Antiochus

(an opponent), the name of a number of kings of Syria who lived during the interval between the Old and New Testaments, and had frequent connection with the Jews during that period. They are referred to in the Apocrypha especially in the books of the Maccabees.

The name of several Syrian kings from B.C. 280 to B.C. 65. The most notable of these were,

(1.) Antiochus the Great, who ascended the throne B.C. 223. He is regarded as the "king of the north" referred to in Dan. 11:13-19. He was succeeded (B.C. 187) by his son, Seleucus Philopater, spoken of by Daniel (11:20) as "a raiser of taxes", in the Revised Version, "one that shall cause an exactor to pass through the glory of the kingdom."

(2.) Antiochus IV., surnamed "Epiphanes" i.e., the Illustrious, succeeded his brother Seleucus (B.C. 175). His career and character are prophetically described by Daniel (11:21-32). He was a "vile person." In a spirit of revenge he organized an expedition against Jerusalem, which he destroyed, putting vast multitudes of its inhabitants to death in the most cruel manner. From this time the Jews began the great war of independence under their heroic Maccabean leaders with Marked success, defeating the armies of Antiochus that were sent against them. Enraged at this, Antiochus marched against them in person, threatening utterly to exterminate the nation; but on the way he was suddenly arrested by the hand of death (B.C. 164).

ANTIOCHUS

an-ti'-o-kus (Antiochos; A, Antimachos (1 Maccabees 12:16)): The father of Numenius, who in company with Antipater, son of Jason, was sent by Jonathan on an embassy to the Romans and Spartans to renew "the friendship" and "former confederacy" made by Judas (1 Maccabees 12:16; 14:22; Ant, XIII, vi; 8).

ANTIOCHUS I

an-ti'-o-kus (Antiochos Soter, "savior"): born 323 B.C.; died 261, son of Seleucus Nicator. He fell in love with his stepmother, Stratonike, and became very ill. His father, when he discovered the cause of his son's illness, gave her to him in 293, and yielded to him the sovereignty over all the countries beyond the Euphrates, as well as the title of king. When Seleucus returned to Macedonia in 281, he was murdered by Ptolemeus Ceraunus. Antiochus thus became ruler of the whole Syrian kingdom. He waged war on Eumenes of Pergamum, but without success. For the victories of his elephant corps over the Gauls, who had settled in Asia Minor, he received the surname of Soter ("Deliverer"). It was in a battle with these inveterate foes of his country that he met his death (261 B.C.). See also SELEUCIDAE.

J. E. Harry

ANTIOCHUS II

Surnamed Theos (Theos, "god"): Son and successor of Antiochus (261-246 B.C.). He made a successful war on Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt, but was obliged to buy peace in 250 by divorcing his wife, Laodice, and by marrying Ptolemy's daughter, Berenice. After the death of Ptolemy, "the king of the south" (Daniel 11:6) 248 B.C., he recalled Laodice and named her eldest son (Seleucus Kallinikos) as his successor to the throne; but Laodice (probably because she feared a second repudiation) had Berenice, her child, and Antiochus all murdered (246 B.C.). The Milesians gave him the surname of Theos in gratitude for his liberating them from the tyranny of Timarchus. (See Arrian, I, 17, 10, and 18, 2; Josephus, Ant, XII, iii, 2; Dittenberger, Sylloge Inscr. Graec, 166-71.)

J. E. Harry

ANTIOCHUS III

(Megas, "The Great," mentioned in 1 Maccabees 1:10; 8:6-8): Son of Seleucus Kallinikos; succeeded to the throne of Syria in 222 B.C.; put to death his general, Hermeas, and then led an army against Egypt. Theodotus surrendered to him Tyre, Ptolemais and his naval fleet. Rhodes and Cyzicus, as well as Byzantium and Aetolia, desired peace, but Antiochus declined to accept their terms. He renewed the war, but was defeated at Raphia in 217, and was obliged to give up Phoenicia and Coelesyria; Seleucia, however, he retained. He undertook to bring under his sway again all the territory of the Far East. His expedition against Bactria and Parthia gained for him the surname of "The Great." In 209 he carried away the treasure of the goddess Aine in Ecbatana, defeated the Parthians, and in 208 marched against the Bactrians. Later he made a treaty with an Indian rajah, and then returned to the West by way of Arachosia and Carmania, forcing the Gerraean Arabs to furnish him with frankincense, myrrh and silver. Then he took Ephesus, which he made his headquarters. In 196 he had crossed the Hellespont and rebuilt Lysimachia. Hannibal visited Antiochus in Ephesus the next year and became one of the king's advisers. He sought the friendship also of Eumenes of Pergamum, but without success.

