
Antipater (400 BC-319 BC) was regent of Macedon from 320 to 319 BC during the Wars of the Diadochi. He was the father of Cassander.
Biography[]
Antipater was born in Paliura, Macedonia in 400 BC, the son of Iollas and the brother of Cassander, and, in 342 BC, King Philip II of Macedon made him regent of Macedon during his campaigns in Thrace and against the Scythians. In 342 BC, Antipater sent Macedonian troops to stop Athens from expelling pro-Macedonian rulers from Euboea, and, from 337 to 336 BC, he was sent as an ambassador to Athens to negotiate a peace treaty following the Battle of Chaeronea.
Rise to power[]

Antipater in 331 BC
Antipater went on to become a great friend to Alexander the Great and his mother Olympias, and he aided Alexander in seizing power after Philip's death. He joined Parmenion in advising Alexander, and, during Alexander's conquest of the Persian Empire, he was named strategos of Europe, serving until 323 BC. In 330 BC, he slew King Agis III of Sparta in battle near Megalopolis when Sparta rebelled against Macedonian hegemony in Greece. In 324 BC, Antipater was asked to bring reinforcements to Alexander at Babylon, but Alexander died in 323 BC. Antipater took control of Greece during the ensuing succession dispute, and he faced wars with Athens, the Aetolian League, and the Thessalian League in the Lamian War, defeating them at Crannon in 322 BC and breaking up the coalition. In 321 BC, he invaded Asia when Perdiccas attempted to make himself the new King, but Perdiccas was murdered by his own men before battle could be joined. In 321 BC, Antipater became regent of all of Alexander's empire, and he served as guardian of Alexander IV of Macedon and Philip III of Macedon. He quelled a mutiny of his troops before returning to Macedonia in 340 BC, and he died of old age in 319 BC at the age of 81. His son Cassander deposed Antipater's chosen successor Polyperchon to become regent.