Overview of all Seleucid Rulers

This page presents a complete chronological overview of every king of the Seleucid Empire, from Seleucus I Nicator to Antiochus XIII. Covering the Hellenistic realm that emerged after Alexander the Great, it lists each ruler with their reign period and a short account of their role in maintaining or reshaping the empire’s vast territories.

Title	Date	Excerpt
Seleucus I Nicator: Founder of the Seleucid Empire and Its Historical Impact	305 – September 280 BC	Seleucus I Nicator established the Seleucid dynasty, governing a vast territory from Anatolia to India for nearly three centuries. His reign reshaped political boundaries, founded key cities, and blended Greek and local cultures, leaving a lasting influence on the Near East.
Antiochus I Soter: Stabilizer of the Seleucid Empire and Hellenistic Ruler	September 280 – 261 BC	Antiochus I Soter governed the Seleucid Empire from 281 to 261 BC, strengthening its eastern provinces, fostering cultural integration, and engaging in military and diplomatic efforts that shaped the Hellenistic world.
Antiochus II Theos: Ruler of the Seleucid Empire and His Historical Impact	261–246 BC	Antiochus II Theos governed the Seleucid Empire during the mid-3rd century BC, maintaining a vast Hellenistic realm through military, diplomatic, and dynastic strategies. His reign influenced the political landscape of the Near East, setting the stage for future conflicts and territorial changes.
Seleucus II Callinicus: King of the Seleucid Empire and His Reign	246–226 BC	Seleucus II Callinicus ruled the Seleucid Empire from 246 to 225 BC, navigating wars, internal conflicts, and territorial losses that shaped the dynasty's future. His reign maintained the dynasty's continuity despite challenges from rival states and family divisions.
Seleucus III: A Brief Reign of the Seleucid Empire	226–223 BC	Seleucus III ruled the Seleucid Empire during the mid third century BCE, facing military challenges and internal instability that shaped the dynasty's future under his successor.
Antiochus III: The Seleucid Empire’s Restorer and Challenger to Rome	223–187 BC	Antiochus III, known as Antiochus the Great, revitalized the Seleucid Empire through military campaigns and diplomatic efforts, expanding its reach across West and Central Asia before facing defeat by Rome, which reshaped the region's power dynamics.
Seleucus IV Philopator: Stabilizing the Seleucid Empire under Roman Influence	187–175 BC	Seleucus IV Philopator ruled the Seleucid Empire from 187 to 175 BC, focusing on stabilizing the realm after military defeat, managing heavy financial burdens, and maintaining diplomatic relations amid Roman dominance and regional challenges.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes	175 – late 164 BC	Antiochus IV Epiphanes governed the Seleucid Empire during a critical era marked by cultural patronage, military campaigns, and internal conflicts that influenced the Hellenistic world and its interactions with Rome and neighboring powers.
Antiochus V Eupator: The Child King of the Seleucid Empire	Late 164 – 162 BC	Antiochus V Eupator ruled the declining Seleucid Empire as a child king from 164 to 162 BC, during a period marked by internal conflicts, military challenges, and Roman influence that shaped the dynasty's final decades.
Demetrius I Soter	162–150 BC	Demetrius I Soter ruled the Seleucid Empire from 162 to 150 BC, temporarily restoring central authority amid internal conflicts and external pressures from Rome and neighboring states. His military campaigns and political actions shaped the empire's trajectory during a critical period of decline.
Alexander Balas: The Contested Seleucid King	152–145 BC	Alexander Balas ruled the Seleucid kingdom from 150 to 145 BC during a period of internal strife and external threats, notably the rise of the Parthians. His reign highlights the complex interplay of dynastic claims, foreign alliances, and regional power struggles that shaped the late Hellenistic world.
Demetrius II Nicator	147–139 BC	Demetrius II Nicator ruled the Seleucid Empire during a turbulent period marked by territorial losses to Parthia and shifting power dynamics in the Levant, influencing the region's political landscape and the rise of Jewish autonomy.
Antiochus VI Dionysus: A Child King of the Seleucid Empire	145–142 BC	Antiochus VI Dionysus was a child monarch whose brief reign during the mid-2nd century BC highlights the fragmentation of Seleucid authority and the rise of military power in the empire's final decades.
Antiochus VII Sidetes: Last Effective Seleucid King and His Historical Impact	139–129 BC	Antiochus VII Sidetes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 138 to 129 BCE, briefly restoring central authority and reclaiming eastern territories before his death marked the decline of Seleucid power.
