Seleucus IV Philopator

Seleucus IV Philopator
Seleucus IV Philopator
Basileus of the Seleucid Empire
Reign	3 July 187 – 3 September 175 BC
Predecessor	Antiochus III the Great
Successor	Antiochus
Born	c. 218 BC
Died	3 September 175 BC; (aged 42–43)
Spouse	Laodice IV
Issue	Antiochus; Demetrius I Soter; Laodice V
Dynasty	Seleucid
Father	Antiochus III the Great
Mother	Laodice III

Seleucus IV Philopator^[1] (Greek: Σέλευκος Δ΄ Φιλοπάτωρ; c. 218 – 3 September 175 BC),^[2]^[3] ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, reigned from 187 BC to 175 BC over a realm consisting of Syria (now including Cilicia and Judea), Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Nearer Iran (Media and Persia).

Biography

Early years

He was the second son and successor of Antiochus III the Great and Laodice III. Seleucus IV wed his sister Laodice IV, by whom he had three children: two sons Antiochus, Demetrius I Soter and a daughter Laodice V. Seleucus was made co-ruler with his father, and acceded as sole Basileus upon Antiochus' death in 187 BC ^[4].

He was compelled by financial necessities, created in part by the heavy war-indemnity exacted by Rome in the Treaty of Apamea which concluded their war with the Seleucids in 188 BC, to pursue an ambitious policy. In an effort to collect money to pay the Romans, he sent his minister Heliodorus to Jerusalem to seize the Jewish temple treasury.

Taxes and assassination

Coin of Seleucus IV Philopator, stamp Greek: *(Β)ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ (ΣΕ)ΛΕΥΚΟΥ*

The Bible tells of a prophecy given by a messenger angel in Daniel 11:20 (NLT). The text states that Seleucus "will be remembered as the king who sent a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor." The deuterocanonical lends more to this in 2 Maccabees 3:2-3... "It came to pass that even the kings themselves, and the princes esteemed the place [the Temple in Jerusalem] worthy of the highest honour, and glorified the temple with very great gifts: So that Seleucus king of Asia allowed out of his revenues all the charges belonging to the ministry of the sacrifices."

On his return from Jerusalem, Heliodorus assassinated Seleucus, and installed Seleucus' younger son Antiochus as king. The true heir Demetrius, son of Seleucus, was now being retained in Rome as a hostage, and the kingdom was seized by the younger brother of Seleucus, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Antiochus managed to oust Heliodorus and co-ruled with the young Antiochus until 170 BC when he had him murdered.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Seleucus IV Philopator

16. (=28.)Antiochus I Soter

8. (=14.)Antiochus II Theos

17. (=29.)Princess Stratonice of Syria

4. Seleucus II Callinicus

18. (=20., 30.)Achaeus

9. (=15.)Laodice

2. Antiochus III the Great

20. (=18., 30.)Achaeus

10. Andromachus

5. Laodice

1. Seleucus IV Philopator

24. Mithridates I, King of Pontus

12. Ariobarzanes, King of Pontus

6. Mithridates II, King of Pontus

3. Princess Laodice of Pontus^[5]

28. (=16.)Antiochus I Soter

14. (=8.)Antiochus II Theos

29. (=17.)Princess Stratonice of Syria

7. Princess Laodice of the Seleucid Empire

30. (=18., 20.)Achaeus

15. (=9.)Laodice

Footnotes

^ http://www.wordnik.com/words/philopator
^ "Seleucus IV Philopator". Livius.org.
^ Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 20 (1973), p. 190
^ Grainger, "The Fall of the Seleucid Empire," Page 2.
^ Laodice III, prior to her marriage to Antiochus III the Great, was a Princess of Pontus and was styled as such.

External links

Seleucus IV Philopator entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith

Seleucus IV Philopator Seleucid dynasty Born: Unknown Died: 175 BC
Preceded by Antiochus III the Great	Seleucid King (King of Syria) 187–175 BC	Succeeded by Antiochus

[1] ttp://www.wordnik.com/words/philopator

[2] "Seleucus IV Philopator". Livius.org.

[3] Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 20 (1973), p. 190

[4] Grainger, "The Fall of the Seleucid Empire," Page 2.

[5] Laodice III, prior to her marriage to Antiochus III the Great, was a Princess of Pontus and was styled as such.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Hellenistic rulers
Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV
Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)
Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy Keraunos Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Monarchs of Cyrene	Magas Berenice II Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy Apion Cleopatra Selene II
Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Cleopatra Thea Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Cleopatra Selene I Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus
Lysimachids	Lysimachus Ptolemy Epigonos
Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III
Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I
Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III
Monarchs of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus
Monarchs of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II
Monarchs of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV
Monarchs of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus
Monarchs of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Paerisades I Satyros II Prytanis Eumelos Spartokos III Hygiainon (regent) Paerisades II Spartokos IV Leukon II Spartokos V [ru] Kamasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Paerisades V Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon Aspurgus Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I
Monarchs of Epirus	Admetus Tharrhypas Alcetas I Neoptolemus I Arybbas Alexander I Aeacides Neoptolemus II Alcetas II Pyrrhus I Alexander II Olympias II (regent) Pyrrhus II Ptolemy Pyrrhus III Deidamia
Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.