Antigonid Kingdom
- This article is about the Hellenistic country in Asia formerly known as Phrygia. For the releasable satrapy, see
Phrygia (Satrapy), and for the Phrygian culture formable, see 20px Phrygia (Formable).
Antigonid Kingdom
Primary culture
Capital territory
Government
State religion
| Military traditions |
Heritage of Antigonos
+5% Siege ability
+2.00 Diplomatic reputation
−10% Fort defense
The 
Antigonid Kingdom is a major power centered in Syria, with a vast empire spanning from Palestine to the Aegean Sea and controlling a vast network of feudatories, satrapies, and tributaries. Led by Antigonus Monophthalmus (the "one-eyed") at start, the Antigonid Kingdom is one of the largest and perhaps the strongest of the Diadochi successor states of the 
Argead Empire of Alexander the Great, though one that has gained the enmity of all of the rest, having recently lost much of the east to the nascent 
Seleukid Empire with the support of 
Egypt and currently engaged in an invasion of Greece against 
Macedon. Historically, the Antigonids were defeated at the Battle of Ipsus shortly after the game start and lost most of their territories to the other Diadochi, but held out in Greece and eventually managed seize Macedon by 276 BC in the wake of the chaos following the fall of the Antipatrid dynasty. The Antigonids would restore the power of Macedon and under ambitious kings exerted various degrees of control over Greece and Thrace and as far afield as southern Illyria and the coast of Asia Minor, but their conquests would draw the attention of 
Rome and embroil the Antigonids in the Macedonian Wars, ending with the fall of the Antigonid dynasty in 168 BC and Macedon's annexation as a Roman province in 146 BC.
Ingame, the Antigonids must prepare to deal with the outbreak of the Fourth War of the Diadochi that will soon force it to either concede territory or face war across multiple distant fronts, all the while dealing with a vast, research-poor and culturally and religiously divided realm that may soon face collapse and partition if the Antigonid cause cannot be maintained. If they can prevail against the odds or successfully regroup from defeat, the Antigonids are positioned to overthrow the Antipatrid dynasty and form Macedon, and from there fulfill Antigonos' ambition of reuniting the entire Argead Empire. Alternatively, if the end of the Antigonid dynasty seems imminent, the people of Asia may forsake the rule of the Antigonids in favour of the Attalid dynasty and form 
Pergamon.
Name[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Country rename events
As a dynamically named country, the name of the Antigonid Kingdom can and usually will change at some point during the game. If the ruling dynasty changes or the country is no longer a monarchy, the former Antigonid Kingdom instead will an event to break with its dynastic traditions and naming, allowing the country to choose between renaming itself into the Asian Kingdom based on the centre of its controlled territories or taking a more general name based on its capital region (e.g. Syrian Empire, Cilician Empire, Phrygian Empire, etc.).
Apart from that event, the base name of the country will always use the name of the ruler's family and takes the form [RulerDynastyAdjective] Kingdom, defaulting to Asian Kingdom as a fallback if the country ceases to exist or has no ruler for whatever reason. This behaviour is also currently active if the country loses a 
civil war.
Missions[edit | edit source]
- Main articles: Antigonid missions, Macedonian missions
With the Heirs of Alexander DLC, the Antigonid Kingdom has a unique set of 3 missions focusing on the fate of Antigonus the One-Eyed's kingdom, and the missions available depend significantly on if the Antigonids collapse through the The Antigonid Cause Wavers event. The first mission, available at the start of the game, focuses on building up the Antigonid realm, fending off the other Diadochi, and liberating the cities of Greece to reform the 
League of Corinth, but will be aborted if the Antigonid cause wavers and they cannot retain their position in Asia. The other two missions become available if the Antigonid Cause does waver and the Antigonids withdraw to the west, with the second mission focusing on conquering and reforming Macedon and consolidating control over Greece, and the third leading the Antigonids through the reconquest of Anatolia and Syria to restore their ancestral domains. These missions require that the Antigonids remain a 
monarchy and keep 
Macedonian primary culture; if either of these conditions are no longer met, the missions will automatically abort and will no longer be available until the conditions are met again.
