What was the Seleucid Empire?

The Seleucid Empire was a multi-national political entity founded by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the generals of Alexander the Great, after Alexander's death.

What are the dates of the Seleucid Empire?

The dates of the Seleucid Empire are 312-63 BCE.

Who were some of the greatest kings of the Seleucid Empire?

Two of the greatest kings of the Seleucid Empire were Seleucus I Nicator (r. 305-281 BCE), its founder, and Antiochus III (the Great, r. 223-187 BCE).

What caused the fall of the Seleucid Empire?

The Seleucid Empire fell for many reasons: it had grown too large to govern effectively; regions began to assert their autonomy; Seleucid kings became more interested in their own comfort than effective rule; Rome rose as a superpower. The Seleucid Empire finally fell to Pompey the Great of Rome in 63 BCE.

Seleucid Empire Timeline

Definition

The Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE) was the vast political entity established by Seleucus I Nicator ("Victor" or "Unconquered", l. c. 358-281 BCE, r. 305-281 BCE), one of the generals of Alexander the Great who claimed a part of his empire after Alexander's death in 323 BCE.

More about: Seleucid Empire

Timeline

321 BCE - 315 BCE
Seleucos rules the satrapy of Babylon.
312 BCE
Evagros is killed in battle by Seleucos I. Persis comes under Seleucid rule.
312 BCE
Seleucos conquers Babylon and founds the Seleucid dynasty.
c. 312 BCE - 63 BCE
Duration of the Seleucid Empire.
305 BCE
Emperor Chandragupta signs a treaty with Seleucos I, establishing borders and giving the Punjab to Chandragupta in return for 500 war elephants.
305 BCE - 281 BCE
Seleucus I Nicator rules newly founded Seleucid Empire.
301 BCE
Battle of Ipsos. Death of Antigonos, rise to power of Lysimachus and Seleucus.
301 BCE - 299 BCE
Antioch founded by Seleucos I Nicator.
281 BCE - 261 BCE
Reign of Antiochus I Soter of the Seleucid Empire.
280 BCE
Lydia becomes a part of the Seleucid Empire.
275 BCE
Seleucids successfully defeat the Galatian Celts in the 'Elephant Battle'.
274 BCE - 271 BCE
The first Syrian war, marking the beginning of the contest between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids for Phoenicia and Coele-Syria.
262 BCE
Eumenes rebels and wins against the Seleucid Antiochus I. Beginning of the Pergamon Empire.
261 BCE - 246 BCE
Reign of Antiochus II Theos of the Seleucid Empire.
261 BCE
Antiochus I Soter of the Seleucid Empire killed in battle against the Galatians at Ephesus in Asia Minor.
250 BCE
Former satrap Diodotos rebels against Seleucid king Antiochos I, creating the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.
246 BCE
Galatians defeat Seleucus II in a battle near Ancyra.
223 BCE - 187 BCE
Reign of Antiochus III the Great who reunites the Seleucid Empire.
210 BCE - 204 BCE
Antiochos III campaigns to reunite Seleucid Empire.
203 BCE
The Seleucid king, Antiochus III Megas signs a treaty with Philip V of Macedon to divide Egypt and its overseas possessions between them.
c. 195 BCE
After the battle at Panion, the Seleucids finally take the rule of Phoenicia from the Ptolemies. Tyre and the other Phoenician cities will remain in the Seleucid power until the Roman conquest of Syria.
195 BCE
Facing the threat of being handed to the Romans after the Second Punic War, Hannibal flees to the Seleucid court of Antiochus III and becomes his advisor.
190 BCE
Battle of Magnesia ad Sipylum, disastrous defeat for Antiochos III against Romans.
c. 188 BCE
The treaty of Apamea Kibotos. Peace and alliance is established between the Seleucid Empire and Rome joined by its allies, such as Pergamon and Rhodes. The Seleucids have to evacuate all the land and the cities from Asia Minor and to pay a huge war indemnity.
175 BCE - 163 BCE
Reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid Empire.
141 BCE
Persis passes from Seleucid to Parthian domination.
140 BCE - 138 BCE
Cilician Pirates grow in power under the reign of Diodotus Tryphon of the Seleucid Empire.
83 BCE
Tigranes II invades and destroys the Seleucid Empire.
65 BCE - 63 BCE
Reign of Philip II Philoromaeus, last monarch of the Seleucid Empire. .
63 BCE
The Roman general Pompey defeats the Seleucid Antiochus XIII and incorporates Syria as a province of the Roman empire.