Antigonus III

Antigonus III

(Antigonus Doson) (ăntig`ənəs dō`sŏn, –sən), d. 221 B.C., king of Macedon. On the death of Demetrius II he became regent for Demetrius' son Philip (Philip VPhilip V,
238–179 B.C., king of Macedon (221–179), son of Demetrius II, successor of Antigonus III. He won fame in a war in Greece (220–217), in which he sided with the Achaean League against the Spartans and the Aetolian League.
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). He married the widow of Demetrius, and in 227 he proclaimed himself king. The attacks of Cleomenes IIICleomenes III,
c.260–219 B.C., king of Sparta (235–221 B.C.). He was probably the most energetic king Sparta ever had, a conscious imitator of Agis III (see under Agis). In his determined effort to restore the prestige of the city, he began (227 B.C.
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 on the Achaean LeagueAchaean League
, confederation of cities on the Gulf of Corinth. The First Achaean League, about which little is known, was formed presumably before the 5th cent. B.C. and lasted through the 4th cent. B.C. Its purpose was mutual protection against pirates.
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 caused its leader, Aratus, to request help from Antigonus, who led his troops south in 224. In 222, Antigonus crushed Cleomenes at Sellasia in Laconea and took Corinth as his reward. Meanwhile he had reconstituted the Hellenic League, and when he died he left power in Greece as well as Macedon to Philip.