Category:Antiochus IV Epiphanes (subject)

Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a Seleucid king who ruled from 175 BCE until his death in 164 BCE, at the time of the Maccabean revolt.

Overview

Antiochus IV was the son of Antiochus III the Great and Laodice III, and the younger brother of Seleucus IV Philopator. He was married with Laodice IV; among his children are Antiochus V Eupator (who succeeded his father in 164 BCE), and Laodice VI. Alexander Balas claimed to be his son.

With the Peace of Apamea in 188 BCE, following the defeat of Magnesia, the young Antiochus IV was sent as hostage to Rome. The year after Antiochus' older brother Seleucus IV Philopator succeeded Antiochus III the Great, who had died in a skirmish at the temple of Baal at Susa. In 178 BCE Antiochus IV was replaced as hostage by his nephew (and Seleucus IV's son) Demetrius I Soter, and could go back to Antioch.

When in 175 BCE Seleucus IV Philopator was killed in a conspiracy by his official Heliodorus, Antiochus IV avenged his brother but claimed the throne for himself, leaving Demetrius I Soter hostage at Rome.

In the years 170-168 Antiochus IV successfully repelled an attack by the Ptolomies but Roman pressure forced him to retire from Alexandria of Egypt.

A major rebellion happened in Judea in 167-164 BCE, where an attempt to strengthen the philo-Seleucid party against the philo-Ptolemaic party caused the emergence of the nationalistic movement of the Maccabees.

In 164 BCE Antiochus died in a failed attack on Susa and was succeeded by his child son Antiochus V Eupator with Lysia as regent.

Antiochus IV in ancient sources

Book of Daniel

Book of Daniel (VII:8,20,24,25; VIII:9-12,23-25; IX:26-27; XI:21-39 are generally identified with Antiochus Epiphanes)

Antiochus IV in Scholarship

Antiochus IV in Fiction

Related categories

• Seleucid Kings (subject)

External links

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