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History of Antiochus III of Syria
Antiochus III ascended to the thrown at the age of 19 upon the death
of his brother Seleucus III. He was able, dynamic and ambitions and
gained the title "Antiochus the Great". He immediately set
out to regain the former glory of the Seleucid empire, but he first
had to settle internal affairs. He retook Babylon from the rebellious
Satrap Mohon. He returned to Syria but was severely defeated by the
Egyptians at Raphia. He returned to Asia Minor and after two years
of fighting he crucified his cousin "Arcaeus" and recovered
most of the Seleucid possessions of Asia Minor. He than headed East
and attacked the Parthians driving them back. He than attacked Bactria
and after much fighting they agreed upon a truce. He than headed for
India via Afghanistan and eastern Persia gaining submission of local
princes and kings and accumulating many elephants. He than returned
to Babylon and prepared for another confrontation with Egypt (Ptolemy
V). Within two years, he had secured the entire country right to the
borders of Egypt. He than headed back to Asia Minor to recover the
remaining parts of the old Seleucid empire, i.e., Pergamum and Thrace.
This would bring him into direct conflict with Rome. Rome prepared
for war, but in the meantime sent ambassadors with warnings. Antiochus
by this time felt invincible and invaded Greece proper. He was acclaimed
by the Aetolians, but the rest of Greece were too familiar with the
might of Rome to change allegiance. In 191 BC, Rome re-took Greece
and in 190 BC under the Consul Scipio invaded Asia Minor and routed
Antiochus at the Battle of Magnesia (December 190 BC). After the defeat
he was forced to hand over all of Asia Minor, pay a tribute of 15
thousand talents and deliver his son to Rome as a hostage. As a result
of this impoverishment most of the outlying provences successfully
revolted leaving Antiochus III with only Syria, Mesopotamia and Media.
Antiochus III died in 187 BC while attempting to plunder the temple
of Bel in Susiana.
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