After forming Macedon through their mission tree or otherwise finishing the second Macedonian Aspirations mission to conquer Macedon and Greece, the Antigonids will also get access to their unique Macedonian missions focusing on consolidating control over Macedon, conquering and developing the greater Greek and Aegean region, and extending Macedonian control over the Adriatic coasts of Illyria and Italy. Note that forming Macedon (or any other nation) will not make the Antigonids ineligible for either the Antigonid or Macedonian missions, as long as they meet all the other requirements.
Once either the starting Antigonus' Vision or the final Antigonid Birthright missions are successfully completed, the Hellenistic Empire Diadochi mission will become available, with a focus on restoring the Hellenistic Empire of Alexander the Great. Additionally, regardless of which DLCs are enabled, the Antigonid Kingdom always has access to the generic missions.
Events[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Diadochi events
The Antigonid Kingdom has a number of unique events that can trigger in the early game, centered around its background and interactions with the other Diadochi states, Seleukid Empire, Egypt, Macedon, and 
Thrace.
The Wars of the Diadochi[edit | edit source]
At start, all the Diadochi states will receive an event that gives them claims on all of the western half of the former Argead Empire and the special Legacy of Alexander wargoal against each other, allowing them to easily declare war and conquer much more territory from each other than would be possible in a normal war. The claims and wargoal will usually go away on the death of the first ruler unless the Argead Empire is restored within that time, but uniquely the Antigonids can keep their claims until the death of the second ruler (typically Antigonos's son Demetrios).
Fourth War of the Diadochi[edit | edit source]
Shortly after the game starts, the Antigonids will be given the choice to either resume the war in Greece against Macedon or retreat entirely, releasing all subjects and territories in the region and angering its other protected Hellenistic subject states, possibly leading to revolts. Macedon may choose to concede Korinthos (418) but they will most likely refuse the ultimatum and the Antigonids will declare war. After a few months Egypt, the Seleukid Empire, and eventually Thrace may join the fray, forcing the Antigonids to choose between conceding significant amounts of territory in Asia and the Levant - possibly including their capital - or possibly face war against all of the other four Diadochi combined. All of these wars use the Legacy of Alexander wargoal, which drastically increases the stakes of winning or losing the war.
The Antigonid Cause[edit | edit source]
When Antigonos dies, one of two events can trigger depending on whether or not the Antigonids has conquered Korinthos (418) from Macedon and maintained control over several other key cities across their vast Asian territories. If the Antigonid Kingdom owns all of the required territories at the time of Antigonos's death, they will get a 
subject loyalty bonus. If they do not, any ongoing wars against the other Diadochi will end and governors and subjects across the Antigonid realm will begin to defect from the Antigonid cause, forcing the Antigonids to choose between retreating from Asia and maintaining control over their coastal subjects and possessions with their powerful fleet, or abandoning their pretensions to the west to save the Asian core of the kingdom. In either case, some or most of their kingdom will be divided among the other Diadochi.
