Seleucid dynasty

Seleucids Σελευκίδαι
Royal house
The Vergina Sun remained a principal standard of the Seleucid dynasty, although the anchor and elephant were more prevalent.
Country	Syria, Persia
Founded	312 BC
Founder	Seleucus I
Final ruler	Philip II Philoromaeus
Titles	Lord of Asia Shahanshah Basileus of Persia Basileus of Syria King of Babylonia King of Armenia King of Macedon (claimed)
Dissolution	64 BC
Cadet branches	Diodotid dynasty (Bactria)(?)

History of Greater Iran
Pre-Islamic BCE / BC Prehistory Kura–Araxes culture c. 3400 – c. 2000 Proto-Elamite civilization 3200–2800 Elamite dynasties 2800–550 Jiroft culture Mannaea Lullubi/Zamua Gutians Cyrtian Corduene Bactria–Margiana Complex 2200–1700 Avestan period c. 1500 BCE – 500 BCE Kingdom of Mannai 10th–7th century Neo-Assyrian Empire 911–609 Urartu 860–590 Median Empire 728–550 Scythian Kingdom 652–625 Achaemenid Empire 550–330 Ancient kingdom of Armenia 331 BCE – 428 CE Seleucid Empire 330–150 Caucasian Iberia c. 302 BCE – 580 CE Greco-Bactrian Kingdom 250–125 Parthian Empire 248 BCE–224 CE Caucasian Albania 2nd century BCE – 8th century CE Roman Empire 27 BCE – 330 CE CE / AD Kushan Empire 30–275 Sasanian Empire 224–651 Afrighid dynasty 305–995 Hephthalite Empire 425–557 Kabul Shahi kingdom 565–879 Dabuyid dynasty 642–760 Bagratid Armenia 880s – 1045 Alania 8th/9th century – 1238 / 9 Kingdom of Georgia 1008–1490
Islamic Rashidun Caliphate 637–651 Umayyad Caliphate 661–750 Abbasid Caliphate 750–1258 Shirvanshah 799–1607 Tahirid dynasty 821–873 Dulafid dynasty 840–897 Zaydis of Tabaristan 864–928 Saffarid dynasty 861–1003 Samanid Empire 819–999 Sajid dynasty 889/90–929 Ziyarid dynasty 928–1043 Buyid dynasty 934–1055 Sallarid dynasty 941–1062 Ghaznavid Empire 975–1187 Ghurid dynasty pre-879 – 1215 Seljuk Empire 1037–1194 Khwarazmian dynasty 1077–1231 Sultanate of Rum 1077–1307 Salghurids 1148–1282 Ilkhanate 1256–1353 Kart dynasty 1231–1389 Ottoman Empire 1299–1923 Muzaffarid dynasty 1314–1393 Chupanid dynasty 1337–1357 Jalairid Sultanate 1339–1432 Timurid Empire 1370–1507 Qara Qoyunlu Turcomans 1407–1468 Aq Qoyunlu Turcomans 1378–1508 Safavid Empire 1501–1722 Mughal Empire 1526–1857 Hotak dynasty 1722–1729 Afsharid Iran 1736–1750 Zand dynasty 1750–1794 Durrani Empire 1794–1826 Qajar Iran 1794–1925
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The Seleucid dynasty or the Seleucidae (/sɪˈluːsɪˌdiː/; Greek: Σελευκίδαι, Seleukídai, "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.^[1] After the death of Seleucus I, his successors maintained the empire's strength establishing it as a Greek power in West Asia;^[2] the empire reached its height under emperor Antiochus III.^[3] 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 (c. 358 – 281 BC) served as an officer of Alexander the Great, commanding the elite infantry corps in the Macedonian army: the "Shield-bearers" (Greek: Ὑπασπισταί, Hypaspistai), later known as the "Silvershields" (Ἀργυράσπιδες, Argyraspides).^[4] After the death of Alexander in 323 BC, the Partition of Triparadisus assigned Seleucus as satrap of Babylon in 321 BC.^[5] 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.^[6] Seleucus' later conquests included Persia and Media. He agreed to a peace treaty with the Indian King Chandragupta Maurya (reigned 324-297 BC).^[7] 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.^[8][6] 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

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 I Berenice	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 III Euboea 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 Egypt Cleopatra Selene I of Egypt
	Antiochus IX Cyzicenus	114–96 BC	Cleopatra IV of Egypt Cleopatra 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 BC
	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

Family tree

See also

• List of kings of Persia
• List of Syrian monarchs

Footnotes

References

Sources

• Bevan, Edwyn Robert (2015). The House of Seleucus. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108082754.
• Eckstein, Arthur M. (2006). Mediterranean Anarchy, Interstate War, and the Rise of Rome. University of California Press. ISBN 0520246187.
• Esposito, Gabriele (2019). Armies of the Hellenistic States, 323 BC–AD 30, History, Organization & Equipment. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 9781526730305.
• Glanville Downey (8 December 2015). History of Antioch. Princeton University Press. pp. 735–736. ISBN 978-1-4008-7773-7.
• Glubb, John Bagot (1967). Syria, Lebanon, Jordan. Walker.
• Kosmin, Paul J. (2014). The Land of the Elephant Kings, Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire. Harvard University Press.
• Mehrdad Kia (27 June 2016). The Persian Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 287–311. ISBN 978-1-61069-391-2.

External links

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