The chief authorities for the lives of the Seleucidæ, in addition to those quoted below for each life are Appian, De Rebus Syriacis; Justin; Polybius; Livy ; Diodorus; Josephus; The Books of Maccabees; the Greek and Armenian copies of the Chronicon of Eusebius; Niebuhr, Kleine Schriften, Historischer Gewinn aus der Armenischen Uebersetzung der Chronik des Eusebius; Prideaux, The Old and New Testament connected in the History of the Jews and neighbouring Nations; Vaillant, Seleucidarum Imperium; Eckhel, Doctrina Nummorum Veterum; Fröhlich, Annales Syriæ; Clinton, Fasti Hellenici, vol. iii. append. c. 3, and the tables. P. S. ANTI'OCHUS I., surnamed SOTER, or the SAVIOUR ('Avríoxos ó Zwrǹp), king of SYRIA, was the son of Seleucus Nicator by a Persian lady named Apama, the daughter of Artabazus. Eusebius says that at his death (B. C. 261) he had lived "annis lxiv." which must be understood of the 64th year current. He was therefore born in 324 B. C., which agrees with the very probable supposition that his father's marriage to Apama was one of those which Alexander celebrated at Susa, B. C. 325. (Plutarch, Alex. 70.) At the battle of Ipsus (B. C. 301) Antiochus commanded his father's cavalry, which was routed by Demetrius at the commencement of the battle.

Antiochus became deeply enamoured of his stepmother, Stratonice, the daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes, but he resisted his passion, and thus fell into a dangerous illness. His physician, Erasistratus, perceived that love was the cause of his illness, and discovered that Stratonice was the object of his attachment by the emotion which Antiochus always showed in her presence. He then informed Seleucus that his son's illness was incurable. "Why?" said the king. "He is in love with my wife," replied the physician. Seleucus having upon this urged Erasistratus to give up his wife to save Antiochus, and having declared that if it were his own wife he would not hesitate to make the sacrifice, was then informed that such was in fact the case. He kept his word, and not only gave up his wife to Antiochus, but granted him also the sovereignty of Upper Asia, which included the greater part of his empire, reserving to himself only the western part, between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean. It appears from the account of Plutarch that this was in B. C. 294.

When Seleucus made his expedition into Europe (B. c. 281-280), his intention was to end his days as king of Macedonia, giving up his Asiatic dominions to Antiochus. He was murdered, however, by Ptolemy Ceraunus in January, 280, and Antiochus succeeded to the whole of the kingdom of Syria. He at first attempted to carry out his father's designs upon Macedonia, but the irruption of the Gauls into Asia Minor, at the invitation

of Nicomedes, king of Bithynia (B. C. 279), compelled him to make peace with Antigonus Gonatas, who accepted in marriage Phila, the daughter of Seleucus and Stratonice, and was acknowledged as king of Macedonia by Antiochus (B. C. 278).

During the remainder of his reign Antiochus was engaged in continual wars against Eumenes I., king of Pergamus, Nicomedes I., king of Bithynia, and the Gauls. A victory which he obtained over the Gauls by the help of his elephants gained him his surname of Soter. It is said that when he was crowned by his soldiers after this battle he exclaimed, with tears, "Shame on us soldiers, who owe our safety to these sixteen beasts," and that the only trophy he would allow to be erected was the statue of an elephant. He was defeated by Eumenes in a battle near Sardis. In these wars the power of Antiochus in Asia Minor was greatly reduced. Galatia was occupied by the Gauls, the kingdoms of Pergamus and Bithynia were enlarged, and several of the sea ports of Caria, Lycia, and Cilicia were seized by Ptolemy Philadelphus, against whom Antiochus had been induced by Magas to declare war. In the year B. C. 261 Antiochus was killed in a battle with the Gauls by a Gaul named Centaretus (Kevтoapárns), after a reign of nineteen years. He left a son named Antiochus, who succeeded him, and two daughters, Apama, the wife of Magas, and Stratonice, who was married to Demetrius II. of Macedonia. (Strabo, x. 486., xii. 578., xiii. 623.; Plutarch, Demetrius, 29. 38.; Lucian, De Dea Syria, 17, 18., Icaromen. 15., Pro Lapsu, &c., 9., Zeuxis, 8-12.; Julian, Misopogon., p. 348. a. b.; Memnon, ap. Phot., Cod. 224., p. 226 -228, ed. Bekker; Pausanias, i. 7.; Ælian, Hist. Anim., vi. 44.; Pliny, Hist. Nat. viii. 64.) There is great difficulty in distinguishing the coins of the first three Antiochi, most of which bear only the legend ANTIOXOT ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ. On the reverse most of them have Jupiter, Apollo, Hercules, and Macedonian emblems: on the obverse, nearly all the coins of the Seleucidæ bear the king's head bound with a diadem. Only two are known with the name of Soter. One of these has, on the reverse, a naked Apollo sitting on the sacred cortina, holding a javelin in the right hand, and a bow in the left. The frequent appearance of Apollo on the coins of the Seleucidæ is accounted for by the fact of their claiming descent from Apollo. The other has an anchor, and the caps of the Dioscuri. For other coins which probably belong to this king, see Fröhlich and Eckhel. P. S.

