ANTIOCHUS III. THE GREAT. King of Syria, 223-187 B.C. Son of Seleueus Il. Cal linicus (246-226) and Laodice, a cousin of Andromaelms, aicended the throne at the age of fifteen, after the murder of his brother, Seleucus III. Cerannus (226-223). His first expedition was against Ptolemy IV. Philo pator (221-204). who had taken possession of Cwle-Syria and Plurnicia. But the revolts of Molon, Governor of Media. and his brother, Alexander, Governor of Persia, forced him to lead an army against them. He succeeded in defeating them. and also in subduing Artaba zanes, King of Atropatene, 220 B.C. While he was occupied in these parts, however, AchTus. Gov ernor of Asia Minor, asvanned the royal diadem. Antiochns returned to Syria, suffered a severe defeat at the hands of Ptolemy IV. at Raphia, 217 B.C., but still possessed sufficient strength to attack Acluens. After two years' siege, Sardis was captured in 214 B.C., and this dangerous re volt was at an end. Soon after Antiochus marched against Xerxes of Armenia, besieged Arsamosata and received a tribute of 300 talents (212 B.c.). He then continued his march into Susiana and Media (210-209), and took 4000 talents of gold and silver from the temple of Anaitis in Eebatana. Arsaces 11I. Artabanus was defeated, and the Parthian capital Heeatom pylus captured. Finally, Arsaees III. sued for peace and promised tribute, 209 B.C. In 20S An
tiochus made an attack upon Euthydemos of Baetria, and in 206 this king indicated his will ingness to recognize the suzerainty of Syria. He furnished elephants and provisions for the expedition against Sophagasenus of Kophen (Kabul). From here Antioehus returned through Arachosia, Drangiana, Carmania, and Babylonia to Syria in 204 B.C. He now united with Philip of Macedonia against. Ptolemy V. Epiphanes. The battle of Pancas, in 19S B.C., in which Au tiochus defeated the Egyptian general, Seopas, determined the fate of Palestine. But the Ro mans were not willing to allow further encroach men,s. In 196 B.C. they ordered him to return all places taken from Egypt and deprived him of the Thracian Chersonese that had been given to Seleueus by Lysimaehus. Against the counsels of Hannibal, who urged him to attack Italy it self, Antiochus went with his army to Greece, where he was defeated at Thermopyke, 191 B.C. Still more crushing was his defeat at Magnesia in 190 B.C. In the treaty of 188 B.C. he was forced to abandon Asia Minor beyond the Taurus, to pay 15.000 talents, and to give twenty hos tages, among them his son. To raise the money he pillaged a temple of Bel in Elymais, and was probably murdered by the outraged people in 187 B.C.