If the Antigonids decide to abandon Asia as historically, all of their possessions will be partitioned as follows:
- Native Anatolian division:
- All southern Anatolian subjects (in particular
Lycia and 
Olbe) will become independent - All territory conquered from the southern Anatolian tribes will be returned to their original owners
- Baris (1935) is ceded to
Sagalassia - Ariassos (7956) is ceded to
Pednelissia - Pogla (1986) and Kormasa (7954) are released as 20px Perminundia
- All starting Antigonid territories in the province of Pamphylia are released as
Pamphylia
- All southern Anatolian subjects (in particular
- Thracian division:
- If the Antigonids own Sardeis (292),
Sardis is released from the province of Lydia and the territory of Kyme (285) and becomes a 
satrapy of Thrace - Otherwise, if the Antigonids do not own Sardeis (292), but do own Pergamon (278), Pergamon is released from the provinces of Mysia Superioris and Lydia and the territory of Kyme (285) and becomes a satrapy of Thrace
- Phrygia is released from the region of Phrygia, not including Isauria, and becomes a satrapy of Thrace
- Thrace annexes all Antigonid territories in the regions of Bithynia et Paphlagonia, Thrace, and the provinces of Mysia Superioris (if Pergamon was not released), Mysia Inferioris, and Aeolis
- If it is an Antigonid subject,
Aeolia cedes Kyme (285) to either Sardis or Pergamon; Adramyttion (281), Atarna (282), and Elaia (279) to either Pergamon if it was released, or Thrace if not; and all of its other territories except for Assos (259), Antigoneia Troas (258), Ilion (257), Kebren (260), Mytiline (283), and Eresos (284) to Thrace 
Cappadocia gains all Antigonid territories in Cappadocia Taurica and becomes independent, if it is still an Antigonid subject- Any other Antigonid subjects in the region of Cappadocia Taurica are transferred to the Seleukid Empire
Bithynia and all Greek city states in the region of Bithynia et Paphlagonia and the province of Mysia Inferioris are released as independent, and any other Antigonid subjects in that region become subject to Thrace- If Thrace or a subject owns Pergamon (278), Pergamon will be released from Pergamon (278) and the neighbouring territories as a satrapy of Thrace a few months after the initial event
- Otherwise, if the Antigonid Kingdom still owns Pergamon (278) after the partition, Pergamon from all of Antigonid Asia as an independent kingdom a few months after the initial event
- If the Antigonids own Sardeis (292),
- Macedonian division:
- Egyptian division:
- Seleukid division:
- Seleukid Empire annexes all Antigonid territories in the regions of Syria, Mesopotamia, Assyria, Armenia, Persis, and Media, except for Tyros (746) and the surrounding territories
- All Antigonid subjects in the regions of Assyria, Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, and Syria (except for the provinces of North Phoenicia and South Phoenicia) are transferred to Seleukid Empire
Under some circumstances, such as if one of the other Diadochi kingdoms no longer exist, or if a Diadochi kingdom controls a significant portion of a province outside of its designated division, the partition of the Antigonid territories may go slightly - or substantially - differently.
The Antigonids will in particular keep their territories in Greece, Macedon, Cyprus, and the Tyros area, as well as their subjects in Phoenicia, Greece, and the rest of the Aegean, with bonuses to 
army and navy maintenance but maluses to subject loyalty. This will leave the Antigonids significantly weakened, but still a significant power if they can manage to keep their remaining subjects - especially feudatories - loyal. With the Heirs of Alexander DLC, this option also unlocks the last two of the Antigonid missions, as well as the possibility of accessing the Macedonian missions if they can conquer and reform Macedon.