ANTIOCHUS II. (Avτíoxos), surnamed THEOS or GOD (eós), king of SYRIA, succeeded his father, Antiochus Soter, B.C. 261. He received his surname from the Milesians, whom he had delivered from their tyrant Timarchus. His successors, as we

see from their coins, frequently assumed | divine titles and honours. He continued the war, which his father had begun, with Ptolemy Philadelphus. Taking advantage of the weakness produced in the Syrian kingdom by this long war, and excited by the tyranny of their satrap, Pherecles or Agathocles, the Parthians revolted from Antiochus, and established an independent kingdom under Arsaces (B. c. 250). The different accounts respecting the date of this event are easily reconciled by assuming, what in fact is clearly implied by Justin, that the establishment of the Parthian kingdom was very gradual. This was not the only loss which the Syrian empire suffered under Antiochus. Theodotus, the Greek governor of Bactria, revolted about the same time with the Parthians, and turned his province into the independent kingdom of Bactriana. Alarmed at these rebellions, by which in fact his power east of the Tigris was almost destroyed, Antiochus sued to Ptolemy for peace, which was granted on the condition that he should put away his former wife, Laodice, the daughter of Achæus, and marry Berenice, the daughter of Ptolemy. He did so, and had a son by Berenice, but two years later, on the death of Ptolemy (B. C. 248), he took back Laodice, and put away Berenice. Whether from unappeased revenge, or from a doubt of her husband's constancy, or from impatience to secure the throne to her son Seleucus, Laodice poisoned Antiochus at Ephesus, B. C. 246, and shortly afterwards she caused Berenice and her infant son to be put to death. It is related that after Laodice had killed her husband she placed in his bed one of the royal family, named Artemon, who so closely resembled the murdered king that when the people were admitted to the room, and Artemon, imitating the voice of Antiochus, commended to them Laodice and her children, none doubted that they heard the last commands of their king. This crime was avenged by Ptolemy Euergetes, who invaded Syria, and having got Laodice into his power, put her to death.

Antiochus Theos lived forty years, and reigned fifteen. His children by Laodice were Seleucus Callinicus, who succeeded him, Antiochus Hierax, Stratonice, the wife of Mithridates, and another daughter, whose name is unknown, married to Ariarathes III., king of Cappadocia. It is said by Phylarchus that Antiochus was much given to wine.

There is a passage in Daniel (xi. 6.) which clearly refers to the peace between Antiochus, "the king of the north," and Ptolemy, "the king of the south," and to the marriage of the former with Berenice, and her subsequent divorce and death. (Athenæus, ii. 45., x. 438.; Polyænus, viii. 50.; Arrian, ap. Phot. Cod. 58.; Suidas, sub voc. 'Apoάins; Strabo, xi. 515.; Valerius Maximus, ix. 14. ext. 1.;

Pliny, Hist. Nat. vii. 10.; Hieronymus, ad Daniel, c. xi.) There are no coins which bear the name of Antiochus Theos. Of those which bear simply the name of Antiochus, one is ascribed to this king on account of a star over the king's head, which is rightly taken to be a sign of divinity, but which might quite as well belong to Antiochus IV.: the reverse is Apollo on the cortina, with the javelin and bow, as in the coin of Antiochus I. described above, the whole enclosed in a laurel wreath. Another which Fröhlich ascribes to this king has on the reverse Hercules sitting on a rock, holding in his right hand his club, the end of which rests on the ground. P. S.

