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Antiochus (son of Antiochus III the Great)

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Antiochus
Joint King of the Seleucid Empire
(Crown Prince and Joint-King of Syria)
Reign210–193 BC
PredecessorAntiochus III the Great
SuccessorAntiochus III the Great
Born221 BC
Died193 BC
WifeLaodice IV (also sister)
IssueNysa
DynastySeleucid
FatherAntiochus III the Great
MotherLaodice III

Antiochus (221 BC–193 BC) was a Seleucid prince, first-born child to the Seleucid monarchs Antiochus III the Great and Laodice III, and his father's first heir.[1]

Biography

Antiochus was of Greek Macedonian and Persian descent. In 210 BC, his father made him joint king, when Antiochus III went off to the East on his great expedition. He was partly in command of the Seleucid army at the victory at Panion in 200 BC.[2] He is not recorded to have had any real independent authority, but he was appointed viceroy of the eastern Seleucid satrapies. Antiochus is named in several decrees and letters with his father.[2]

In 200 BC, Antiochus was present at the battle of Panium and received the command over the right wing of the cavalry; it was he who routed the Egyptian cavalry and attacked the Ptolemaic center from the rear with his victorious cavalry.[3] In 196 BC, Antiochus was appointed as the heir to the Seleucid throne.[4] In that year, his father arranged for him to marry his younger sister Laodice IV.[1] The marriage between Laodice IV and Antiochus was the first sibling marriage to occur in the Seleucid dynasty.[2] From their sibling union, Laodice IV bore Antiochus a daughter called Nysa.[5]

In 193 BC, Antiochus III appointed his daughter, the sister-wife of his son, Antiochus, as the chief priestess of the state cult dedicated to their late mother Laodice III in Media.[6] Later that year, Antiochus died. His family were in complete grief of his death, in particular Antiochus III.[2] Antiochus was succeeded by his younger brother Seleucus IV Philopator.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lendering, Jona. "Laodice III". livius.org. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Grainger, A Seleukid prosopography and gazetteer pp. 36–37
  3. ^ "Polybius, Histories, book 16, Zeno's Account of the Battle of Panium". Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Antiochus III the Great". livius.org. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  5. ^ Lendering, Jona. "Laodice IV". livius.org. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  6. ^ Grainger, A Seleukid prosopography and gazetteer p. 48
  7. ^ Laodice III, prior to her marriage to Antiochus III the Great, was a princess of Pontus and was styled as such.

Sources

  • J.D. Grainger, A Seleukid prosopography and gazetteer, BRILL, 1997