Staying in the east and trying to hold on to Asia will instead divide their more outlying territories and subjects as follows:
- Native Anatolian division:
- Thracian division:
- If the Antigonids own Sardeis (292), Sardis is released from the province of Lydia and the territory of Kyme (285) and becomes a satrapy of Thrace
- Otherwise, if the Antigonids do not own Sardeis (292), but do own Pergamon (278), Pergamon is released from the provinces of Mysia Superioris and Lydia and the territory of Kyme (285) and becomes a satrapy of Thrace
- Thrace annexes all Antigonid territories in the regions of Bithynia et Paphlagonia, Thrace, and the provinces of Mysia Superioris (if Pergamon was not released), Mysia Inferioris, and Aeolis
- If it is an Antigonid subject, Aeolia cedes Kyme (285) to either Sardis or Pergamon; Adramyttion (281), Atarna (282), and Elaia (279) to either Pergamon if it was released, or Thrace if not; and all of its other territories except for Assos (259), Antigoneia Troas (258), Ilion (257), Kebren (260), Mytiline (283), and Eresos (284) to Thrace
- Cappadocia becomes independent, if it is still an Antigonid subject
- Any other Antigonid subjects in the region of Cappadocia Taurica are transferred to the Seleukid Empire
- Bithynia and all Greek city states in the region of Bithynia et Paphlagonia and the province of Mysia Inferioris are released as independent, and any other Antigonid subjects in that region become subject to Thrace
- If Thrace or a subject owns Pergamon (278), Pergamon will be released from Pergamon (278) and the neighbouring territories as a satrapy of Thrace a few months after the initial event
- Otherwise, if the Antigonid Kingdom still owns Pergamon (278) after the partition, Pergamon from all of Antigonid Asia as an independent kingdom a few months after the initial event
- If the Antigonids own Sardeis (292),
- Macedonian division:
- Macedon annexes all Antigonid territories in the region of Greece
- All Antigonid subjects in the region of Greece, except for the province of Cyclades, are transferred to Macedon
- All Antigonid territories in the provinces of Milyas, Caria Superioris, Caria Inferioris, Ionia, and Lycia can be either released as the independent kingdom of
Caria, or annexed directly to Macedon
- Egyptian division:
- Egypt annexes all Antigonid territories in the regions of Palestine, Upper Egypt, and Lower Egypt, and the province of Cyprus
- Seleukid division:
- Seleukid Empire annexes all Antigonid territories in the regions of Mesopotamia, Assyria, Armenia, Persis, and Media, as well as the territories of Birtha (806), Nikephorion (804), Dausara (847), Barbalissos (814), and Amphipolis Syrias (805)
- All Antigonid subjects in the regions of Assyria and Mesopotamia are transferred to Seleukid Empire
This option essentially involves abandoning Greece to preserve Phrygia, mainland Cilicia, and most of Syria, but also comes at the cost of significant hits to 
stability, 
legitimacy, 
province loyalty, subject loyalty, and 
freeman happiness. Therefore, while will the Antigonids will still retain most of their kingdom, staying in Asia will be deeply destabilizing and may cause other problems down the line.
The third and final option involves abandoning the Antigonid dynasty entirely and instead forming Pergamon under the rule of the Attalids. The new kingdom will consist only of a few territories around Pergamon (278) and become a satrapy of Thrace, leaving the rest of the realm to be partitioned as usual as the Antigonids retreat to Greece.
Antipatrid Crisis[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Macedonian events
A few years into the game, Kassandros of Macedon and then his heir Philippos IV will fall significantly ill, forcing a succession crisis once the basileus and the primary heir die that may ensue in civil war. If civil war does break out and the Antigonids had previously fled to Greece, the Antigonids will be approached by the leader of the 
Macedonian Revolt for assistance. The Antigonids can agree to his request and form an alliance or decide to betray the claimant and annex all of his lands to advance Antigonid ambitions in Macedon. The other claimant may either declare war or turn to Thrace for assistance.
Decisions[edit | edit source]
The Antigonid Kingdom has a single unique country-specific decision that allows the Antigonids to secure their control over Asia if they manage to conquer Korinthos and maintain control over the most important cities of their Asian empire, which will prevent the The Antigonid Cause Wavers event from firing and breaking up the kingdom[1]. The decision can be found in /ImperatorRome/game/decisions/phrygia.txt.
Secure Antigonid Position
To ensure the strength of Antigonos' new eastern kingdom and the freedom of the Greeks; Kassandros' occupiers in Korinthos must be cast out, our southern gains kept safe from jealous Ptolemaic schemes, and the new capital of Antigoneia defended from Seleukid ambition.
