Seleucids

Seleucids, dynasty of Macedonian kings that reigned in the Middle East from the 4th to the 1st century bc. Established when the empire of Alexander the Great was partitioned among his followers, the Seleucid kingdom originally extended eastwards from Asia Minor into what is now Pakistan. The most important Seleucid kings were Seleucus I, Antiochus I, Antiochus II, Seleucus II, Antiochus III, and Antiochus IV, whose reigns spanned the period between 312 bc and 164 bc with brief interruptions.

The Seleucid kingdom had two capitals: Antioch in Syria (now Antakya, Turkey) and Seleucia on the Tigris in Mesopotamia. The Seleucids were Greeks in language and culture, and they encouraged Greek colonists to settle in their domains. Nevertheless, in their autocratic rule they followed the example of their Syrian, Mesopotamian, and Persian predecessors. Beginning with Antiochus II, they were worshipped as gods. They were frequently involved in wars with the Ptolemies, a Macedonian dynasty that had established itself in Egypt.

After 250 bc the Seleucids gradually lost control of the lands east of the Euphrates River and were expelled from Asia Minor. Syria, the last remaining part of their kingdom, was annexed by Rome in 64 bc.