Alexander II Zabinas: Late Seleucid Ruler and His Role in Hellenistic Syria	128 - 123 BCE	Alexander II Zabinas ruled Syria from 128 to 123 BC during the final years of the Seleucid dynasty, illustrating the complex interplay of foreign influence, dynastic rivalry, and political legitimacy in a fracturing empire.
Seleucus V Philometor: The Last Phase of Seleucid Rule	126/125 BCE	Seleucus V Philometor briefly claimed the Seleucid throne around 126–125 BC during a period marked by dynastic conflict, Parthian influence, and the decisive role of royal women, illustrating the decline of Seleucid authority in Syria.
Cleopatra Thea: Influential Queen of the Seleucid Kingdom	125 - 121 BCE	Cleopatra Thea played a pivotal role in the late Seleucid kingdom, navigating dynastic struggles, foreign alliances, and political power as a queen who shaped succession and royal imagery in the Hellenistic world.
Antiochus VIII Grypus: The Last Seleucid King of Syria	125 - 96 BCE	Antiochus VIII Grypus ruled Syria during the final decades of the Seleucid Empire, navigating dynastic conflicts and external pressures that hastened the kingdom's fragmentation and decline.
Antiochus IX Cyzicenus: The Late Seleucid King and His Role in Syrian Hellenistic History	116/113 - 95 BCE	Antiochus IX Cyzicenus was a late Seleucid ruler whose reign was marked by dynastic conflict and territorial fragmentation in Syria during the second century BCE. His alliances and battles illustrate the challenges faced by the declining Seleucid kingdom amid internal divisions and external influences.
Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator: A Late Seleucid King in Syria	96 - 94 BCE	Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator ruled parts of the fragmented Seleucid kingdom around 96 to 94 BCE, illustrating the era's contested kingship, reliance on coinage for military funding, and tense relations with cities. His brief reign highlights the challenges of maintaining authority amid dynastic rivalry and local resistance.
Demetrius III: The Late Seleucid King of Syria on Ancient History and Archaeology	96 - 87 BCE	Demetrius III ruled parts of Syria during the final phase of the Seleucid dynasty, blending Hellenistic royal traditions with local Syrian religious practices and engaging in military and political struggles that shaped the region's late Hellenistic period.
Antiochus X: The Last Seleucid King of Syria	95 - 92 BCE	Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator ruled parts of Syria during the final decades of the Seleucid dynasty, striving to maintain authority amid dynastic conflicts, local alliances, and external pressures from Parthians and others.
Antiochus XI: The Brief Reign of a Seleucid King	94 - 93 BCE	Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus was a Seleucid ruler who briefly controlled Antioch during a turbulent period of dynastic conflict in the late 2nd century BC. His reign, though short, provides valuable insight into the political struggles and numismatic evidence of the declining Seleucid empire.
Philip I Philadelphus: Last Seleucid King of Syria	94 - 75 BCE	Philip I Philadelphus ruled parts of the fragmented Seleucid realm in Syria during the late Hellenistic period, known for his efforts to stabilize the economy through currency reforms and maintain regional control amid dynastic conflicts and external pressures.
Antiochus XII Dionysus: Last Seleucid King of Syria	87 - 82 BCE	Antiochus XII Dionysus ruled a shrinking Seleucid kingdom from Damascus during the final decades of Seleucid power in Syria, focusing on local alliances and defense amid dynastic strife and external threats.
Cleopatra Selene of Syria: Last Queen of the Seleucid Dynasty	82 - 69 BCE	Cleopatra Selene of Syria was a Ptolemaic princess who played a crucial role in sustaining Seleucid authority during the dynasty's final decades through strategic marriages, regency, and control of key coastal cities.
Antiochus XIII Philadelphus: The Last Seleucid Ruler in Syria	82 - 64 BCE	Antiochus XIII Philadelphus was a late Hellenistic Seleucid king whose reign marked the final phase of Seleucid rule in Syria, involving regency, exile, and Roman client kingship before the dynasty's end.
Philip II Philoromaeus: The Last Seleucid King	65 - 64 BCE	Philip II Philoromaeus briefly ruled parts of Syria during the 60s BC as the final Seleucid monarch, marking the end of an eleven-generation dynasty amid regional power struggles and Roman expansion.