ANTIOCHUS III. ('AvTioxos), surnamed THE GREAT (8 Méyas), king of SYRIA, the younger son of Seleucus Callinicus, succeeded his brother, Seleucus Ceraunus, in the middle of B. c. 223, being then only in the fifteenth year of his age. On his brother's accession, he had gone into Upper Asia, where he remained till his death, when he was sent for from Babylonia by the army and proclaimed king. His first care was to provide for the government of his vast dominions, by entrusting the parts west of Taurus to his first cousin Achæus, and the provinces of Upper Asia to two brothers, Molo and Alexander, of whom Molo was made satrap of Media and Alexander of Persis. Syria Proper he retained under his own immediate government. These arrangements had not long been made, when Molo and Alexander raised the standard of rebellion. The causes which led them to this course were the contempt excited by the king's youth, the hope that Achæus would follow their example in Asia Minor, but, most of all, their fear of Hermeas, a worthless favourite, who had then supreme influence at the court of Antiochus. This Hermeas was a Carian, and had been entrusted with the government by Seleucus Ceraunus when he undertook his expedition beyond the Taurus. His chief rival was Epigenes, the general who had led back the army of Seleucus.

When the news of the rebellion of Molo and Alexander arrived at Seleucia, on the Tigris, where the court was staying, Antiochus called a council, at which Epigenes advised him to march in person against the revolted satraps, who would then not dare to keep the field, or else would be deserted by their followers; but Hermeas, accusing Epigenes of a traitorous desire to endanger the person of the king, recommended that an army should be sent against the rebels, and that at the same time an attempt should be made to wrest Cole-Syria from Egypt, for which enterprise the recent accession of Ptolemy Philopator presented a favourable opportunity. This plan, which was proposed by Hermeas with the view of involving Antiochus in war, and thus leaving him no

leisure to inquire into his minister's conduct, fell in with the ambition which the king showed throughout all his life to restore to the empire of the Seleucidæ its ancient extent and power. If he felt any hesitation to engage in two wars at once, it was overcome by a forged letter, which Hermeas showed him, as if from Achæus, which stated that Ptolemy was instigating that satrap to rebel, and promising him assistance. He accordingly sent Zenon and Theodotus against Molo and Alexander, while he himself prepared to invade Cole-Syria (B. C. 221). In the meantime his admiral, Diognetus, arrived at Seleucia from Cappadocia, conducting the betrothed bride of Antiochus, Laodice, the daughter of Mithridates IV., king of Pontus. After celebrating his nuptials with great pomp, the king proceeded to Antioch, where he caused Laodice to receive homage as queen.

While Antiochus was continuing his preparations for war at Antioch, Molo had driven the royal generals into fortified cities, and was complete master of Media. This loss was the more serious to Antiochus, as he depended entirely on Media for his supply of horses. Molo even attempted to cross the Tigris and besiege Seleucia on that river; but this attempt having been frustrated by the royal general Zeuxis, who had seized all the vessels on the river, Molo took up his winter quarters at Ctesiphon. On hearing this news, Antiochus wished to postpone his attack on Ptolemy, and to march in person against Molo; but he again yielded to the influence of Hermeas, who told him that a war against rebels ought to be left to generals, but that it was for a king to form plans and fight battles against kings. Xenotas, an Achæan, was sent with a fresh army against Molo, while Antiochus, having collected his forces at Apamea, marched to Laodice and thence into the plain of Marsyas, the narrowest part of the valley between Libanus and Antilibanus. Proceeding through this valley, he found Theodotus, Ptolemy's general, strongly posted at the forts of Gerrha and Brochi, which he attempted to force, but was repulsed with considerable loss. At this crisis he received the news that Xenotas, having imprudently crossed the Tigris, had fallen into a snare laid for him by Molo, and had perished with all his army, and that Molo was master of all Upper Asia east of the Euphrates. He therefore gave up the attack on Cole-Syria, and turning all his attention to the war with Molo, assembled his forces at Apamea. Here Hermeas at last succeeded in effecting the ruin of Epigenes. As soon as his preparations were completed, Antiochus marched to the Euphrates, and crossing that river arrived at Antioch in Mygdonia, about the winter solstice, and there took up his winter quarters for forty days. He then marched to Liba, and, fortunately casting off

