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Decline of the Seleucid Empire

Type Event Region Western Asia Time -190–-63

After defeat by Rome at Magnesia in 190 BCE, the Seleucid Empire lost most of Asia Minor, then steadily shrank amid civil wars, succession struggles,…

Timeline

  1. -190–-188Magnesia · Asia MinorSeleucid king Antiochus III was defeated at Magnesia by a Roman-Pergamene coalition, then signed the Treaty of Apamea, ceding Asia Minor north of the Taurus Mountains and paying a huge indemnity, losing western hegemony.
  2. -247–-141Mesopotamia · MesopotamiaParthia gradually became independent from 247 and expanded eastward; Mithridates I captured major cities such as Seleucia, and the Seleucids lost most of Iran and Mesopotamia. Pontus and the Jewish Hasmoneans also broke free of control.
  3. -150–-83Syria · SyriaThe Seleucids fell into frequent wars of the Successors and palace coups, with effective rule shrinking to the Syrian heartland. Neighboring powers such as Tigranes II further squeezed their space, leaving the empire in name only.
  4. -64–-63Antioch · SyriaAfter the Roman commander Pompey's eastern campaign subdued Pontus, he made Syria a Roman province and deposed the last Seleucid king, Antiochus XIII, formally ending the Seleucid Empire and removing one of the main political entities of the Hellenistic age.

Sources