Antiochus IV Epiphanes
| Antiochus IV Epiphanes | |
| King of the Seleucid Empire | |
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| Coin of Antiochus IV. Reverse shows Apollo enthroned on an omphalos. The inscription ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ means ("of Antiochus, God Manifest, Bearer of Victory"). | |
| Reign | 175 BC – 164 BC |
| Born | 215 BC |
| Predecessor | Seleucus IV Philopator |
| Successor | Antiochus V Eupator |
| Wife | Laodice IV |
| Offspring | Antiochus V Eupator Laodice VI Alexander Balas (spurious) |
| Dynasty | Seleucids |
| Father | Antiochus III the Great |
| Mother | Laodice III |
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ("God Manifest"[1], "the Illustrious"; in Greek Ἀντίοχος Ἐπιφανὴς, pronounced [ænˈtɑi̯əkəs ɛˈpɪfəniːz]; born ca.215; died 164 BC) ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great and the brother of Seleucus IV Philopator. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he assumed the throne.
Notable events during the reign of Antiochus IV include his near-conquest of Egypt, which led to a confrontation that became an origin of the metaphorical phrase, "Line in the sand" (see below), and the rebellion of the Jewish Maccabees.
He assumed divine epithets, which no other Hellinistic king had done, such as Theos Epiphanes("God Manifest") and after his defeat of Egypt, Nikephoros("Bearer of Victory")[2]. But his often eccentric behavior, capricious actions and even insanity led some of his contemporaries to call him Epimanes ("The Mad One"), a word play off of his title Epiphanes.[3][1]
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Rise to Power
As the brother of King Seleucus IV, Antiochus became a political hostage of the Roman Republic following the Peace of Apamea in 188 BC, but was later exchanged for his nephew Demetrius I Soter (the son and heir of Seleucus). After King Seleucus was assasinated by Heliodorus, a usurper, Antiochus in turn ousted him and seized the throne from the true heir, Demetrius I Soter and proclaimed himself co-regent for another son of Seleucus, an infant named Antiochus (whom he then murdered a few years later).
Wars against Egypt
When the guardians of King Ptolemy VI of Egypt demanded the return of Coele-Syria in 170 BC, Antiochus launched a preemptive strike against Egypt, conquering all but Alexandria and capturing King Ptolemy. To avoid alarming Rome, Antiochus allowed Ptolemy VI to continue ruling as a Puppet-king. Upon Antiochus' withdrawal, the city of Alexandria chose a new King, one of Ptolemy's brothers, also named Ptolemy (VIII Euergetes). Instead of fighting a civil war, the Ptolemy brothers agreed to rule Egypt jointly.
In 168 BC Antiochus led a second attack on Egypt and also sent a fleet to capture Cyprus. Before reaching Alexandria, his path was blocked by a single, old Roman ambassador named Gaius Popillius Laenas, who delivered a message from the Roman Senate directing Antiochus to withdraw his armies from Egypt and Cyprus, or consider themselves in a state of war with the Roman Republic. Antiochus said he would discuss it with his council, whereupon the Roman envoy drew a line in the sand around him and said, "Before you cross this circle I want you to give me a reply for the Roman Senate" - implying that Rome would declare war if the King stepped out of the circle without committing to leave Egypt immediately. Weighing his options, Antiochus wisely decided to withdraw. Only then did Popillius agree to shake hands with him.
