Antiochus the Great

by Michael J. Taylor

  Weak kings made the Selecuid Empire vulnerable to the greater menace: the Parthians. While the Parthians were not as efficiently organized as the Romans, their state was growing stronger in terms of military power and organizational sophistication. Parthian kings also had territorial designs against Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau, vital core Seleucid territories. Antiochus III had aggressively set back Parthian state-building, but the period of dynastic instability from 160 to 145 BC allowed the waxing Parthian state to achieve a certain size and momentum. As the Parthians gathered more and more territory, the vicious cycle of military defeat weighed heavily upon the Seleucids. Lost territory meant lost tax revenue and vanished recruiting grounds. The combination of external pressures and internal instability created the death spiral of state failure so readily apparent after 145 BC.

  Yet the crumbling Seleucid Empire in 145 BC was not that far removed from the troubled kingdom Antiochus III had inherited in the 220s BC. Then, the empire was reeling from recent external defeat (in the Third Syrian War and the War of the Brothers), facing internal strife wrought by Molon and then Achaeus, and suffering from the separatist ambitions of the Parthians and Bactrians. These defeats might have reduced the Seleucid Empire to a failed state in 223 BC, but they did not. The energetic statecraft and generalship of Antiochus III were sufficient to break the cycle of defeat and overcome the constraints of geography. Antiochus III was neither a political or military genius, but he was a man driven by a simple if bold vision: to restore the empire of Seleucus Nicator. Striving relentlessly to achieve this goal, he campaigned continuously for almost thirty years in Koile Syria, the Upper Satrapies, Asia Minor and Greece. By 196 BC, he was stood triumphant, securely occupying many territories that Seleucus Nicator had only tenuously claimed.

  The unforeseen events of the last five years of his life cost Antiochus dearly, and he died humbled by military defeat, trying to scrounge up cash to pay a shameful indemnity. Polybius ultimately assessed the Great King’s career in a decidedly pessimistic light:

  King Antiochus in the beginning seemed full of ambition, ready to attempt great deeds, and tough and effective enough to accomplish his objectives. Advancing past middle age, however, he seemed much weaker than his usual self, and fell short of his expectations. (15.37.1–2)16

  But even with the loss of Asia Minor and the humiliation at Magnesia, Antiochus III still left the Seleucid Empire larger and stronger than he found it, thanks largely to his conquest of Koile Syria. His constant military and administrative efforts rank him as one of the greatest Seleucid kings (perhaps second only to Seleucus I Nicator), and one of the most important kings of the Hellenistic period.

  The Book of Daniel, written in the first century BC, provides an external assessment of the Seleucid king: a short moral lesson of a haughty victor punished by humiliating defeat.

  Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siege-works, and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, not even his picked troops, for there shall be no strength to resist. But he who comes against him shall take the actions he pleases, and no one shall withstand him. He shall take a position in the beautiful land, and all of it shall be in his power. He shall set his mind to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of peace and perform them. In order to destroy the kingdom, he shall give him a woman in marriage, but it shall not succeed or be to his advantage. Afterward he shall turn to the coastlands, and shall capture many. But a commander shall put an end to his insolence; indeed he shall turn his insolence back upon him. Then he shall turn back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found. (Daniel 11.15–20, NRSV)

  To this anonymous Jewish author, such was the career of Antiochus the Great: the conquest of Koile Syria, the marriage of a daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy V, his naval operations against the south coast of Asia Minor, the defeat at Magnesia by the ‘commander’ L. Scipio, and the finality of his death in the east. This brief synopsis serves as a telling reminder of the fleeting impressions even powerful persons had upon the common inhabitants of their realm. To the Jewish farmers of Koile Syria, Antiochus was neither a mighty hero nor an arch-villain, but simply another passing character in the tragedy of a ruined world.

  Appendix I

  Dynasties of the Hellenistic World (to c.150 BC)

  Seleucids

  Seleucus I Nicator (Victor): 305–281 BC

  Antiochus I Soter (Saviour): 281–265 BC

  Antiochus II Theos (God): 264–246 BC

  Seleucus II Callinicus (Glorious Victory): 246–225 BC

  Seleucus III Soter (Saviour): 225–223 BC

  Antiochus III Megas (The Great): 223–187 BC

  Seleucus IV Philopater (Father-lover): 187–175 BC

  Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Manifest): 175–164 BC

  Antiochus V Eupator (Good father): 164–162 BC

  Demetrius I Soter (Saviour): 162–150 BC

  Alexander Balas: 150–145 BC

  Demetrius II Nicator: 145–141 BC

  Antiochus VI Epiphanes (Manifest): 141–139 BC

  (Dynasty ends in 66 BC)

  Antigonids of Macedonia

  Demetrius I Poliorcetes (Beseiger): 294–287 BC

  Antigonus II Gonatas (Knock-kneed): 277–239 BC

  Demetrius II Soter (Savior): 239–229 BC

  Antigonus III Doson (Giver): 229–221 BC

  Philip V: 221–171 BC

  Perseus: 171–168 BC

  (Dynasty ends 168 BC)

