Concept
Seleucid dynasty
Overview
The Seleucid dynasty or the Seleucidae (; Greek: Σελευκίδαι, Seleukídai, "descendants of Seleucus") was a Macedonian Greek royal family, which ruled the Seleucid Empire based in West Asia during the Hellenistic period. It was founded by Seleucus I Nicator, a general and successor of Alexander the Great, after the division of the Macedonian Empire as a result of the Wars of the Successors (Diadochi).
Through its history, the Seleucid dominion included large parts of the Near East, as well as of the Asian territory of the earlier Achaemenid Persian Empire. A major center of Hellenistic culture, it attracted a large number of immigrants from Greece who, encouraged by the Seleucids, formed a dominant political elite under the ruling dynasty. After the death of Seleucus I, his successors maintained the empire's strength establishing it as a Greek power in West Asia; the empire reached its height under emperor Antiochus III. From the mid-second century BC, after its defeat at the hands of the resurgent Parthian Empire, the polity entered a state of instability with slow territorial losses and internecine civil wars. The Seleucids, now reduced to a rump state occupying a small part of Syria succumbed to the Roman Republic's annexation of their territory in 64 BC under Pompey the Great.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
6. From Lixopaïs, they say, are descended those Scythians who are called the race of the Auchatai; from the middle brother Arpoxaïs those who are called Catiaroi and Traspians, and from the youngest of them the "Royal" tribe, 11 who are called Paralatai: and the whole together are called, they say, Scolotoi, after the name of their king; 12 but the Hellenes gave them the name of Scythians. 7.
Herodotus, The History of Herodotus — Volume 1
States what Seleucid dynasty is.
But the Lydians claim this name, saying that Asia was so called after Asius, son of Cotys, son of Manes, and not after Asia the wife of Prometheus; from whom also a tribe in Sardis is called the Asian tribe; nor is it clear whence Europe received its name, nor who gave it, unless we say that the region received the name from the Tyrian Europa: yet she evidently belonged to Asia, and never came into the country which…
Herodotus, The Boys' and Girls' Herodotus
States what Seleucid dynasty is.
Next thirty galleys cleave the liquid plain, Of those Calydnæ’s sea-girt isles contain; With them the youth of Nisyrus repair, Casus the strong, and Crapathus the fair; Cos, where Eurypylus possess’d the sway, Till great Alcides made the realms obey: These Antiphus and bold Phidippus bring, Sprung from the god by Thessalus the king.
Homer, The Iliad
Close in meaning to Seleucid dynasty; the term itself is not named.
Related ideas
- Medes
- Iran
- Chandragupta Maurya
- Babylon
- Near East
- Roman Republic
- Achaemenid Empire
- West Asia
- Macedonia (ancient kingdom)
- Parthian Empire
- Sardis
- Hellenistic period
- Ancient Greece
- Alexander the Great
- Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Place in the tradition
Part of Ancient history.