Seleucid dynasty

The Seleucid dynasty or the Seleucidae (Template:IPAc-en; Template:Langx, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, "descendants of Seleucus") was a Macedonian Greek royal family, which ruled the Seleucid Empire based in West Asia during the Hellenistic period. It was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, a general and successor of Alexander the Great, after the division of the Macedonian Empire as a result of the Wars of the Successors (Diadochi).

Through its history, the Seleucid dominion included large parts of the Near East, as well as of the Asian territory of the earlier Achaemenid Persian Empire. A major center of Hellenistic culture, it attracted a large number of immigrants from Greece who, encouraged by the Seleucids, formed a dominant political elite under the ruling dynasty.Template:Sfn After the death of Seleucus I, his successors maintained the empire's strength establishing it as a Greek power in West Asia;Template:Sfn the empire reached its height under emperor Antiochus III.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> From the mid-second century BC, after its defeat at the hands of the resurgent Parthian Empire, the polity entered a state of instability with slow territorial losses and internecine civil wars. The Seleucids, now reduced to a rump state occupying a small part of Syria succumbed to the Rome's annexation of their territory in 64 BC under Pompey the Great.

History

Background

Seleucus (Template:C. 358 – 281 BC) served as an officer of Alexander the Great, commanding the elite infantry corps in the Macedonian army: the "Shield-bearers" (Template:Langx, Hypaspistai), later known as the "Silvershields" ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, Argyraspides).Template:Sfn After the death of Alexander in 323 BC, the Partition of Triparadisus assigned Seleucus as satrap of Babylon in 321 BC.Template:Sfn Antigonus, the satrap of much of Asia Minor, forced Seleucus to flee from Babylon, but, supported by Ptolemy, the Satrap of Egypt, Seleucus returned in 312 BC.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Seleucus' later conquests included Persia and Media. He agreed to a peace treaty with the Indian King Chandragupta Maurya (reigned 324-297 BC).Template:Sfn Seleucus defeated Antigonus in the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC and Lysimachus (King of Thrace, Macedon and Asia Minor) in the battle of Corupedium (near Sardis) in 281 BC.Template:Sfn<ref name=":0" /> Ptolemy Ceraunus assassinated Seleucus later in the same year. Seleucus' eldest son Antiochus I succeeded him as ruler of the Seleucid territories in 281 BC.

Seleucid rulers

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Seleucid Rulers

Portrait	King	Reign (BC)	Consort(s)	Comments
	Seleucus I Nicator	Satrap 320–315, 312–305 BC King 305–281 BC	Apama
	Antiochus I Soter	co-ruler from 291, ruled 281–261 BC	Stratonice of Syria	Co-ruler with his father for 10 years.
File:AntiochusIIMET.jpg	Antiochus II Theos	261–246 BC	Template:Blist	Berenice was a daughter of Ptolemy II of Egypt. Laodice I had her and her son murdered.
File:Seleucus II Callinicus.jpg	Seleucus II Callinicus	246–225 BC	Laodice II	Brother of Antiochus Hierax
File:SeleucusIII coin, one side.jpg	Seleucus III Ceraunus (or Soter)	225–223 BC		Seleucus III was assassinated by members of his army.
File:AntiochosIII.JPG	Antiochus III the Great	223–187 BC	Template:Blist	Antiochus III was a brother of Seleucus III.
File:SeleucusIV - coin - face.JPG	Seleucus IV Philopator	187–175 BC	Laodice IV	This was a brother-sister marriage.
File:Antiochos, son of Seleukos IV obverse.jpg	Antiochus (son of Seleucus IV)	175–170 BC		Antiochus IV as co-ruler.
File:Antiochos IV Epiphanes face.png	Antiochus IV Epiphanes	175–164 BC	Laodice IV	This was a brother-sister marriage.
File:Antiochos V Eupator tetradrachm obverse.jpg	Antiochus V Eupator	164–162 BC		Son of Antiochus IV and Laodice IV
File:Demetrius I.png	Demetrius I Soter	162–150 BC	Template:Blist	Son of Seleucus IV Philopator and Laodice IV.
File:Alexander I Syria-Antiochia face.jpg	Alexander I Balas	150–145 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Son of Antiochus IV and Laodice IV.
File:DemetriusII, coin, face.jpg	Demetrius II Nicator	first reign, 145–138 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Son of Demetrius I.
File:AntiochusVI, coin, face.jpg	Antiochus VI Dionysus (or Epiphanes)	145/144–142/141 BC?		Son of Alexander Balas and Cleopatra Thea.
File:Tryphon coin.jpg	Diodotus Tryphon	142/141–138 BC		General who was a regent for Antiochus VI Dionysus. Took the throne after murdering his charge.
File:Antiochus VII coin (Mary Harrsch).jpg	Antiochus VII Sidetes (or Euergetes)	138–129 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Son of Demetrius I.
File:DemetriusII, coin, face.jpg	Demetrius II Nicator	second reign, 129–125 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Demetrius was murdered at the instigation of his wife Cleopatra Thea.
File:Aleksander II Zabinas face.png	Alexander II Zabinas	128–123 BC		Counter-king who claimed to be an adoptive son of Antiochus VII Sidetes.
File:Cleopatra Thea face.png	Cleopatra Thea	125–121 BC		Daughter of Ptolemy VI of Egypt. Married to three kings: Alexander Balas, Demetrius II Nicator, and Antiochus VII Sidetes. Mother of Antiochus VI, Seleucus V, Antiochus VIII Grypus, and Antiochus IX Cyzicenus. Coregent with Antiochus VIII Grypus.
	Seleucus V Philometor	126/125 BC		Murdered by his mother Cleopatra Thea.
File:Antiochus VIII face.png	Antiochus VIII Grypus	125–96 BC	Template:Blist
File:Antiochus IX face.png	Antiochus IX Cyzicenus	116/113–95 BC	Template:Blist
File:Seleucus VI Epiphanes.png	Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator	96–94 BC
File:Antioco X Eusebes Filopator, tetradracma, face.jpg	Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator	95–92 BC or 95-88 BC	Cleopatra Selene I
File:DemetriusIII.png	Demetrius III Eucaerus (or Philopator)	96–87 BC
File:Antiochus 11.png	Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus	94–93 BC
File:Philipus I.png	Philip I Philadelphus	94–75 BC or 94-83 BC
File:Antiochos XII.jpg	Antiochus XII Dionysus	87–82 BC
	Cleopatra Selene or Seleucus VII	82–69 BC
File:Antiochus XIII.jpg	Antiochus XIII Asiaticus	82–64 BC
	Philip II Philoromaeus	65–64 BC or 69-64 BC (Died Possibly c.56 BC)

See also

• List of kings of Persia
• List of Syrian monarchs

Footnotes

References

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Sources

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External links

• Livius, The Seleucid Empire Template:Webarchive by Jona Lendering