Antiochus II Theos

King of the Seleucid Empire, 261–246 BC

Antiochus II Theos

Basileus

Silver tetradrachm of Antiochus II Theos, minted in Tarsus, featuring a portrait of Antiochus on the obverse. SC 561

Basileus of the Seleucid Empire
Reign| 2 June 261 – July 246 BC
Predecessor| Antiochus I Soter
Successor| Seleucus II Callinicus

Born| 286 BC
Syria
Died| early July 246 BC (aged 39–40)
Asia Minor
(modern-day Turkey)
Spouse| Laodice I
Berenice
Issue| with Laodice:
Seleucus II Callinicus
Antiochus Hierax
Apama
Stratonice of Cappadocia
Laodice
with Berenice:
Antiochus
Dynasty| Seleucid dynasty
Father| Antiochus I Soter
Mother| Stratonice of Syria
Religion| Greek polytheism
Coin of Antiochus II. The Greek inscription reads ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, Basileōs Antiochou, "of king Antiochus". "Aṃtiyako Yona Rājā" (𑀅𑀁𑀢𑀺𑀬𑀓𑁄 𑀬𑁄𑀦 𑀭𑀸𑀚𑀸, "The Greek king Antiochos"), mentioned in Major Rock Edict No.2 of Ashoka, here at Girnar, Gujarat, India. Brahmi script.[1] Belevi mausoleum Belevi mausoleum from the south

Antiochus II Theos (Ancient Greek: Ἀντίοχος ὁ Θεός, Antíochos ho Theós, meaning "Antiochus the God"; 286 – July 246 BC) was a Greek king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire who reigned from 261 to 246 BC.[2] He succeeded his father Antiochus I Soter in the winter of 262–61 BC. He was the younger son of Antiochus I and princess Stratonice, the daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes.[3]

Antiochus II was a forceful personality who in his lifetime largely succeeded to hold the sprawling Seleucid realm intact. However his fateful decision to repudiate his first wife Laodice and marry a Ptolemaic princess Berenice as part of a peace treaty led to a succession struggle after his death that would shake the empire's foundations and cause large territorial losses.

## Early life

[edit]

Antiochus II was the younger son of Antiochus I Soter and his famous queen Stratonice. Antiochus was initially not expected to inherit the throne, but in 267 BC his father had his elder brother Seleucus executed on charges of rebellion.[4]

## Reign

[edit]

He inherited lasting tensions with Ptolemaic Egypt and soon initiated the Second Syrian War in alliance with Antigonus II of the Antigonid dynasty. The war was largely fought along the coasts of Asia Minor and conflated with the constant intrigues of petty despots and restless city-states in Asia Minor. Antiochus II made some gains in Asia Minor and acquired direct access to Aegean Sea by capturing Miletus and Ephesus. During the war he assumed the title Theos (Greek: Θεός, "God"), being such to the Milesians in slaying the tyrant Timarchus.[5] At around the same time Antiochus II also made some attempt to get a footing in Thrace which details are largely unknown and a mint in the city of Byzantium briefly issued coins in his name.[6]

In the end the war did little to alter the general balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean. Coele-Syria in particular, the main disputed territory between the Seleucid empire and the Ptolemaic Kingdom, remained firmly in the hands of the Ptolemies. In 257 BC, the Ptolemaic pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus even invaded the Seleucid-held part of Syria, though the outcome of this invasion is unknown. In 253 BC, with his Antigonid allies knocked out of the war by rebellions, Antiochus II made peace with Ptolemy II. As part of the settlement, Antiochus II divorced Laodice and married Ptolemy II's daughter Berenice, with the understanding that any children born from their union would inherit the Seleucid throne.[7] Laodice was well provided for in the divorce arrangement. Antiochus II gave her various land grants throughout Anatolia which are known through inscriptions;[8] such as large estates in the Hellespont,[9] other properties near Cyzicus,[10] Ilion and in Caria.[9] She was also granted revenues from various territories and tax exemptions.[11] According to a royal record at Sardis, her land titles were to be treated as in royal possession.[12]

