By the middle of the 3rd century, Parthia, Bactria, and Sogdiana had gained their independence the conquest of Coele Syria (Lebanon) and Palestine by Antiochus III (200) and a brief occupation of Armenia made up to some extent for the loss of much of Anatolia to the Romans. By that time the Aegean Greek cities had thrown off the Seleucid yoke, Cappadocia and Attalid Pergamum had achieved independence, and other territories had been lost to the Celts and to Pontus and Bythnia. An inexorable decline followed the first defeat of the Seleucids by the Romans in 190. The Seleucid empire began losing control over large territories in the 3rd century bce. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. A quarter-century of Maccabean resistance ended with the final wresting of control over Judea from the Seleucids and the creation of an independent Judea in Palestine. This persecution of the Jews and desecration of the Temple sparked the Maccabean uprising beginning in 165. He had previously ordered the Jews to build shrines to idols and to sacrifice pigs and other unclean animals and had forbidden circumcision-essentially prohibiting, on pain of death, the practice of the Jewish law. Resistance to Greek cultural hegemony peaked during the reign of Antiochus IV (175вЂ“163), whose promotion of Greek culture culminated in his raising a statue to Zeus in the Temple at Jerusalem. A Greek-speaking Macedonian aristocratic class dominated the Seleucid state throughout its history, although this dominance was most strongly felt in the urban areas. The Seleucid empire was a major centre of Hellenistic culture, which maintained the preeminence of Greek customs and manners over the indigenous cultures of the Middle East. Seleucid settlements in Syria, primarily Antioch, were regional centres by which the Seleucid empire projected its military, economic, and cultural influence. Their control over the strategic Taurus Mountain passes between Anatolia and Syria, as well as the Hellespont between Thrace and Anatolia, allowed them to dominate commerce and trade in the region. By controlling Anatolia and its Greek cities, the Seleucids exerted enormous political, economic, and cultural power throughout the Middle East. Administrative centres were located at Sardis in the west and at Seleucia on the Tigris in the east.

The empire was administered by provincial stratД“goi, who combined military and civil power. Seleucus was succeeded by his eldest son, Antiochus I Soter, who reigned until 261 and was followed by Antiochus II (reigned 261вЂ“246), Seleucus II (246вЂ“225), Seleucus III (225вЂ“223), and Antiochus III the Great (223вЂ“187), whose reign was marked by sweeping administrative reforms in which many of the features of the ancient Persian imperial administration, adopted initially by Alexander, were modernized to eliminate a dual power structure strained by rivalry between military and political figures. That same year, he was assassinated by Ptolemy Ceraunus, the disgruntled son of Ptolemy I.ДЄt the end of the Achaemenian Empire, Mesopotamia was partitioned into the satrapy of Babylonia in the south, while the northern part of. In 281 he annexed the Thracian Chersonesus. By 305, having consolidated his power over the kingdom, he began gradually to extend his domain eastward to the Indus River and westward to Syria and Anatolia, where he decisively defeated Antigonus at Ipsus in 301. In 312 Seleucus defeated Demetrius at Gaza using troops supplied by Ptolemy, and with a smaller force he seized Babylonia that same year, thereby founding the Seleucid kingdom, or empire. In the prolonged power struggle between the former generals of Alexander for control of the disintegrating empire, Seleucus sided with Ptolemy I of Egypt against Antigonus I, AlexanderвЂ™s successor on the Macedonian throne, who had forced Seleucus out of Babylonia. Seleucus, one of AlexanderвЂ™s leading generals, became satrap (governor) of Babylonia in 321, two years after the death of Alexander.

It was carved out of the remains of Alexander the GreatвЂ™s Macedonian empire by its founder, Seleucus I Nicator. Seleucid empire, (312вЂ“64 bce), an ancient empire that at its greatest extent stretched from Thrace in Europe to the border of India. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia BritannicaвЂ™s archives.

Rome 2 dei macedon