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SELEUCUS

(Gk. Seleúkos)

1. Seleucus I Nicator ([321]312-281 b.c.e.); one of the Diadochi (“Successors”) who divided up Alexander’s empire after his death. A childhood companion of Alexander, he had served Alexander well as chief of his elite body guard. Seleucus I was satrap of Babylon at the time or Alexander’s death, and after Perdiccus’ assassination received Babylonia as his portion. However, he was driven from Babylon by Antigonus Monophthalmus (another of the Diadochi) in 316 and fled to Egypt for the protection of Ptolemy I. With Ptolemy’s help he returned to retake Babylon in 312 and began the system of the “Seleucid era,” a widely used system of dating in antiquity. The peace treaty of 301 assigned Palestine and southern Syria to Seleucus; however, Ptolemy seized the territory and refused to turn it over. Seleucus refrained from pressing his entitlement because of the earlier assistance of Ptolemy; nevertheless, he did not give up the claim, and his successors pursued it in a series of “Syrian Wars.” The Seleucid Empire reached its greatest extent under his rule.

2. Seleucus II Callinicus (246-226); son of Antiochus II (261-246). Shortly after he was proclaimed king, the Seleucid realm was invaded by Ptolemy III in the Third Syrian or Laodicean War (246-241). The Syrians were not in a position to resist, but a famine in Egypt forced the Ptolemaic army home. Seleucus’ younger brother Antiochus Hierax was given authority in Asia Minor; there he established an independent rule which Seleucus could not tolerate, initiating the “War of the Brothers” (ca. 240-237). Seleucus was defeated and came to an agreement, but then Hierax was himself defeated in a succession of fights with Attalus I of Pergamum, which had become an independent power. The rise of the Arsacid dynasty in Persia began the erosion of that part of the empire, though Seleucus may have taken back some of the eastern provinces before his death.

3. Seleucus III (226-223). The elder son of Seleucus II, he proved to be immature and impetuous. He tried to bring Attalus I of Pergamum to heel. Whether there was one attempt or two is disputed, but in any case the invasion failed. Losing confidence in Seleucus, some of his officers brought his short reign to an end. An uncle of Seleucus restored discipline, and the much more capable younger brother was crowned to become Antiochus III.

4. Seleucus IV Philopator (187-175). He was a weak ruler according to the ancient sources; however, this may be slander since he maintained a state of peace for his entire reign by astute dealings with Rome. According to 2 Macc. 3 Seleucus sent his officer Heliodorus to confiscate the treasure of the Jerusalem temple, but an angel fought him off. The precise event behind this story is unclear, though Seleucus may have regarded the current high priest as disloyal since he was holding funds for the Ptolemaic supporter Hyrcanus Tobiad (2 Macc. 3:11). Seleucus was assassinated by Heliodorus not long after the Jerusalem incident and possibly as a direct result of it.

Bibliography. E. R. Bevan, The House of Seleucus, 2 vols. (1902, repr. New York, 1966); CAH2, esp. 7/1: The Hellenistic World, ed. F. W. Walbank et al. (Cambridge, 1984); 8: Rome and the Mediterranean to 133 b.c., ed. A. E. Astin et al. (Cambridge, 1989); N. Davis and C. M. Kraay, The Hellenistic Kingdoms: Portrait Coins and History (London, 1973).

Lester L. Grabbe

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

SELEUCUS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)