Seleucus’s Dominion Shall Be A Great Dominion (Daniel 11:5b)

It was this Scripture – Daniel 11:5b – which intrigued the coconut – throwing chimpanzee schoolmaster, Co-Co, in his youth. He became curious as to:

• Why was it that The Seleucid Empire became so great – almost as great as Alexander’s vast domain?
• What kind of a man was Seleucus?
• How did Seleucus come to have such a dominion when, at the death of Alexander, he was not even given a satrap [province] to govern? Perdiccas ( the Regent named by Alexander’s generals to govern until Alexander’s son borne by Roxana, Alexander IV, would come of age,) appointed satraps for the parts of Alexander’s Empire in The Partition of Babylon (323 B.C.E.) but Seleucus was not among them. And yet at his tragic and untimely death in 281 B.C.E. , Seleucus had gained control of almost all of Alexander’s Empire.

In his endeavours to answer these questions Co-Co became acquainted with the mighty commander. Like many students of the Hellenistic era, Seleucus became a hero of the chimpanzee schoolmaster. His students came to revere the brilliant ruler also and to delight in recounting his exploits. Co-Co introduced us to sources such as:

• ‘Historia Nova’: Seleucid History, Episodes I, II, III, IV, V & VI.

• ‘The Hellenistic Age Podcast’

• Thirsites The Historian

(Of course, before we young chimpanzee students began viewing these specialist podcasts, we had to acquire the fundamental historical knowledge from encyclopaedias. Woe betide any chimpanzee scholar who did not master this information!)

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.
	Antiochus II Theos	261–246 BC	Laodice IBerenice	Berenice was a daughter of Ptolemy II of Egypt. Laodice I had her and her son murdered.
	Seleucus II Callinicus	246–225 BC	Laodice II
	Seleucus III Ceraunus (or Soter)	225–223 BC		Seleucus III was assassinated by members of his army.
	Antiochus III the Great	223–187 BC	Laodice IIIEuboea of Chalcis	Antiochus III was a brother of Seleucus III.
	Seleucus IV Philopator	187–175 BC	Laodice IV	This was a brother-sister marriage.
	Antiochus (son of Seleucus IV)	175–170 BC		Antiochus IV as co-ruler.
	Antiochus IV Epiphanes	175–163 BC	Laodice IV	This was a brother-sister marriage.
	Antiochus V Eupator	163–161 BC
	Demetrius I Soter	161–150 BC	Apama ?Laodice V?	Son of Seleucus IV Philopator and Laodice IV.
	Alexander I Balas	150–145 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Son of Antiochus IV and Laodice IV.
	Demetrius II Nicator	first reign, 145–138 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Son of Demetrius I.
	Antiochus VI Dionysus (or Epiphanes)	145–140 BC?		Son of Alexander Balas and Cleopatra Thea.
	Diodotus Tryphon	140–138 BC		General who was a regent for Antiochus VI Dionysus. Took the throne after murdering his charge.
	Antiochus VII Sidetes (or Euergetes)	138–129 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Son of Demetrius I.
	Demetrius II Nicator	second reign, 129–126 BC	Cleopatra Thea	Demetrius was murdered at the instigation of his wife Cleopatra Thea.
	Alexander II Zabinas	129–123 BC		Counter-king who claimed to be an adoptive son of Antiochus VII Sidetes.
	Cleopatra Thea	126–121 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.
	Antiochus VIII Grypus	125–96 BC	Tryphaena of EgyptCleopatra Selene I of Egypt
	Antiochus IX Cyzicenus	114–96 BC	Cleopatra IV of EgyptCleopatra Selene I of Egypt
	Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator	96–95 BC
	Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator	95–92 BC or 83 BC	Cleopatra Selene I
	Demetrius III Eucaerus (or Philopator)	95–87 BC
	Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus	95–92 BCE
	Philip I Philadelphus	95–84/83 BC
	Antiochus XII Dionysus	87–84 BC
	Cleopatra Selene or Seleucus VII	83–69 BC
	Antiochus XIII Asiaticus	69–64 BC
	Philip II Philoromaeus	65–63 BC

The man who founded such a dynasty, Seleucus I, was a mighty man among many other worthies. He rose from a subordinate position among the successors of Alexander – subordinate to Ptolemy, as Daniel 11:5b states at The Partition of Babylon (323 B.C.E.) where he was made Commander of The Companions under Perdiccas, and Satrap of Babylon at The Partition of Triparadisus (319 B.C.E.) The Table below notes the many men who had served under Alexander, and who, in Four Wars, fought against each other in varying alliances until only Seleucus was left, having established his great dynasty along with Ptolemy and Cassander who established their dynasties in Egypt and Greece and Macedonia. (N.B. Sources for this period of history (Diodorus Siculus, Justin and Arrian) vary in some details.