Potential requirements
|
Allow
|
Effects
| |
As well, as a country with Macedonian primary culture, the Antigonid Kingdom can form Macedon if it conquers the area and destroys the existing Antipatrid kingdom; if the Antigonids have abandoned Asia through the Antigonid Cause Wavers event, this decision is unavailable and they can instead form Macedon - with a 
variety of possible flags - through their unique Macedonian Aspirations mission tree. As a Hellenistic culture group monarchy, the Antigonid Kingdom also has access to the decision to form the Hellenistic Empire.
Form Macedon
The Barons of Macedon have always favored the strong and able over the weak and feeble. Let us seize the kingdom away from those that are leading it to ruin and create a new stronger state for the Macedonians to serve.
Potential requirements
|
Allow
|
Effects
| |
Reunite Alexander's Empire
That one power could not possibly come from any dynasty but our own. Only a family that respects the Argead traditions can legitimately claim its legacy.
Potential requirements
|
Allow
|
Effects
| |
Diplomacy[edit | edit source]
The Antigonid Kingdom begins with no allies, but has a vast network of 24 subjects across several different types, many of which can be called to war against its enemies.
Satrapies (1):
The Antigonids also start with guarantees on 
Aetolia and 
Boeotia.
Note that the Macedonian government of Cappadocia will be overthrown by event early into the game, after which they will become a tributary of 
Armenia. Depending on whether or not the Antigonids are distracted by war, the Antigonids may or may not be able to immediately contest it.
Pantheon[edit | edit source]
The Antigonid Kingdom starts with the following pantheon:
- War: Herakles (Hellenic)
- Economy: Hephaistos (Hellenic)
- Culture: Zeus (Hellenic)
- Fertility: Cybele (Cybelene)
Population[edit | edit source]
The Antigonid Kingdom has 
2363 pops at the beginning of the game, which are highly diverse and spans a wide range of culture groups and religions. About half of its population is in the Anatolian culture group with the largest proportion Phrygian, corresponding to the large Anatolian territories in Phrgyia, Asia, and Cilicia that the Antigonids rule over. Most of these pops are Cybelene, though there is substantial Hellenic penetration from the Hellenized areas of the coast, particulaly in Cilicia proper and Pamphylia. As with the other eastern Diadochi states there is a substantial Hellenistic minority following the Hellenic religion, though unlike the others much of this comes from older Ionian and Cypriot settlement along the coasts, with only a small number of Macedonian pops scattered between a few major cities. The nation's heartland of Syria is dominated by the native Phoenicians along the coast and integrated culture Aramaic pops inland, both largely Canaanite but with a significant minority of Hellenic Aramaic pops around the capital. There are also smaller minorities of Hebrew Jewish pops in the directly controlled areas of Palestine and Qedarite Arabic areas near Palmyra.
While the Antigonids have very few primary culture Macedonian pops, most of their two heartlands of Syria and Phrygia are 
integrated cultures, as well as the adjacent region of Cilicia (proper), which provides some stability to the realm and almost all of the Antigonids' 
levies. This does, however, mean they that begin with a rather low 
research efficiency.
Population Types:
- 29
Nobles (1.23%) - 487
Citizens (20.61%) - 771
Freemen (32.63%) - 449
Tribesmen (19.00%) - 627
Slaves (26.53%)
Cultural privileges[edit | edit source]
- Phrygian (Anatolian) - Integrated culture, Citizen rights, Protected Inheritances, Right of Intermarriage
- Aramaic (Aramaic) - Integrated culture, Citizen rights
- Cilician (Anatolian) - Integrated culture, Citizen rights
- Phoenician (Levantine) - Right to Enter Contracts, Protected Inheritances
- Ionian (Hellenistic) - Right to be Officer, Right of Intermarriage
- Euboean (Hellenistic) - Right of Intermarriage, Protected Inheritances
- Carian (Anatolian) - Right of Intermarriage
Strategy[edit | edit source]
The Antigonids are an excellent choice for any player who wish to see the lategame playstyle from the start. For the first 50 years of game-time (depending on your second leader's health), you are given claims on large parts of your neighbours' provinces. This puts you on a timer much like any player looking for a world conquest in the late game. Secondly, you will experience the effect of having a large population outside your culture group and of a different religion, much like any Rome player long into a world conquest. Now, with both integrated cultures and rights to give to them, there are choices on how to spend your valuable stability. You can go for a total war at the start against numerous foes, financing your war through raiding cities with your faction leader. You can also abuse the event to gain a peaceful option and diplomatically gain all the Greek states before switching to a one by one approach on the Diadochi, crushing them with your superior numbers and allies.
