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The Silent Centuries

Greek Rule -- The Ptolemies & Seleucids (332 - 168 BC) by Al Maxey. Covers: (Alexander) (The Diadochoi) (Ptolemy I) (Ptolemy II) (Ptolemy III) (Ptolemy IV) (Ptolemy V) (Antiochus III) (Seleucus IV) (Antiochus IV)...

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My Jewish Learning: Hanukkah History

Overview: Hanukkah History Hanukkah is one of the few Jewish holidays not mentioned in the Bible. The story of how Hanukkah came to be is contained in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, which are not part of the Jewish canon of the Hebrew Bible. These books tell the story of the Maccabees, a small band of Jewish fighters who liberated the Land of Isra...

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The Diadochi: The Inscription of Scepsis

Between 314 and 311, Antigonus Monophthalmus, the strongest of the generals who were contending for the inheritance of Alexander the Great, fought the Third Diadoch War against Ptolemy of Egypt, Lysimachus of Thrace, and Cassander of Macedonia. In 311, he agreed to a peace treaty. An inscription found in Scepsis in the Troad contains the text of a ...

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The Diadochi: The Foundation of Halos

In the autumn 304, Demetrius I Poliorcetes invaded Greece, where he liberated the towns that were garrisoned by Cassander. Two years later, the two kings faced each other in southern Thessaly (between modern Almirós and Soúrpi), but no battle was fought, because both sides knew that the real decision was to be made in the battle between Antigonus...

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The Legacy of the Maccabees

The Maccabee Rebellion. Devastating Desecraton. "The period of Alexander, who took possession of Israel in 332 [B.C.E.], passed off fairly quietly for the Hebrews. Their troubles came during the struggle between the Diadochi, since both the Seleucids and the Ptolemies coveted southern Syria and it only finally became a possession of the former in 1...

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The Diadochi: The beginning of the Babylonian War

In 320, Seleucus had been appointed as satrap of Babylonia, but Antigonus Monophthalmus had expelled him in the spring of 315. In May 311, Seleucus recaptured Babylon. This was the beginning of the Babylonian War, which was to last until the late summer of 309. Antigonus first sent his son Demetrius against one of the largest citie of the world. Th...

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The Diadochi: Demetrius' Babylonian Campaign

In May 311, Seleucus unexpectedly captured Babylon, the greatest city in the world and one of the most important parts in the empire of Antigonus Monophthalmus. In the autumn of 311, he sent his son Demetrius to expell Seleucus. His expedition did not reach its aims. The story is told by Diodorus of Sicily (World history, 19.100.5-7). The translati...

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The Diadochi: Demetrius becomes King of Macedonia

In 298, the ruler of Macedonia, Cassander, died. His two brothers now divided the kingdom: Antipater received the western and Alexander the eastern half. Immediately, they started to quarrel. Alexander felt threatened, and in 294 invited two men to come to his assistance: Demetrius I Poliorcetess and Pyrrhus of Epirus. Pyrrhus was the first to inte...

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The Diadochi: The death of Antipater

In the autumn of 319, Antipater died, the regent of the brother of Alexander the Great and his baby son Alexander. A year before, he had divided Alexander's empire: Ptolemy was recognized as the ruler of a virtually independent Egypt, Antigonus Monophthalmus was made supreme commander of the Macedonian forces in Asia, and Antipater was sole ruler o...

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The Diadochi: The Career of Lysimachus

Lysimachus (361-281) was one of the Diadochi, the generals who contested the inheritance of Alexander the Great. After the king's death, he was madesatrap of Thrace, and fruitlessly fought to enlarge his power. Nevertheless, he accepted the royal title in 305. In the next couple of years, he greatly expanded his power in the Greek world and conquer...

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