Bible Dictionaries
Seleucids (2)

Holman Bible Dictionary

(sseh lew' cihdss) Descendants of Seleucus, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. Following the death of Alexander, 323 B.C., his kingdom was divided among five of his leading commanders. Seleucus chose for himself the eastern part of the empire around the city of Babylon. During the next several years, much confusion prevailed. Seleucus was forced to leave Babylon for a time and take refuge with his friend Ptolemy, ruler of Egypt. With the help of Ptolemy, he later was able to control Babylon again. The important date Isaiah 312 B.C. The Syrian calendar has its beginning at this time.

The overall situation remained unchanged until the battle of Ipsus, 301 B.C. In that battle four of the generals, including Seleucus, fought against Antigonus who had become the most powerful of the generals and claimed to be king over much of Asia Minor and northern Syria. Antigonus was slain in the battle, and his territory was given to Seleucus along with title to the land of Palestine. However, Ptolemy took control of Palestine, and his successors retained it for over a hundred years. This was a serious point of contention between the two empires throughout this period of time.

Seleucus was assassinated in 281 B.C. Antiochus I, his son, became ruler and made peace with the Egyptians. He sought throughout his reign to consolidate his rule, but the years were for the most part a time of intense struggle and warfare. At his death in 262 or early 261 B.C., his son Antiochus II became king (261-246 B.C.). During the early years of Antiochus II, conflict continued with Egypt. When peace between the two nations was reached in 253 B.C., Ptolemy offered his daughter to Antiochus as wife with the understanding that he would desert his first wife. The goal was that a son born to this marriage would become the ruler of the Seleucid Empire and cement relations between the two. However, it did not work out in this way, and Antiochus died in 246 B.C., perhaps murdered by his first wife.

The eldest son of Antiochus, Seleucus II, was named king. He ruled until his death in 226 B.C.; however, some Syrians, along with Egypt, supported the infant son of the second wife of Antiochus. The Egyptian army could not reach the area quickly enough to defend the child, and Seleucus was able to regain control of the territory ruled by his father, some of which had been lost at the time of his father's death. In 241 B.C., peace was again reached between the Seleucids and Egypt. When Seleucus died as the result of falling from his horse, his son Alexander became king as Seleucus III. He was assassinated in 223 B.C. and was succeeded by his son Antiochus III, known as Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.). See Intertestamental History for Antiochus III, Seleucus IV, and Antiochus IV.

With the death of Antiochus Epiphanes, the situation of the Seleucids fell into disarray. From this time on it seems that more than one strong individual was contending for the crown at all times. Lysias had been left with responsibility for the care of the young son of Epiphanes. He assumed that upon the death of the king the son would become king. But before his death the king had evidently appointed Philip, a close friend with him in the East, to be king. Philip returned to Antioch, the capital in Syria, and this forced Lysias to cut off his efforts to quell the Jewish revolt. In his effort to bring peace, he granted religious freedom to the Jews. Lysias was able to thwart the effort of Philip, and the son, Antiochus V, reigned as king for a brief time (164-162 B.C.).

Demetrius, the young son of Seleucus IV, was a hostage in Rome. His desire to return home at the death of his father was denied. When Antiochus IV died, he managed to escape from Rome and fled to Syria, 162 B.C. He had himself proclaimed as king and had Lysias and Antiochus V put to death. He remained as king until 150 B.C. These years were involved in attempts to put down the Jewish revolt and to consolidate and expand his position in the East.

A strong rival appeared—Alexander Balas. He claimed to be the illegitimate son of Antiochus Epiphanes. In 153 B.C., the Roman senate acknowledged him as king of Syria although the senate was probably aware that his claim was false. The two rivals both made extensive offers to the Jews for their support. Jonathan, the Jewish leader, supported Alexander, who, in 150 B.C., gained victory over Demetrius, who was killed in battle. Alexander reigned until 145 B.C., supported at first by the ruler of Egypt, who gave Alexander his daughter in marriage. When Ptolemy learned that Alexander was plotting to kill him, he turned against Alexander, brought his daughter back, and offered her in marriage to the young son of Demetrius. Defeated in battle by Ptolemy, Alexander fled to Arabia, where he was killed. The young son of Demetrius, Demetrius II, was made king (145-139,129-125 B.C.).

Needing their support, Demetrius granted political freedom to the Jews during the early years of his reign. One of his generals, Tryphon, supported Alexander Balas' young son, who claimed the throne as Antiochus VI (145-142 B.C.). Tryphon had Antiochus murdered and had himself proclaimed as king (142-139 B.C.). Demetrius II was taken prisoner in a campaign against the Parthians, and his brother Antiochus VII (139-128 B.C.) became king. He defeated Tryphon, who then committed suicide. Antiochus made one last effort to interfere in the life of the Jews. In 133 B.C., he invaded Judea and began a siege of Jerusalem that lasted for almost a year. Finally, peace was made between him and John Hyrcanus, guaranteeing the independence of the Jews from Syrian intervention. Antiochus made a campaign against the Parthians where he died.

With the death of Antiochus VII, the Seleucids ceased to be a major factor in the political life of the eastern Mediterranean world. Although Demetrius was released by the Parthians and resumed his role as king, neither he nor any other person was able to gain firm control of the empire. The following years were filled with internal conflict that drained the resources of the empire and saw at least ten persons claim rule in less than fifty years. In 83 B.C., the king of Armenia took possession of Syria, and the rule of the Seleucids came to an end.

Clayton Harrop