third Macedonian War (171–168) and annexation of the kingdom by Rome.