  The Ptolemies of Egypt

  Ptolemy I Soter (Saviour): 305–283 BC

  Ptolemy II Philadephus (Sister-lover): 285–246 BC

  Ptolemy III: 246–221 BC

  Ptolemy IV: 221–204 BC

  Ptolemy V: 204–180 BC

  Ptolemy VI: 180–145 BC

  (Dynasty ends 31 BC)

  The Attalids of Pergamon

  Philetairos: 283–263 BC

  Eumenes I: 263–241 BC

  Attalus I: 241–197 BC

  Eumenes II: 197–159 BC

  Attalus II: 159–133 BC

  Attalus III: 138–133 BC

  (Dynasty ends 133 BC)

  The Bactrian kings

  Diodotids

  Diodotus I: c.246-c.230 BC

  Diodotus II: c. 230-c.220 BC

  Euthydemnids

  Euthydemos I: c. 220-c.200 BC

  Demetrius I: c.200-c. 170 BC

  Euthydemos II: c. 170–160 BC (contested sovereignty with Eucratides I).

  Demetrius II: c.145. (limited sovereignty).

  (Severe dynastic instability after 190 BC, last known rulers c.75 BC)

  Roman consuls (200–187 BC): Patrician-Plebian

  200: P. Sulpicius Galba and C. Aurelius Cotta

  199: L. Cornelius Lentulus and P. Villius Tappalus

  198: T. Quinctius Flamininus and Sex. Aelius Paetus Catus

  197: C. Cornelius Cethegus and Q. Minucius Rufus

  196: L. Furius Purpureo and M. Claudius Marcellus

  195: L. Valerius Flaccus and Marcus Porcius Cato

  194: P. Cornelius Scipio (II) and Titus Sempronius Longus

  193: L. Cornelius Merula and Q. Minucius Thermus

  192: L. Quinctius Flamininus and Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus

  191: P. Cornelius Scipio Nasica and M’. Acilius Glabrio

  190: L. Cornelius Scipio and Gaius Laelius

  189: Cn. Manlius Vulso and M. Fulvius Nobilior

  188: M. Valerius Messalla and C. Livius Salinator

  187: M. Aemilius Lepidus and Gaius Flaminius

  Appendix II

  Children of Antiochus III

  Antiochus the Younger

  Eldest son and intended successor of Antiochus the Great. Born c. 220 BC. Crowned co-king prior to his father’s departure on his anabasis in 212 BC, he politely received a delegation from Magnesia on the Maeander requesting recognition of their Isopythian games. Commanded the right wing at the Battle of Panium.
In 196 BC, he was married to his sister Laodice IV, in an attempt to mimic Ptolemaic royal incest. His sudden death in 193 BC interrupted negotiations with Roman envoys, and altered Antiochus III’s succession plans.1

  Seleucus IV

  Second son of Antiochus the Great. He commanded the Seleucid left at the Battle of Magnesia, and was made co-king shortly afterward, succeeding his father in 187 BC. His power was severely constrained by 1000 talent p.a. indemnity payments. He was murdered in 175 BC.

  Antiochus IV

  Assumed the dynastic name Antiochus upon the death of his older brother; John Grainger hypothesizes that prior to this his name was Mithradites. Following the Peace of Apamea, he spent a comfortable stint in Rome as a hostage, where he amused himself by attending gladiatorial games and aping Roman politicians during their electoral canvass. He returned upon the death of his brother in 175 BC, determined to rebuild Seleucid power. The illegal re-construction of a new war fleet likely dates to his reign, as well as aggressive attempts to reconstitute an effective army, including the formation of a ‘legion’ armed with Roman equipment. In 169–168 BC, he invaded Egypt, but withdrew under Roman diplomatic pressure. Humiliated, he reasserted his royal authority by sacking Jerusalem, which had been plagued by factional unrest. In 165 BC, he mustered a 45,000-man army at Daphne, prior to setting out on an Eastern anabasis, similar in ambitions to that of his father. He died while on this campaign, supposedly trying to sack an Elamite temple.2

  Laodice

  Eldest daughter of Antiochus, she ultimately married all three of her brothers, mimicking the Ptolemaic custom of royal incest. Indeed, being married to Laodice marked a son as the designated successor: she first married Antiochus the Younger, then Seleucus IV, then Antiochus IV. Two of her children by different brothers became rival claimants to the throne: Antiochus V and Demetrias I, with the latter deposing and murdering the former.

