Seleucus I Nicator ("Seleucus the Victor") (c. 358 BC – 281 BC) was one of the generals friends of Alexander who were given, or took control of, his empire. Having served as an infantry general under Alexander, he eventually took the title of basileus (~"king"). He set up the Seleucid Empire over much of the territory in the Near East which Alexander had conquered.
After the death of Alexander in June 323 BC, Seleucus initially supported Perdiccas, the regent of Alexander's empire, and was made Commander of the Companions (the elite cavalry of Alexander) at the Partition of Babylon in 323 BC.
The 'Wars of the Diadochi' in 322 were the wars of Alexander's successors. Perdiccas failed against Ptolemy in Egypt, which led to the mutiny of his troops. Perdiccas was betrayed and assassinated in a conspiracy by Seleucus and others sometime in either 321 or 320 BC.
In 321 BC, Seleucus was appointed Satrap of Babylon under the new regent Antipater. In 316/5 BC, Eumenes of Cardia entered his satrapy, trying to move to the east away from Antigonus. He stayed in Babylon and moved to Susa in the spring. After the defeat of Eumenes, Seleucus thought to flee Babylon because he feared for his life. Immediately in Spring 314BC, the wars between the Diadochi resumed and Antigonus with main operations in Coele-Syria. Seleucus was only able to return to Babylon in 312 BC with the support of Ptolemy with 50 horsemen accompanying him.
From 312 BC, Seleucus ruthlessly expanded his dominions and eventually conquered the Persian and Median lands because Antigonus was busy dealing with Cassander and Potolemy. Seleucus ruled not only Babylonia, but the entire enormous eastern part of Alexander's empire:
"Always lying in wait for the neighbouring nations, strong in arms and persuasive in council, he [Seleucus] acquired Mesopotamia, Armenia, 'Seleucid' Cappadocia, Persis, Parthia, Bactria, Arabia, Tapouria, Sogdia, Arachosia, Hyrcania, and other
Seleucus I Nicator
Macedonian general, Diadochus, and founder of the Seleucid Empire
Seleucus I Nicator (;Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, Séleukos Nikátōr, "Seleucus the Victorious"; c. 358 BC – 281 BC) was a Macedonian Greek general, officer and successor of Alexander the Great who went on to found the eponymous Seleucid Empire, led by the Seleucid dynasty. Initially a secondary player in the power struggles following Alexander's death, Seleucus rose to become the total ruler of Asia Minor, Syria, Mesopotamia, and the Iranian plateau, assuming the title of basileus (king). The Seleucid Empire was one of the major powers of the Hellenistic world, until it was overcome by the Roman Republic and Parthian Empire in the late second and early first centuries BC.
While serving under Alexander, Seleucus was commander of the Hypaspistai, an elite Macedonian infantry unit. After the death of Alexander in June 323 BC, Seleucus initially supported Perdiccas, the regent of Alexander's empire, and was appointed Commander of the Companions and chiliarch at the Partition of Babylon in 323 BC. However, after the outbreak of the Wars of the Diadochi in 322, Perdiccas' military failures against Ptolemy in Egypt led to the mutiny of his troops in Pelusium. Perdiccas was betrayed and assassinated in a conspiracy by Seleucus, Peithon and Antigenes in Pelusium sometime in either 321 or 320 BC. At the Partition of Triparadisus in 321 BC, Seleucus was appointed Satrap of Babylon under the new regent Antipater. But almost immediately, the wars between the Diadochi resumed and one of the most powerful of the Diadochi, Antigonus, forced Seleucus to flee Babylon. Seleucus was only able to return to Babylon in 312 BC with the support of Ptolemy. From 312 BC, Seleucus ruthlessly expanded his dominions and eventually conquered the Persian and Median lands. Seleucus ruled not only Babylonia, but the entire eastern part of Alexander's empire.
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Since Andreas Mehl’s similarly titled biography (1986), quickly followed by John Grainger’s (1990), other historical figures from around the time of Alexander the Great might have been considered more desirable than another biography of Seleucus I Nicator (ca. 358-281). Craterus or Antipater, Polyperchon or Perdiccas, even the late Argeads come immediately to mind. Not to mention a long-overdue modern biography of Pyrrhus of Epirus. Yet, even after Paul Kosmin’s Seleucid diptych (2014, 2018), and the musings of Daniel Ogden on the subject (2017), we get another biography about Seleucus. To her credit, Lise Hannestad (Aarhus University) addresses the issue head on. She emphasizes her expertise in archaeology and material culture, but also admits to a fascination with Seleucus himself. In addition to a brief introduction and a short conclusion, the book is dived into nine chapters of unequal length, plus a list of abbreviations, a bibliography, an index, and photo credits of the figures.
The author dives straight into the crossing of the Hydaspes during the Macedonian campaign (Spring 326), when Seleucus was already in his early thirties. This is the first event in which his name appears in the literary tradition. The author swiftly moves from India back to Persia. Chapter two picks up the events after Alexander’s death (323), and the subsequent struggles until the Settlement of Triparadisus (320/19). Both Perdiccas and Craterus lost their lives in this period, and Antipater would die soon after. The next chapter quickly covers the time from Seleucus’ appointment as satrap of Babylonia until his forced flight to Egypt (320/19-316/5). Next to nothing is known of his actions in those years, apart from his conflict with Eumenes. The lengthy fourth chapter brings the narrative to the Battle of Ipsus (301), in which Antigonus lost his life. The dense narrative thus comprises Seleucus’ service under Ptolemy (314-311), the Babylonian War (311-309), Seleucus’ Anabasis t
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Seleucus I Nicator
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Seleucus I Nicator ("victor"): one of the Diadochi, founder of the Seleucid Empire, ruled from 311 to 281.
Successor of: Alexander the Great
Relatives
Main deeds
Born c.358 in Europos in Macedonia
Page of Philip II
Joins Alexander the Great
330 (?): commander of the agema of Shieldbearers
324: Marries Apame I at Susa (text)
323: Death of Alexander; Perdiccas appoints Seleucus as commander of the Shieldbearers
320 (?): One of the murderers of Perdiccas
320 (?): At the conference of Triparadisus, he is made satrap of Babylonia (text)
316: Flees from Babylonia when Antigonus Monophthalmus tries to subdue him; finds refuge in Egypt, where Ptolemy I Soter has become an independent ruler
315-311: In the Third Diadoch War, Seleucus has a naval command for Ptolemy against Antigonus, but is unable to overcome his opponents
312: Battle of Gaza: Ptolemy and Seleucus defeat Antigonus' son Demetrius Poliorcetes
311: Seleucus reoccupies Babylonia (May); outbreak of the Babylonian War; Seleucus defeats Nicanor (autumn)