Seleucus’ kingdom survived his sudden death. While Antiochus I Soter dealt with affairs in the central and eastern satrapies, a Seleucid general, Patrocles, held Asia west of the Taurus for his king (Memnon, BNJ 424, Fr. 1.9.1). In Macedonia Ptolemy Ceraunus seized power. In a treaty with his half-brother Ptolemy II Philadelphus he gave up all claim to Egypt; in exchange Ptolemy II recognized him as King of Macedonia (Just. XVII 2,9). Antigonus Gonatas attempted to invade Macedonia by sea, but Ptolemy Ceraunus defeated him (Memnon, BNJ 424, Fr. 1.8.4-6; Just. XXIV 1,8). Antigonus’ defeat encouraged revolts in his dominions in Greece: the Athenians regained control of the Peiraeus around this time (Paus. I 26), and the Boeotians, who still stood under Antigonus’ control in 280 (Memnon, BNJ 424, Fr. 1.8.6) probably revolted around this time as well as they are independent by late 279 (Paus. X 20). Antiochus I Soter made peace with Ptolemy Ceraunus (Trog. Prol. 17; Just.
XXIV 1), presumably on the basis of the status quo - that is to say, Antiochus I would hold what his father had conquered in Asia Minor and Ptolemy Cer-aunus would hold Macedonia.
However, Ptolemy Ceraunus would not enjoy his kingdom for long. In 279 Celtic tribes, the so-called Galatians, who had been migrating southwards down the Balkan peninsula, entered Macedonia. Since only half the migrating Galatians were men of fighting age, entire tribes with women and children were clearly on the move (Liv. XXXVIII 16). They intended to win new land and to settle there. Ptolemy Ceraunus fell in battle against them, and the Galatians overran Macedonia (Just. XXIV 5; Diod. XXII 3-4).
In Greece and Asia Minor, meanwhile, Antigonus Gonatas and Antiochus I Soter were at war. Antiochus I had by now come to his westernmost satrapies and was attempting to subjugate the Bithynians, but Antigonus took the Bithynians’ side (Memnon, BNJ 424, Fr. 1.10.2; Trog. Prol. 24). When the Galatians invaded and moved from Macedonia into Greece, neither Antigonus nor Antiochus I sought to do much. The central Greek states - in particular the Aetolians - organized their own defense and managed, with help from heavy snowfalls, to force the Galatians from Greece during the winter of 279-78 (Paus. X 19-23).
World History