The Antigonids face three existential threats at the start of the campaign:
1. In a few month, around March of the new year, the Diadochi wars will resume. Within a year or two, the Antigonid Kingdom will face war on three fronts: Greece, Syria, and Egypt/Sinai. Individually, the Antigonids are stronger than Macedon and Egypt, and about the same strength as the Seleukids. However, each of the Diadochi (except Thrace) is stronger than a third of the Antigonid forces, and transporting troops between the fronts can take months (even northern Syria to Sinai), enough time for hostile sieges to finish.
2. If the Antigonids do not control all of Corinth (belongs to Macedon at game start), Chalkis (Greek front), Salamis (on Cyprus, to represent how well you maintain control of the seas), Askalon (Egyptian front) and the capital of Antigoneia (Syrian front) at some point in time (to take the Secure Antigonid Position decision), the Antigonid kingdom will fracture upon the death of Antigonus, the already-old starting ruler.
3. On the medium-term (several decades), happiness will be a problem since most of the population consist of unintegrated culture groups. This causes low research productivity and provincial loyalty problems, which could lead to mass revolts around the empire.
For successfully tackling these challenges, the Antigonids also receive perhaps the greatest reward among the Diadochi: the chance to conquer all of Thrace, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia for zero aggressive expansion and a capped 20 war exhaustion. No other nation has the guaranteed opportunity to conquer more than 500 territories and 4000 pops in one war for no aggressive expansion. This opportunity arises because the wars against Egypt, Seleukids, and Thrace are defensive wars with the Legacy of Alexander wargoal, resulting in almost 
0 AE for conquering provinces and a maximum of 
20 war exhaustion. For the ambitious player, the initial war is a golden opportunity to take as much land as possible without having to worry about subsequent low stability and province loyalty problems.
Addressing the Antigonid Cause and Imminent War:
A few months into the game an event will fire giving you the option to give up all holdings in Greece or declare on Macedon.
Giving up lands in Greece will ensure that the Antigonid kingdom will fracture, as it will not have control over Corinth or Chalkis,
so you have to go to war if you want the Antigonid Kingdom to remain intact.
In about half a year, Egypt will either declare war or issue an ultimatum for all of Syria. Half a year after than the Seleukids will declare war, and finally, half a year later, Thrace will declare war.
Antigonid forces alone cannot resist all four invasions, leaving essentially three category of options:
1. Give up one or two fronts. In particular, giving up Syria and gaining control over Macedon will unlock the Macedonian Aspirations and Antigonid Birthright mission trees.
2. Finish each war quickly so that you can concentrate your forces on one enemy at a time.
3. Gain more allies/feudatories to help you in the war.
It should be easy to gain control of Macedon if you don't care about losing most of Asia.
Finishing each war relatively quickly is also doable but challenging,
as the Antigonids do not start much stronger than the other Diadochi.
Although the Antigonid starting population is much larger than Egypt's or Macedon's, a much
smaller fraction of the Antigonid population is integrated, giving them much larger levies relative to their population.
Indeed, the Antigonid numerical advantage consists of the multiple fragmented 2k levies and greater wealth to hire mercenaries,
as the two large levies you have (Phrygia and Syria) are smaller than the two Egyptian large levies (Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt) and the Macedonian levy (Macedonia).
The key is to concentrate levies and mercenaries to take down Macedon as fast as possible (using your heavy ships to delete and breach forts, and assault key forts).
