Macedonian-Greek dynasty founded by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, who managed to piece back together virtually all of Alexander’s eastern empire after the king’s death, to make a domain stretching from Anatolia and Syria to Afghanistan. The dynasty is usually dated from the year 312 bc, when Seleucus I finally established himself at Babylon, and promptly founded his own new capital of Seleuceia-on-Tigris — which in due course was to eclipse Babylon itself, and become a great centre of Greek civilization in the East. Gradually the Seleucid dynasty lost power and territory, notably to the Parthians, and the focus of control moved back west to Syria, where Seleucus I had already in c300 bc founded his Syrian capital of Antioch. The Seleucid era was already over when Pompey annexed Syria as a Roman province in 64-63 bc.
The Macmillan dictionary of archaeology, Ruth D. Whitehouse, 1983Copied