Rome now requested the king not to interfere in Europe, or to recognize the right of the Romans to protect the Greeks in Asia. A war broke out in 192, and Antiochus was persuaded to come to Greece. The Aetolians elected him their general, who asked the Acheans to remain neutral. But the patriotic Philopoemen decided that an alliance with Rome was to be preferred. Antiochus first captured Calchis; then succeeded in gaining a footing in Boeotia, and later made an effort to get possession of Thessaly, but retired on the approach of the Macedonian army. In 191 the Romans made a formal declaration of war on Antiochus, who, being at that time in Acarnania, returned to Calchis, and finally sailed back to Ephesus. The Romans regained possession of Boeotia, Euboea and Sestus; but Polyxenidas defeated the Roman fleet near Samos, which island, together with Cyme and Phocaea, fell into the hands of Antiochus. The victorious Polyxenidas, however, soon sustained a crushing defeat at the hands of the Romans, and Antiochus abandoned Lysimachia, leaving an open road to Asia to the Romans. He was finally defeated at Magnesia and sent word to Scipio, who was at Sardis, that he was willing to make peace; but Scipio ordered him to send envoys to Rome. A decision was reached in 189; the Asiatic monarch was obliged to renounce everything on the Roman side of the Taurus; give up all his ships of war but ten and pay 15,000 talents to Rome, and 500 to Eumenes. Antiochus marched against the revolted Armenians in 187. In order to replenish his exhausted treasury, he attempted to plunder a temple and both he and his soldiers were slain by the Elymeans.

LITERATURE. Polyb. v0.40.21; Livy xxxi0.14; xxxiii. 19; Josephus, Ant, XII; Heyden, Res ab Ant; Babelon, Rois de Syrie, 77-86; Daniel 11:10-19; Tetzlaff, De Antiochi III Magni rebus gestis (Munster, 1874).

J. E. Harry

ANTIOCHUS IV; ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES

(Epiphanes, e-pif'-a-naz, "Illustrious"): Son of Antiochus III who became king after his brother, Seleucus IV, had been murdered by Heliodorus. As a boy Antiochus lived at Rome as a hostage. The Pergamene monarchs, Eumenes and Attalus, succeeded in placing upon the throne the brother of Seleucus, although Heliodorus had wished to ascend the throne himself. The young king was even more enterprising than his father. He was called in to settle a quarrel between Onias III and his brother, Jason, the leader of the Hellenizing faction in Jerusalem, and Onias was driven out (2 Maccabees 4:4-6). Jason became high priest in his stead (2 Maccabees 4:9-16; 1 Maccabees 1:10-15; Ant, XII, v, 1). Antiochus himself afterward visited Jerusalem and was signally honored (2 Maccabees 4:22). On the death of Ptolemy VI in 173, Antiochus laid claim to Coelesyria, Palestine and Phoenicia; whereupon war broke out between Syria and Egypt. In this war Antiochus was victorious. Ptolemy Philometor was taken prisoner, and Antiochus had himself crowned king of Egypt (171-167 B.C.) at Memphis; whereupon Alexandria revolted and chose Ptolemy's brother as their king. The Roman ambassador, Popilius Laenas, demanded the surrender of Egypt and the immediate withdrawal of its self-constituted king. Antiochus yielded; gave up Pelusium and withdrew his fleet from Cyprus, but retained Coelesyria, Palestine and Phoenicia.