Sacking of Jerusalem and Persecution of Jews
While Antiochus was busy in Egypt, a false rumor spread that he had been killed. The deposed High Priest Jason gathered a force of 1,000 soldiers and made a surprise attack on the city of Jerusalem. An official Antiochus appointed as High Priest, Menelaus, was forced to flee Jerusalem during a riot. On the King's return from Egypt in 167 BC enraged by his defeat, he attacked Jerusalem and restored Menelaus, then executed many Jews. [4]
| “ | When these happenings were reported to the king, he thought that Judea was in revolt. Raging like a wild animal, he set out from Egypt and took Jerusalem by storm. He ordered his soldiers to cut down without mercy those whom they met and to slay those who took refuge in their houses. There was a massacre of young and old, a killing of women and children, a slaughter of virgins and infants. In the space of three days, eighty thousand were lost, forty thousand meeting a violent death, and the same number being sold into slavery. | ” |
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— 2 Maccabees 5:11-14
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To consolidate his empire and strengthen his hold over the region, Antiochus decided to Hellenize the Jews by outlawing Judaism and by ordering the worship of Zeus as the supreme god.[5] This was anathema to the Jews and when they refused, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of the resistance, the city was destroyed, many were slaughtered, and a military Greek citadel called the Acra was established.[6]
| “ | Not long after this the king sent an Athenian senator to force the Jews to abandon the customs of their ancestors and live no longer by the laws of God; also to profane the temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and that on Mount Gerizim to Zeus the Hospitable, as the inhabitants of the place requested...They also brought into the temple things that were forbidden, so that the altar was covered with abominable offerings prohibited by the laws. A man could not keep the sabbath or celebrate the traditional feasts, nor even admit that he was a Jew. At the suggestion of the citizens of Ptolemais, a decree was issued ordering the neighboring Greek cities to act in the same way against the Jews: oblige them to partake of the sacrifices, and put to death those who would not consent to adopt the customs of the Greeks. It was obvious, therefore, that disaster impended. Thus, two women who were arrested for having circumcised their children were publicly paraded about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts and then thrown down from the top of the city wall. Others, who had assembled in nearby caves to observe the sabbath in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned to death. | ” |
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— 2 Maccabees 6:1-11
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Rebellion of the Maccabees
His goal was to assimilate the Jewish people by Hellenizing their religion, which was extreme provocation against the Jews who, until then, had been content to live under Seleucid rule. Afterwards the Jews broke into a full-scale rebellion led by the Maccabees, who defeated the armies sent against them. This further undermined the Seleucid regime and provided the Romans with opportunities to ally with the Jews.
Final years
Taking advantage of Antiochus' western problems, King Mithridates I of Parthia attacked from the east and seized the city of Herat in 167 BC, disrupting the direct trade route to India and effectively splitting the Greek world in two.
Recognizing the potential danger in the east, but unwilling to give up control of Judea, Antiochus sent a commander named Lysias to deal with the Maccabees, while the King himself led the main Seleucid army against the Parthians. After initial success in his eastern campaign, including the reoccupation of Armenia, Antiochus died suddenly of disease in 164 BC.
Legacy of Antiochus IV
The reign of Antiochus was the last period of real strength for the Seleucid Dynasty, but in some ways his rule was also fatal to the Empire. Technically Antiochus IV was a usurper, and he left an infant son named Antiochus V Eupator as his only heir. The result was a series of civil wars between rival claimants to the throne, effectively crippling the Empire during a critical phase in the wars against Parthia.
In Jewish tradition
Antiochus IV is remembered as a major villain and persecutor in Jewish traditions, some of whom are linked with a specific Jewish holiday (for example, Hanukkah). There is also a "Scroll of Antiochus," which describes the victory of Hanukkah.[7]
See also
- 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)
- Abomination of Desolation
- 1 Maccabees
- 2 Maccabees
- The Wars of the Jews
External links
- Antiochus IV Ephiphanes entry in historical sourcebook by Mahlon H. Smith
- Jewish Encyclopedia: Antiochus IV Epiphanes
- Antiochus IV Epiphanes at livius.org
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Encyclopædia Britannica Online: Antiochus IV Epiphanes
- ↑ Rome and the Mediterranean to 133 B.C. By A. E. Astin, F. W. Walbank, M. W. Frederiksen, p. 341
- ↑ Polybius The Histories
- ↑ Josephus,Wars of the Jews 1:1:1-2
- ↑ Supported by Beavan's numismatic research showing that under Antiochus IV, Zeus replaced Apollo, who had been the main deity depicted on earlier Seleucid coinage.
- ↑ 1 Maccabees 1:30-37; Witherington
- ↑ Vedibarta Bam — And You Shall Speak of Them: Megilat Antiochus The Scroll of the Hasmoneans
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Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Born: 215 BC Died: 164 BC |
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| Preceded by Seleucus IV Philopator |
Seleucid King 175–164 BC |
Succeeded by Antiochus V Eupator |
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