Corinth is especially important, so that you can take the Secure Antigonid Cause decision;
this gives you more leeway in losing ground in Syria.
There probably is not time to finish Macedon before Egypt declares war, so you should leave at least ~10k troops to guard Askalon and hopefully snipe small Egyptian stacks.
Keep in mind that it takes months for troops to travel from Phrygia/western Anatolia to the [[[Egypt|Egyptian]] border (naval transport is faster but riskier, as the Egyptians start with a larger fleet),
so these troops should be sent to Egypt as soon as war with Macedon starts.
When most of Macedon is captured, you can raise the Macedonian levy (which should be quite large)
which can be shipped to Egypt with the rest of your army.
Make sure to wait until you have most of the Macedonian pops before doing this to get the largest possible levy, as you cannot re-raise a levy.
By this time, the Seleukids will have probably joined the war, but it takes a while for them to move their troops to the front.
It will be difficult to hold back both Egypt and the Seleukids since they both outnumber half of your army.
You could either try to white peace one of them as fast as possible (by winning battles to secure war score) or take over one party's core provinces as fast as possible (and allow the other to temporarily take your core lands), peace them out (you still need battles),
and then concentrate on the other. Your manpower will probably suffer from repeated battles (and possibly assaults), so be sure to conserve it to finish the war. Be prepared to lose units from your Syrian levy/legion, one of your main levies, as your core provinces inevitably get taken (at least temporarily) by the enemy. Provided you have enough manpower, you can take as much land as you want for no aggressive expansion at all.
Finally there's Thrace, which is small enough not to worry about and usually finds themselves fighting their own subjects first. Your starting feudatories in Greece, coupled with a small army, should be sufficient to tackle them.
This war becomes easier with allies. 
Kush is a useful ally against Egypt, and Armenia is useful against the Seleukids. In Greece, it is possible to diplomatically vassalize all of Greece (including Epirus) before the war. The enlarged vassal-swarm is sufficient to take down Macedon, although you may want to keep a token force with attachment allowed to guide AI armies. This allows you to concentrate on Egypt from an earlier time, making the war in the East more manageable. The easiest way to secure these feudatories is to take the 
Defending Liberty invention, which reduces your starting 10 AE to zero. An 
alliance and one gift is then sufficient to persuade all of Greece to become your feudatories.
Switching the law to "King of Kings" could also be helpful, as it provides additional relation slots, allowing you to spam alliances with the Greek cities.
This needs to be done quickly, as Egypt's declaration of war will pull all these allies into the war, making it impossible to send feudatory requests.
Mercenaries are very helpful in these wars. To obtain enough money to pay for these mercenaries, make sure to conserve your treasury (possibly holding off on missions that require a large initial gold investment), establish import trade routes in all your provinces, and diligently accepting export requests for your trade goods. Switching commerce policy to provide extra export value (in exchange for reduced capital import routes) could also be helpful in the beginning. While fighting the wars, try having your ruler-led levy capture cities to gain a hefty amount of gold for each captured city.
Addressing internal stability:
The Antigonid Kingdom starts the game with multiple internal problems that the player will have to address.
These are more medium-term concerns that can be ignored while you are fighting the other Diadochi, but should be urgently addressed after the initial wars.
Because most of its population, even in the capital region and province, are of a different culture group, happiness is low across the empire, leading to poor research; over time, this will cause the Antigonids to fall behind in technology and inventions. Moreover, aggressive expansion will lead to lower stability affecting the happiness all provinces of the Antigonid Kingdom, making rebellions a very real danger in the medium term. Having a capital surplus of 
Dyes, 
Precious Metals and 
Fish to improve your national noble, citizen and freemen happiness should therefore be a priority.