While Antiochus was on a second campaign in Egypt, he heard of the siege of Jerusalem. He returned immediately, slew many thousands of the inhabitants and robbed the temple of its treasures (1 Maccabees 1:20-24; 2 Maccabees 5:11-21). By his prohibition of the Jewish worship and his introduction or substitution of the worship of the Olympian Zeus (1 Maccabees 1:54; 2 Maccabees 6:2; Ant, XII, v, 4) he brought about the insurrection of the Jews, under the Maccabees, upon whom he made an unsuccessful war in 167-164 B.C. After this war Antiochus retired to the eastern provinces and died, after having failed in an attack on the temple of the Sun in Elymais, in Persia. See also ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION; ANTIOCHIANS.

J. E. Harry

ANTIOCHUS V

(Eupator, "Nobleborn"): Son and successor to Antiochus Epiphanes, ascended the throne as a mere boy (163-161 B.C.) under the guardianship of Lysias, who led an expedition to the relief of Jerusalem, which had been besieged by Judas Maccabeus (1 Maccabees 6:18-30; Ant, XII, ix, 4), who was defeated (1 Maccabees 6:42). Antiochus then besieged Jerusalem. Peace was finally concluded on the condition that the Jews should not be compelled to change any of their national customs (1 Maccabees 6:55-60; Ant, XII, ix, 7). Philip, the king's foster-brother (2 Maccabees 9:29), was defeated at Antioch, but soon afterward Lysias and Antiochus were themselves defeated by Demetrius Soter, son of Seleucus Philopator (1 Maccabees 7:4; 2 Maccabees 14:2; Ant, XII, x, 1; Polyb. xxxi0.19; Livy Epit. 46).

J. E. Harry

ANTIOCHUS VI

(Surnamed Theos (Theos), or, according to coins, Dionysus Epiphanes): Was the son of Alexander Balas, who claimed to be the son of Antiochus Epiphanes. Alexander left the throne to his son in 146 B.C. The young king retired to Arabia-perhaps through compulsion. The shrewd diplomatist and skillful general, Tryphon, succeeded first in winning over to his side the two leaders of the Jews, Jonathan and Simon, and then, by force of arms, in making the Syrians recognize his protege. As soon as the monarchy had been firmly established, Tryphon unmasked his projects: he had been ambitious only for himself; Antiochus had been only an instrument in his hands. In 143; after a reign of a little more than three years, Antiochus was assassinated by Tryphon, who ascended the throne himself (1 Maccabees 13:31; Ant, XIII, vii, 1; Livy Epit. 55).

J. E. Harry

ANTIOCHUS VII

(Surnamed Sidetes, Sidetes, after Sida in Pamphylia, where he was educated): Younger son of Demetrius Soter and brother of Demetrius Nicator, whose wife, Cleopatra, he married when Demetrius was taken prisoner by the Parthians. Antiochus overthrew the usurper, Tryphon, and ascended the throne himself and reigned from 139 to 130 B.C. He defeated John Maccabeus and besieged Jerusalem (Ant., XIII, viii, 2), but concluded a favorable peace (Ant., XIII, viii, 3) from fear of Rome. Later he waged war with the Parthians and was slain in battle (1 Maccabees 15:2-9, 28-31).

J. E. Harry

490. Antiocheia -- Antioch, the name of two cities
... Word Origin from Antiochos (Antiochus, the name of a number of Syrian kings) Definition
Antioch, the name of two cities NASB Word Usage Antioch (18). Antioch. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/490.htm - 6k

To the Pr??fect Antiochus.
... Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, XCV. To the Pr??fect Antiochus. You have ...
good deeds. Footnotes: [1808] Antiochus was Consul in 431. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/xcv to the praefect antiochus.htm

Antiochus
... Chapter XX. Antiochus. Antiochus [2606] the bishop, wrote one long [2607]
volume Against avarice and he composed a homily, full of ...
/.../various/jerome and gennadius lives of illustrious men /chapter xx antiochus.htm

How, after the Death of Antiochus, Hyrcanus Made an Expedition ...
... CHAPTER 9. How, After The Death Of Antiochus, Hyrcanus Made An Expedition
Against Syria, And Made A League With The Romans. Concerning ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 how after the.htm

Concerning the Calamity that Befell Antiochus, King of Commagene. ...
... CHAPTER 7. Concerning The Calamity That Befell Antiochus, King Of Commagene.
As Also Concerning The Alans And What Great Mischiefs ...
/.../chapter 7 concerning the calamity.htm

