Seleucus I Nicator summary

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Seleucus I Nicator , (born c. 358, Europus, Macedonia—died August/September 281 bc, near Lysimachia, Thrace), Macedonian army officer, founder of the Seleucid dynasty. After the death of Alexander the Great, under whom he had served, Seleucus won an empire centred on Syria and Iran. Having been ousted by Antigonus I Monophthalmus and serving Ptolemy, Seleucus reconquered Babylon in 312. He declared himself king in 305. By 303 he had extended his empire to India. In 301 he helped defeat Antigonus at the Battle of Ipsus and received Syria, later taking southern Syria from Ptolemy. A marriage alliance with Demetrius I Poliorcetes’s daughter soured, and in 294, when his son became sick with love for Seleucus’s wife (the son’s stepmother), he gave her to him and made the son coregent. Hoping to reestablish Alexander’s empire, Seleucus captured Demetrius (285) and defeated Lysimachus (281), another of Alexander’s former generals who had become a satrap in Asia Minor. Later while attempting to enter Macedonia, he was murdered.

Antiochus I Soter Summary

Antiochus I Soter was the king of the Seleucid kingdom of Syria, who ruled about 292–281 bc in the east and 281–261 over the whole kingdom. Under great external pressures, he consolidated his kingdom and encouraged the founding of cities. Antiochus was the son of Seleucus I, founder of the Seleucid

Antioch, ancient Syria (modern-day Turkey)

Antioch Summary

Antioch, populous city of ancient Syria and now a major town of south-central Turkey. It lies near the mouth of the Orontes River, about 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the Syrian border. Antioch was founded in 300 bce by Seleucus I Nicator, a former general of Alexander the Great. The new city soon

army Summary

Army, a large organized armed force trained for war, especially on land. The term may be applied to a large unit organized for independent action, or it may be applied to a nation’s or ruler’s complete military organization for land warfare. Throughout history, the character and organization of

Seleucid empire Summary

Seleucid empire, (312–64 bce), an ancient empire that at its greatest extent stretched from Thrace in Europe to the border of India. It was carved out of the remains of Alexander the Great’s Macedonian empire by its founder, Seleucus I Nicator. (See also Hellenistic Age.) Seleucus, one of