Coin of
Seleucus II. Reverse shows Apollo leaning
on a tripod.
The Greek inscription reads
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ
ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ (king Seleucus)
Seleucus II Callinicus or Pogon (the epithets
meaning "beautiful victor" and "bearded",
respectively) reigned from 246 to 225 BC as head of
the Seleucid dynasty. He was proclaimed king by his
mother, Laodice, whilst her partisans at Antioch
murdered Berenice and her son.
Berenice's brother, Ptolemy III, who had just
succeeded to the Egyptian throne, at once invaded
the Seleucid realm and marched victoriously to the
Tigris or beyond, receiving the submission of the
eastern provinces, whilst his fleets swept the
coasts of Asia Minor.
In the interior of Asia Minor Seleucus maintained
himself, and when Ptolemy returned to Egypt he
recovered Northern Syria and the nearer provinces of
Iran. In Asia Minor his younger brother Antiochus
Hierax was put up against him by a party to which
Laodice herself adhered.
At Ancyra (about 235 BC) Seleucus sustained a
crushing defeat and left the country beyond the
Taurus to his brother and the other powers of the
peninsula. He then undertook an anabasis to regain
Parthia, the results of which however came to
nothing. According to some sources, he was even
taken prisoner for several years by the Parthian
king.
In Asia Minor, Pergamum now rose to greatness under
Attalus I, and Antiochus Hierax, after a failed
attempt to his brother's dominions when his own were
vanishing, perished as a fugitive in Thrace in 228
BC or 227 BC.
About a year later Seleucus was killed by a fall
from his horse. He was succeeded by his elder son,
Seleucus III Ceraunus and later by his younger son
Antiochus III the Great.
- Seleucid Ruler 246 – 225 BC
- Preceded by: Antiochus II
- Succeeded by: Seleucus III
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