How Simon Confederated Himself with Antiochus Pius, and Made War ...
... CHAPTER 7. How Simon Confederated Himself With Antiochus Pius, And Made War Against
Trypho, And A Little Afterward, Against Cendebeus, The General Of ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how simon confederated.htm

How Antiochus, who was Called Dionysus, and after Him Aretas Made ...
... How Antiochus, Who Was Called Dionysus, And After Him Aretas Made Expeditions Into
Judea; As Also How Alexander Took Many Cities And Then Returned To Jerusalem ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 15 how antiochus who.htm

Letter cxlvi. To Antiochus.
... Letter CXLVI. To Antiochus. I cannot accuse you of carelessness and inattention,
because, when an opportunity of writing occurred, you said nothing. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter cxlvi to antiochus.htm

Letter clxviii. To Antiochus.
... TOU AGIOU BAChILEIOU PERI TOU PNEUMATOCh BIBLION. Letter CLXVIII. To Antiochus.
I mourn for the Church that is deprived of the guidance of such a shepherd. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter clxviii to antiochus.htm

Letter clviii. To Antiochus.
... BIBLION. Letter CLVIII. To Antiochus. My sins have prevented me from carrying
out the wish to meet you, which I have long entertained. ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/letter clviii to antiochus.htm

How Antiochus Made a League with Ptolemy and How Onias Provoked ...
... CHAPTER 4. How Antiochus Made A League With Ptolemy And How Onias Provoked Ptolemy
Euergetes To Anger; And How Joseph Brought All Things Right Again, And ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how antiochus made.htm

Antiochus
... The most notable of these were,. (1.) Antiochus the Great, who ascended the throne
BC 223. He is regarded as the "king of the north" referred to in Dan. ...
/a/antiochus.htm - 17k

Epiphanes
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ANTIOCHUS IV; ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES. (Epiphanes ...
Heliodorus. As a boy Antiochus lived at Rome as a hostage. ...
/e/epiphanes.htm - 8k

Maccabaeus
... a-be'-us (Makkabaios), mak'-a-bez (hoi Makkabaioi): I. PALESTINE UNDER KINGS OF
SYRIA 1. Rivalry of Syria and Egypt 2. Palestine Seized by Antiochus the Great 3 ...
/m/maccabaeus.htm - 17k

Ptolemy
... he was actively engaged in two Syrian wars until peace was made about 250 BC, Berenice,
the daughter of Philadelphus, being given in marriage to Antiochus II. ...
/p/ptolemy.htm - 17k

Tryphon
... BC), Tryphon, taking advantage of the complaints of discontent among the troops
of Demetrius II (Nicator), set up the younger son of Balas, Antiochus VI, as ...
/t/tryphon.htm - 9k

Apollonius
... But on the accession of Antiochus Epiphanes, Apollonius, in some way becoming
obnoxious to the new king, left Syria and retired to Miletus. ...
/a/apollonius.htm - 8k

Desolation (131 Occurrences)
... This was the situation when Antiochus Epiphanes set out to suppress the last
vestige of the Jewish cult by the application of brute force. ...
/d/desolation.htm - 46k

Parthians (1 Occurrence)
... 2. The Seleucid Kings: Next they came under the rule of the Seleucid kings of Syria,
but revolted about 250 BC, in the reign of Antiochus II (Theos), and ...
/p/parthians.htm - 16k

Philip (37 Occurrences)
... (2) A Phrygian left by Antiochus Epiphanes as governor at Jerusalem (circa 170 BC)
and described in 2 Maccabees 5:22 as "more barbarous" than Antiochus himself ...
/p/philip.htm - 32k

Cleopatra
... Cleopatra married his brother Antiochus VII (Sidetes), who in the absence of
Demetrius had gained possession of the Syrian throne (137 BC). ...
/c/cleopatra.htm - 8k

Who was Antiochus Epiphanes? | GotQuestions.org

Who is the king of the North in Daniel 11? | GotQuestions.org

Who is the king of the South in Daniel 11? | GotQuestions.org

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