the influence of Hermeas, who advised him to proceed down the western bank of the Tigris, he followed the counsel of Zeuxis, and crossed the river. Marching down its eastern bank, he relieved Dura, which was besieged by one of Molo's generals, and on the eighth day he reached Apollonia. In the meantime Molo, who was in Babylonia when the king crossed the Tigris, fearing that his retreat into Media would be cut off, also crossed the river, intending, if possible, to occupy the mountain districts of Apolloniatis before Antiochus. While he marched forward towards Apollonia, the king had already left that place, and the vanguards of the two armies met on a certain ridge. After a slight skirmish, both parties pitched their camps at a distance of five miles from each other. During the ensuing night Molo set out with a chosen force to surprise the king, but finding his men beginning to desert, he returned to his camp. At the dawn of day Antiochus drew out his army, and committing the left to Hermeas and Zeuxis, posted himself on the right. The forces of Molo, already alarmed by the failure of his nocturnal expedition, formed a disordered line, and at the very outset, the left wing, as soon as they saw the king opposed to them, went over to him in a body. Molo, after a short and brave resistance to Zeuxis on the right, finding himself surrounded, and fearing the tortures he should suffer if he fell alive into the hands of Antiochus, killed himself on the field of battle. The other leaders of the rebellion fled to their homes, and there put an end to their lives. Neolaus, the brother of Molo and Alexander, carried the news to Alexander in Persis, and having killed their mother and Molo's children, he slew himself, after persuading Alexander to do the same. Antiochus, having exposed Molo's body on the cross, and having received the submission of his army, returned to Seleucia on the Tigris, where he occupied himself with reducing the affairs of the neighbouring satrapies into order. Here Hermeas began to oppress the people of the city, inflicting on them a fine of a thousand talents, and other severe penalties for their conduct during the late troubles; but he was restrained by Antiochus, who was content with a fine of a hundred and fifty talents.

After putting down this rebellion, the king turned his attention to the states which seemed to threaten his power in Upper Asia. He first attacked Artabazanes, the king of Media Atropatene, a country lying on the south-west of the Caspian Sea, and on the north of Media, from which it was separated by mountains. This king accepted peace on the conditions dictated by Antiochus. During this expedition Antiochus, at the instigation of his physician Apollophanes, rid himself of Hermeas, who had formed a plot to put the king to death, hoping that he should then

obtain the government, as regent for the infant son of Antiochus, who was just born. These events took place in B. c. 220.

While the eastern provinces were thus brought into order, Achæus had administered his government in the west with the greatest ability and success, and had recovered for Antiochus all those cities of Asia Minor which Attalus had conquered in the preceding reigns. Alarmed, however, at the false accusation which Hermeas had brought against him of a treacherous correspondence with Ptolemy Philopator, and thinking that the absence of Antiochus in Media gave him a favourable opportunity for securing his own safety by rebellion, he assumed the diadem, caused himself to be saluted as king, and marched from his head-quarters in Lydia towards Syria. Upon arriving in Lycaonia, his army refused to advance further, or to fight against their king. Pretending, therefore, that he had never intended to invade Syria, Achæus turned back and ravaged Pisidia. All this was known to Antiochus, but he contented himself with sending a threatening message to Achæus, and turned his whole attention once more to the conquest of Cœle-Syria. The campaign was commenced, at the advice of Apollophanes, by the reduction of Seleucia, on the sea, near the mouth of the Orontes, which had been taken by Ptolemy Euergetes when he avenged the death of his sister Berenice by overrunning Syria (B. C. 246), and which had ever since been held by the Egyptians, though it stood only about twelve miles from Antioch. This place Antiochus invested by sea and land, and having taken it by a vigorous assault, aided by traitors within the city, he restored the inhabitants to their liberty. While thus engaged, he received a letter from Theodotus the Etolian, governor of Cole-Syria, promising to betray the province into his hands. This was the same Theodotus who had so vigorously defended ColeSyria against the first invasion of Antiochus; but he had been treated with marked neglect by the government of Egypt, and had even been accused of treason. Having gone to Alexandria to plead his cause, he conceived such a contempt for the character of Ptolemy, that he was prepared to desert his service. On the approach of Antiochus, he yielded up to him Cole-Syria, with Tyre and Ptolemais, where the king found considerable magazines and forty ships. Antiochus now meditated an invasion of Egypt, but hearing that the canals had been opened, the wells destroyed, and the whole forces of the land posted at Pelusium, while Ptolemy himself had taken refuge at Memphis, he gave up the project, and went through ColeSyria and Phoenicia, receiving the submission of the towns. Among the rest he took Damascus by a stratagem. Meanwhile the indolent and luxurious king of Egypt remained