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which belongs to your tributary, also provides 
+5% happiness for unintegrated culture groups. If they offer to become your client state, integrating them as soon as possible could provide another key happiness boost. You can also take religious inventions, which often offer happiness bonuses. Finally, in large rebellious provinces, you can import noble and citizen happiness goods to raise local happiness. As a last resort, a ruler-led levy can travel to the province and use 
anabasis to temporarily raise province loyalty.
Middle game:
After the initial wars, the two main opponents are Rome (who usually would have united Italy by the time your initial wars finish) and 
Maurya. You should be more powerful than both, but not by as much as population ratios would suggest, since most of their pops will be integrated while most of yours not. When attacking one of them, make sure not to commit all your troops to that front, because the AI likes to declare war when you are at war with someone else. Therefore, you should leave levies and mercenary slots to defend the other front in case the AI declares war on you. Only a small force is needed to defend the war goal, as the AI often fails to beeline to the war goal. Integrating large cultures (in particular Bohairic and Babylonian) could also help with your levy size.
Alternate strategy: Instead of going to war with Macedon the normal way, it’s possible to declare war when the event fires. That way the rest of the diadochi won’t go to war with you. After that it’s recommended to go to war with Egypt after Macedon This way you will be able to obtain some of the best provinces in the game.
Peaceful expansion[edit | edit source]
Due to the nation's Macedonian culture, you have a +10 relations with all nations of Greek culture, this combined with +25 from gift and an alliance offer will give you 100 relations. (If they are trading with you, you gain an additional 20 relations). 100 relation is the ideal spot in diplomacy as this will give you the option of making them a tribute/feudatory which costs no diplomatic slots. (Feudatories can also be annexed when at 190 relations). (Or get lucky in the Olympics and gain a +20 relations to all Hellenic nations). The Proclamation of Tyre mission is vital here as it raises relations by 30 with all Hellenistic minors. Since you will have huge amounts of AE after the first war alliances are required to negate the negative relations to reach 100, therefore the Antigonids should NOT become a great power until all the Greek Minors are vassalized.
Why is this even important? Well, it makes it possible for some diplomatic expansion before beginning the annexing of the Diadochi ( Egypt/ Macedon/ Thrace/ Seleukid Empire). The main goal of this is both to gain allies in future wars and reduce Aggressive expansion gain. Lastly, it will make it possible to quickly and easily annex the Greek cities through a mission, gained after using the decision to create the nation of Macedonia after you've annexed it.
Strategy could be as follows: first, go through your mission tree, annex Macedon and force Egypt to release 
Andros. Secondly, look over possible trading agreements with minor Greek states, to gain +20 relations to negate the negative relation that your 10 Aggressive expansion is giving as of now. (To reduce this quickly, do not go to war, put the 11 Charisma skill advisor in your court to reduce Aggressive expansion and start Zeus's omen. Gain some Tyranny). Try to avoid allying any state which is in war, as they cannot be made a Feudatory while in war. You cannot have too many alliances as it will reduce your political power gain, and if you have many enough, it will make them unlikely to accept. So when you're sure you will gain 100 relations, ally, gift and vassalize as many as possible over 3 months' time. Repeat until all nations in your culture group is part of your empire. This can be done with Greek city states in Italy, the Black Sea and even the Western Mediterranean as well provided your diplomatic range reaches far enough, form Macedon (which moves your capital to Pella) will help with this.
With sufficiently aggressive diplomatic overtures (including taking the invention to clear Antigonos's starting aggressive expansion) it is even possible to vassalize most to all of Greece in the first few months of the game, which will be a significant boost in the initial war against the other Diadochi.
Epirus is a nice example of this, as close to the start of the start of the game you will gain an marriage event which will give you +50 relations with the nation, just ally it and then make it a feudatory. Quick and easy.
After forming Macedon you'll be able to go through a mission tree which gives you an end mission to annex most the cities in Greece instantly and for free.
Achievements[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Despite the decision's tooltip, the Antigonid Kingdom does not actually need to maintain control of all the required cities after enacting the decision to prevent the event from firing.
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