Seleucus I Nicator

Successor of: Alexander the Great

Relatives:

• Father: Antiochus
• Mother: Laodice
• Married to:
1. Apame I, daughter of Spitamenes
• Son: Antiochus I Soter
• Son: Achaeus
2. Stratonice I, daughter of Demetrius I Poliorcetes and Phila I
• Daughter: Phila II (married to Antigonus Gonatas)

Main deeds:

• Born c.358 in Europos in Macedonia
• Page of Philip II
• Joins Alexander the Great
• 330 (?): commander of the agema of Shieldbearers
• 324: Marries Apame I at Susa (text)
• 323: Death of Alexander; Perdiccas appoints Seleucus as commander of the Shieldbearers
• 320 (?): One of the murderers of Perdiccas
• 320 (?): At the conference of Triparadisus, he is made satrap of Babylonia (text)
• 315 (?): Flees from Babylonia when Antigonus Monophthalmus tries to subdue him; finds refuge in Egypt, where Ptolemy I Soter has become an independent ruler
• 315-311: In the Third Diadoch War, Seleucus has a naval command for Ptolemy against Antigonus, but is unable to overcome his opponents
• 312: Battle of Gaza: Ptolemy and Seleucus defeat Antigonus' son Demetrius Poliorcetes
• 311: Seleucus reoccupies Babylonia (May); outbreak of the Babylonian War; Seleucus defeats Nicanor (autumn)
• 310: Seleucus defeats Demetrius (spring); Antigonus invades Babylonia (autumn)
• 309: Seleucus defeats Antigonus (spring; text); origin of the Seleucid Empire
• Campaigns in the east; treaty with Chandragupta, king of the Maurya empire
• 307-301: Fourth Diadoch War of all Diadochi against Antigonus and Demetrius
• 301: In the Battle of Ipsus, Antigonus is defeated; Seleucus conquers Syria
• Seleucus founds Seleucia and several other cities
• 299: He marries Stratonice I, daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes and Phila I
• 292: Seleucus appoints his son Antiochus as successor; he becomes satrap of Bactria
• 281: In the battle of Corupedium, Seleucus defeats Lysimachus, ruler of western Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia
• September 281: When Seleucus crosses to Europe, he is assassinated by Ptolemy Keraunos
• Seleucus was buried in Seleucia

Sources:

• Appian on the career of Seleucus
• Diadochi chronicle (BCHP 3)
• End of Seleucus I chronicle (BCHP 9)

Literature

• A.N. Bosworth, "The Rise of Seleucus" in: The Legacy of Alexander. Politics, Warfare, and Propaganda under the Successors (2002)