  Cleopatra ‘the Syrian’

  Betrothed to Ptolemy V in 196 BC, part of the treaty that ended the Fifth Syrian War. The couple married three years later, likely to allow both parties time to reach pubescence. Following the death of her husband in 180 BC, she remained a powerful force in the Ptolemaic court, as the regent to the boy-king Ptolemy VI. She died in 176 BC. Her son assumed the title Philometer, ‘mother-loving’ in her honour, and Cleopatra became a Ptolemaic dynastic name for girls from here onwards, culminating in the famous Cleopatra VII, lover of Julius Caesar and wife of Mark Anthony.3

  Antiochis

  She was offered in marriage to Eumenes in 193 BC, but this alliance was rejected. She was eventually married to Ariarathes IV of Cappadocia, who provided a contingent of 2000 troops at Magnesia. She died in Antioch, but was buried in Cappadocia, possibly murdered by the regents of Antiochus V.4

  Unnamed daughter

  Offered to Demetrius I of Bactria during peace negotiations in 206. It is not known if the marriage was ever accomplished. If the nuptials never, in fact, occurred, it is possible that the offer involved one of the daughters listed above.5

  Unnamed daughter

  Born to Euboea in 191 BC. Both mother and child fled with Antiochus to Ephesus following the defeat at Thermopylae, and were packed off to Apamea following the disaster at Magnesia. The girl is attested in Babylon in 187 BC.6

  Appendix III

  Seleucid Timeline to 187 BC

  (dates are often approximate)

  c. 241BC:

  Birth of Antiochus III

  226 BC:

  Death of Seleucus II (father)

  223 BC:

  Death of Seleucus III (brother)/accession as king

  222 BC:

  Revolt of Molon

  221 BC:

  Marriage to Laodice

  221 BC:

  Antiochus’ failed assaults into the Biqua Valley, start of 4th Syrian War

  221 BC:

  Revolt of Cyrrhus, murder of Epigenes

  220 BC:

  Defeat of Molon

  220 BC:

  Rebellion of Achaeus

  220 BC:

  Murder of Hermeias

  219 BC:

  Capture of Seleucia Pieria

  219 BC:

  Invasion of Koile Syria, defection of Theodotus the Aetolian

  218 BC:

  Storming of the Porphyrion Pass in Phonecia

  217 BC:

  Battle of Raphia

  216 BC:

  Campaign against Achaeus

  214 BC:

  Capture of Sardis; Achaeus holds out in citadel

  213 BC:

  Capture and execution of Achaeus; citadel of Sardis falls

  212 BC:

  Campaign against Xerxes of Armenia.

  211 BC:

  Musters forces in Ecbatana, loots temple to Aina

  211 BC:

  ‘Anabasis’ begins: capture of Hecatompylos, invasion of Hyrcania

  209 BC:

  Nicanor appointed high priest of Asia Minor

  210–208 BC:

  Seige of Bactra

  208–207 BC:

  March to the Indus River Valley

  206 BC:

  Return journey to Babylon

  205 BC:

  Campaign against the Gerrhae of the Arabian coast

  204 BC:

  Antiochus in Asia Minor, asylia agreement with Teos

  203 BC:

  So-called ‘Pact between the kings’. Antiochus and Philip V agree to divide Ptolemaic holdings

  202 BC:

  New invasion of Koile Syria, start of the 5th Syrian War.

  201 BC:

  Scopas counterattacks

  200? BC:

  Battle of Panium (dated anywhere from 201–198 BC)

  197 BC:

  Campaigns in Asia Minor and the Thracian Chersonese

  196 BC:

  Meeting with Roman envoys in Lysimacheia

  196 BC:

  Rumour of death of Ptolemy V; expedition against Cyprus thwarted by storms

  196/5 BC:

  Laodice makes benefaction of grain to city of Iasus

  196/5 BC:

  Peace with Ptolemy V, end of 5th Syrian War

  195 BC:

  Marriage of Antiochus the Younger with sister Laodice

  195 BC:

  Hannibal arrives in Tyre

  194 BC:

  Seleucid delegation in Rome

  194/3 BC:

  Roman delegation visits Ephesus and Apamea

  194/3 BC:

  Antiochus establishes royal cult for Laodice (now deceased?)

  193 BC:

  Death of Antiochus the Younger. Negotiations with Rome halted

  193 BC:

  Marriage of Cleopatra Syra to Ptolemy V

  192 BC:

  Aetolians invite Antiochus to invade Greece

  191 BC:

  Antiochus marries ‘Euboea’

  191 BC:

  Battle of Thermopylae

  190 BC:

  Battle of Magnesia

  188 BC:

  Peace of Apamea

  187 BC:

  Visit to Babylon, death of Antiochus III in Elam while despoiling a temple of Ba’al

  Appendix IV

  International Timeline: 220–187 BC

  223 BC:

  Ptolemy IV becomes king of Egypt upon death of Ptolemy III

  221 BC:

  Philip V becomes king of Macedonia with the death of Antigonus III Doson

  221 BC:

  ‘Social War’ between Macedonia and Achaea vs the Aetolians

  219 BC:

  Romans invade Illyria in response to organized Illyrian piracy

  219 BC:

  Hannibal captures Saguntum in Spain

  218 BC:

  Hannibal Invades Italy, start of 2nd Punic War; Battle of Trebia, Hannibal annihilates two consular armies

  217 BC:

  Peace of Naupactus ends Social War

  217 BC:

  Battle of Transemene. Hannibal annihilates another consular army


  216 BC:

  Battle of Cannae: Hannibal annihilates 8-legion Roman army

  215 BC:

  Alliance between Philip V and Carthage; war between Philip V and Rome

  212 BC:

  Romans capture Syracuse

  211 BC:

  Aetolians declare war against Philip V, as allies of Rome

  210 BC:

  P. Scipio captures New Carthage in Spain