Laodice remained a very powerful and political influential figure and continued numerous intrigues to become queen again. By 246 BC, possibly at the news of Ptolemy II's death, Antiochus II had left Berenice and their infant son Antiochus in Antioch to live again with Laodice in Asia Minor.[3] Antiochus II soon suddenly died and Laodice was widely accused of having him poisoned. Antiochus was buried in the Belevi Mausoleum.[13]

A succession struggle erupted almost immediately. Berenice initially had the advantage by holding Antioch but her son Antiochus was but an infant. Meanwhile, Laodice proclaimed her eldest son Seleucus as king Seleucus II and moved in from Asia Minor, claiming that on his deathbed Antiochus II reversed his earlier decision and named Seleucus as his successor.[7] The then-reigning brother of Berenice Ptolemy III marched from Egypt to support his sister, only to find her and her son murdered by partisans of Laodice. Enraged Ptolemy continued the war, dubbed the Third Syrian War which proved to be a disaster for the Seleucid empire.[14]

## Eastern affairs

[edit]

Very little is known about any Antiochus II's activities in regards to the eastern Upper Satrapies such as Media, Parthia, Bactria or Persis. Chiefly preoccupied with conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean and with family issues, Antiochus II seems to resorted to appointing independent-minded men such like Diodotus and Andragoras as satraps in the area. These two appointments eventually resulted in the creation of the independent Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and the Parthian Empire respectively. There is also a marked decline in quantity of Antiochus II's coinage in Bactria when compared to that of his father, which had been interpreted variously in scholarship. It has been claimed that ambitious satraps may have taken advantage of Antiochus II's absenteeism to gradually weaken their ties with the central government even in Antiochus II's lifetime without outwardly proclaiming independence. However, posthumous coinage of a popular king was a relatively common practice in the Hellenistic Age and Antiochus II may have minted coins in the name of his half-Sogdian father in order to legitimize both himself and his dynasty.[15]

## Possible relations with India

[edit]

An uncertain Antiochus is mentioned[16] in the Edicts of Ashoka, as one of the recipients of the Indian Emperor Ashoka's Buddhist proselytism. A majority opinion however holds that the Greek king mentioned there is in fact be Antiochus II's father, Antiochus I Soter, who arguably had more proximity with the East.[17][16]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Inscriptions of Asoka. New Edition by E. Hultzsch (in Sanskrit). 1925. p. 3.
2. ^ "Antiochus II Theos". Livius.
3. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Seleucid Dynasty s.v. Antiochus II. Theos" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 604.
4. ^ Smith, Andrew. "Johannes Malalas - translation". www.attalus.org. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
5. ^ Appianus, Syriaca, 65.
6. ^ "Dr. Jordan Iliev. "The Campaign of Antiochus II Theos in Thrace" - History Studies. International Journal of History, 2013, 5/1, pp. 211-222" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2014.
7. ^ a b Bromiley, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: A-D p.144
8. ^ Billows, Kings and colonists: aspects of Macedonian imperialism p.126
9. ^ a b Grainger, A Seleukid prosopography and gazetteer p.47
10. ^ "Laodice I article at Livius.org". Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
11. ^ Aperghis,The Seleukid royal economy: the finances and financial administration of the Seleukid empire p.144
12. ^ Billows, Kings and colonists: aspects of Macedonian imperialism p.p.114-5
13. ^ "The Mausoleum of Antiochus II Theos". Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
14. ^ "E. R. Bevan: The House of Ptolemy • Chap. VI". penelope.uchicago.edu.
15. ^ F. L. Holt 1999, Thundering Zeus, Berkeley.
16. ^ a b Jarl Charpentier, "Antiochus, King of the Yavanas" Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London 6.2 (1931: 303-321) argues that the Antiochus mentioned was unlikely to be Antiochus II, during whose time relations with India were broken by the Parthian intrusion and the independence of Diodotus in Bactria, and suggests instead the half-Iranian Antiochus I, with stronger connections in the East.
17. ^ Translation of Jarl Charpentier 1931:303-321.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antiochus II.

* Antiochus II entry in 'Seleucid Genealogy' Archived 15 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine

Antiochus II Theos

Seleucid dynasty

Born: 286 BC Died: 246 BC

Preceded by

Antiochus I Soter

|  Seleucid King
261–246 BC  | Succeeded by

Seleucus II Callinicus

* 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.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* 2

National|

* Germany
* Vatican

People|

* DDB

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template