totally inactive, leaving every thing to his ministers Agathocles and Sosibius, who obtained a truce of four months from Antiochus, who then retired to Seleucia near the mouth of the Orontes, chiefly in order to watch Achæus. During this interval the Egyptians made the most vigorous preparations for war. At the same time they sent ambassadors to Antiochus, who were to accompany the demand that he should evacuate Cole-Syria with such representations as might confirm him in the belief that Ptolemy would not dare to meet him in the field. The negotiations came to nothing, since both parties persisted in claiming a right, arising out of the partition after the battle of Ipsus, to Cole-Syria, Phœnicia, and Palestine; and another difficulty arose from the desire of Ptolemy to include Achæus in the treaty, which Antiochus would not hear of. The truce having expired, in the spring of the year B. C. 218, both parties took the field, the Syrians under Antiochus himself, and the Egyptians under Nicolaus, an Ætolian, who had distinguished himself the year before in Cole-Syria by refusing to join in the treachery of Theodotus. The armies were supported by fleets, which were commanded by Diognetus, the admiral of An tiochus, and Perigenes, the admiral of Ptolemy. Nicolaus hastened to secure the narrow passes between Lebanon and the sea, while Antiochus marched down along the coast accompanied by his fleet, and received in his way the submission of Aradus and Berytus. The battle was joined at the same moment by sea and land. The sea-fight was equal, but on land the generalship of Antiochus gave him the advantage over the greater numbers of Nicolaus, who was completely defeated, and fled to Sidon, where he was joined by the fleet under Perigenes, who retreated as soon as he saw that the army was defeated. Perceiving that Sidon was too strongly defended to be easily taken, Antiochus dismissed his fleet to Tyre, and marched into Galilee. Having taken Philoteria and Scythopolis, cities at the two ends of the lake of Tiberias, and Atabyrium, a fort on Mount Tabor, and the towns of Pella, Camus, and Gephrus, he crossed the Jordan into the land of Gilead (Faλáτiv, Polyb.); he became master of Abila and of the forces in that district, and took Gadara and RabbathAmmon ('Paßßaráμava, Polyb.). In consequence of these successes, the neighbouring Arabs submitted to him. The year being now far advanced, he intrusted Samaria to Keræas (or perhaps, Chæreas) and Hippolochus, two of Ptolemy's generals who had come over to him, and led his army into winter quarters at Ptolemais. These events at length roused Ptolemy to action, and in the following spring (B. C. 217) he took the field in person, at the head of an army consisting of seventy thousand foot, five thousand horse, and seventy-three elephants. An