Summary table, Babylon and Triparadisus

	Partition of Babylon	Partition of Triparadisus
Role or Region	Diodorus Siculus	Justin	Arrian+ / Dexippus*	Diodorus Siculus	Arrian
King of Macedon	Philip III	Philip III	Philip III+	Philip III and Alexander IV	Philip III and Alexander IV
Regent	Perdiccas	Perdiccas	Perdiccas+	Antipater	Antipater
Commander of the Companions	Seleucus	Seleucus	n/a	Cassander	Cassander
Commander of the Guards	n/a	Cassander	n/a	n/a	n/a
Macedon	Antipater	Antipater	Antipater+* and Craterus+	Antipater	Antipater
Illyria	Antipater	Philo	Antipater+* and Craterus+	Antipater	Antipater
Epirus	Antipater	n/a	Antipater+* and Craterus+	Antipater	Antipater
Greece	Antipater	Antipater	Antipater+* and Craterus+	Antipater	Antipater
Thrace	Lysimachus	Lysimachus	Lysimachus+*	Lysimachus	Lysimachus
Hellespontine Phrygia	Leonnatus	Leonnatus+*	Leonnatus	Arrhidaeus	Arrhidaeus
Greater Phrygia	Antigonus	Antigonus	Antigonus+*	Antigonus	Antigonus
Pamphylia	Antigonus	Nearchus	Antigonus+*	Antigonus	Antigonus
Lycia	Antigonus	Nearchus	Antigonus+*	Antigonus	Antigonus
Caria	Asander	Cassander	Cassander+	Asander	Asander
Lydia	Menander	Menander	Menander+*	Cleitus the White	Cleitus the White
Cappadocia	Eumenes	Eumenes	Eumenes+*	Nicanor	Nicanor
Paphlagonia	Eumenes	Eumenes	Eumenes+*	Nicanor?	Nicanor?
Cilicia	Philotas	Philotas	Philotas+*	Philoxenus	Philoxenus
Egypt	Ptolemy	Ptolemy	Ptolemy+*	Ptolemy	Ptolemy
Syria	Laomedon	Laomedon	Laomedon+*	Laomedon	Laomedon
Mesopotamia	Arcesilaus	Arcesilaus	Arcesilaus*	Amphimachus	Amphimachus
Babylonia	Archon	Peucestas	Seleucus*	Seleucus	Seleucus
Pelasgia	n/a	Archon	n/a	n/a	n/a
Greater Media	Peithon	Atropates	Peithon*	Peithon	Peithon
Lesser Media	Atropates	Atropates	n/a	n/a	n/a
Susiana	n/a	Scynus	n/a	Antigenes	Antigenes
Persia	Peucestas	Tlepolemus	Peucestas*	Peucestas	Peucestas
Carmania	Tlepolemus	n/a	Neoptolemus*	Tlepolemus	Tlepolemus
Armenia	n/a	Phrataphernes	n/a	n/a	n/a
Hyrcania	Phrataphernes	Philip	Phrataphernes	Philip?	Philip?
Parthia	Phrataphernes	Nicanor	n/a	Philip	Philip
Sogdiana	Philip	Scythaeus	Philip*	Stasanor	Stasanor
Bactria	Philip	Amyntas	n/a 1	Stasanor	Stasanor
Drangiana	Stasanor	Stasanor	Stasanor*	Stasander	Stasander
Aria	Stasanor	Stasanor	Stasanor*	Stasander	Stasander
Arachosia	Sibyrtius	Sibyrtius	Sibyrtius*	n/a	Sibyrtius
Gedrosia	Sibyrtius	Sibyrtius	Sibyrtius*	n/a	Sibyrtius? 2
Paropamisia	Oxyartes	Oxyartes? 3	Oxyartes*	Oxyartes	Oxyartes
Punjab	Taxiles	Taxiles	Taxiles*	Taxiles	Taxiles
Indus	Porus	Peithon, son of Agenor	Porus*	Porus	Porus
Gandhara	Peithon, son of Agenor	Peithon, son of Agenor	Peithon, son of Agenor	Peithon, son of Agenor	Peithon, son of Agenor

Seleucus attained his vast possessions by his:

• Involvement in the assassination of Perdicccas
• Alliance with Ptolemy on land and sea
• Personal courage and reputation amongst the soldiers and cavalry which drew men to him all his life
• Subjugation of Babylonia and the Eastern Provinces of Alexander’s Empire
• Wise governance and rule of Babylonia and his Provinces
• Loyalty to his Persian wife, Apama, – unlike the other generals who repudiated their Persian wives

• Military skill – particularly in the use of Indian elephants

• Diplomatic alliances – notably with Chandragupta in 303 B.C.E. in India
• Courage on the battlefield – in one instance he approached the enemy soldiers and persuaded them to defect to his army
• Strategic clemency towards his enemy, Demetrius
• Forbearance towards his former ally, Ptolemy, who after The Battle of Ipsus (301 B.C.E.) kept the territories of Coele-Syria which were legally Seleucus’s.

• Appointing his son Antichus I Soter as his co-ruler and viceroy of the Eastern Provinces in 292 B.C.E.
• wisdom in preparation for his final conquest – Macedon and Greece

Seleucus’s history is legendary also for his heroic strength, the oracles which prophesied his great rise to power, the unique love story of his later years, and his tragic death.

Next Week: The Heroic Strength of Seleucus; The Prophecies of Seleucus’s Rise to Power; The Seleucid/Antiochus/ Stratonice Romance Which Fascinated The Hellenistic World; & Seleucus’s tragic end as The Last of Alexander’s Successors.