tiochus had sixty-two thousand foot, six thousand horse, and one hundred and two elephants. The two kings pitched their camps at Raphia, near Gaza, not more than five stadia from each other, and repeated skirmishes took place in the space between them. While the armies were thus posted, Theodotus the Ætolian ventured into the Egyptian camp with the intention of killing Ptolemy, but not finding him in his tent, he killed his physician Andreas, wounded two other persons, and returned safe to the Syrian camp. At the end of five days the kings drew out their forces, and, after haranguing their soldiers, took their stations opposite to each other, Antiochus on his right, and Ptolemy with his sister and wife Arsinoe on his left. The African elephants in Ptolemy's left wing, unable to endure the odour and the noise of the Indian elephants, turned upon the royal body guard, and Antiochus, following up the advantage, routed that wing; but the Egyptians were victorious on their right. The phalanxes, which were opposed to each other in the centre, stood for some time in suspense, till Ptolemy, retiring from his defeated left, joined his phalanx, and charged and broke that of the Syrians. Antiochus had already pursued the Egyptian left too far, when one of his veteran generals showed him the dust which indicated the defeat of his other forces. He at once returned, but finding that all his troops had fled, he himself retreated to Raphia, whither Ptolemy pursued him on the next day, and forced him back to Gaza. In this battle Antiochus lost ten thousand infantry and three hundred cavalry, besides more than four thousand prisoners. Ptolemy lost one thousand five hundred foot, one thousand seven hundred horse, and nearly all his elephants. The battle was fought almost exactly at the same time that Hannibal defeated the Romans at the Trasimene Lake. While Ptolemy was receiving the submission of the recovered cities, which were glad to return to his dominion, Antiochus had retired to Antioch, whence he sent ambassadors to treat of peace. Distrust of his troops, whose allegiance was shaken by his late defeat, and above all, the desire to dispose finally of Achæus, made him willing to yield to Ptolemy all Cole-Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine, and first a truce, and then a peace, was concluded on these terms.

The winter was devoted by Antiochus to preparations for a campaign against Achæus, who was now absolute master of Asia Minor, and might soon be expected to attack Syria. At the beginning of the summer (B. C. 216) Antiochus crossed the Taurus, and having formed an alliance with Attalus, he drove Achæus into Sardes, where he sustained a two years' siege, and was at length betrayed to Antiochus, who put him to death [ACHEUS.]

Antiochus now turned his thoughts once more to the East, where the Bactrian and Parthian kings had been steadily consolidating their power; and the latter had taken advantage of the wars in Cole-Syria and Asia Minor to seize on Media. After devoting a year to the settlement of the affairs of Asia Minor, he marched into Media (B. C. 212), whence he drove out Arsaces II., the Parthian king. In the next year he pursued him into Parthia, and in the following spring into Hyrcania, where a long struggle ensued; and though Antiochus was generally victorious, he found it hopeless to attempt to keep possession of the country. He therefore confirmed Arsaces in the sovereignty of Parthia and Hyrcania, on the condition that he should become his ally (B. C. 208). His campaign with Euthydemus, king of Bactriana (B. c. 207-206), led to exactly the same result. By the assistance of this prince he was enabled to enter India, where he renewed the friendly relations which had anciently subsisted between the Seleucida and the princes of that country, and received from the chief Sophagasenus a large number of elephants. He then returned through Arachosia and Drangiana into Carmania, where he wintered; and in the following spring he marched back to Antioch, after an absence of seven years. His exploits during this period obtained for him the title of "the Great," but his ambition was inflamed to such a degree that he began to meditate conquests in Europe; and it is from this period that his downfall must be dated. The following was the occasion which ultimately led to it. In the same year in which Antiochus returned from India (B. C. 205), Ptolemy Philopator died, leaving the kingdom to his son, Ptolemy Epiphanes, a child of five years old. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Antiochus entered into a league with Philip V., king of Macedonia, for the partition of the dominions of the Ptolemies; of which Philip was to have Egypt, Cyrene, and Libya, and the cities held by the Egyptians in Caria, and Antiochus the other territories in Asia, with Cyprus. Antiochus immediately marched into Cole-Syria, and, as his invasion was quite unexpected, he easily overran both that country and Palestine, while Philip seized several of the cities of Asia Minor. The guardians of the young Ptolemy now placed the kingdom under the protection of the Romans, who were no sooner free from the second Punic war than they directed all their force to crush the growing power of Philip, and contented themselves with sending an embassy to Antiochus, commanding him to let Egypt alone (B. C. 201-200). In the year B. C. 199, while Antiochus was occupied in Asia Minor, by a war with Attalus, Scopas, the general of Ptolemy, recovered Palestine and Cole-Syria; but in the next spring (B. C. 198), Antiochus marched against him in