General Seleucus - The founder of Seleucid kingdom

Early life

Seleucus Nicator was the son of Antiochus, a general under King Philip II of Macedon (father of Alexander). As is considered among the members of the royal family, he received an education with schooling of high value. But at the same time had huge competition from different sources. As a teenager, as per the tradition, he had to do his duty as the page boy. The tradition mentioned that this was the duty that every male offspring of the noble family had to offer before taking any position in the King's office. Seleucus Nicator got the chance to be King’s page.

Seleucus, at the age of 23 in 334 BCE accompanied Alexander the Great on his campaign to Asia.

Career under Alexander

Though Seleucus Nicator grew to a great position afterward, initially he was just a young man who joined Alexander in a campaign towards Asia in 334 BCE. But by the time Macedonian forces started their Indian campaign i.e., in 327 BCE, Seleucus had already risen to the command of an elite infantry corps - the "Shield-bearers".

When Alexander crossed the Hydaspes River, Seleucus was among the very few important officers who accompanied Alexander on the boat. Also, in the Battle of Hydaspes, Seleucus played a very important role from the side of the Macedonian army against King Porus. Seleucus led his troops against the elephants of King Porus and in this battle he was continuously under Alexander’s eye and at his disposal. Also, Seleucus participated in the Millian campaign of Alexander which helped in establishing power in North-Western India.

After running several successful military campaigns along with Alexander in North India, he returned to Macedonia along with Alexander in 325 BCE. On the way to his return, Alexander organised a great marriage ceremony at Susa in 324 BCE, where he married the daughter of the late Persian King Darius III, and other Macedonians married other Persian women. Seleucus also married Apama, daughter of Spitamenes. While many of the Macedonian officers left their Susa wives, Seleucus decided to take his wife with him. 

Career under Perdiccas

Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE, without having any successor or heir apparent. His general Perdiccas became the regent of the entire empire, but it was a big task for him to manage and administer such a vast empire. Also, he was gradually losing control over the Governors of provinces of Eastern Macedonia. As a result, soon a conference named “Partition of Babylon” took place in which Perdiccas divided the entire Macedonian empire into several dominions under different generals of Alexander – then referred to as Satraps.

Seleucus was given the position of senior officer in the Royal army just after that of Perdiccas. He was the one used to manage the companion cavalry. As the administration was not stable, a war broke out between Perdiccas and other important members of the royal family that further included the friends of Alexander and the rival generals – altogether referred to as Diadochi. During this war, a conspiracy made by Diadochi against Perdiccas was successful and Perdiccas was murdered. Seleucus is also considered to be part of the conspiracy.

Seleucus as the Governor of Babylon

After the death of Perdiccas, Antipater was the most powerful person in the empire and he, along with the other opponents of Perdiccas partitioned the empire once again. Seleucus was awarded the province of Babylon due to his efforts in compressing the rebellion in Macedonia. But in Babylon, another problem was waiting for Seleucus in the form of Docimus. Docimus was the person nominated by Perdiccas to be the successor of Babylon and he was not ready to secede from his position without a fight. A battle is assumed to be fought between them in 320 BCE but Docimus had escaped Babylon. Seleucus was able to rule Babylon and expand it a bit for five years till 316 BCE. During his reign in Babylon, the political situation of the Macedonian empire was not good enough. The situation of civilians was there and an attack on Babylon was also faced by Seleucus. This attack was led by Eumenes in 1316 BCE. Initially, Seleucus might have been forced to retreat but got help from Peithon and Antigonus.

Antigonus decided to stay in the region for some time. Initially, he stayed in Media, whose governor was Peithon, but he came to know about the intentions of Peithon. Peithon was leading a conspiracy against Antigonus and when this was revealed, Peithon was executed. Antigonus then reached Babylon in the summer of 315 BCE, where he was warmly welcomed by Seleucus. Due to certain disagreements or misunderstandings, the relationship between them became warm. Antigonus asked Seleucus to give him the income of the province, but Seleucus refused to do so. Afraid of Antigonus, Seleucus fled to Egypt with 50 of his loyal horsemen.

Antigonus was prophesied by the astrologers that it would be Seleucus who would become the master of Asia one day and would be responsible for the murder of Antigonus. After knowing this prophecy, Antigonus sent soldiers after Seleucus but the latter managed to escape to Egypt where he was given refuge by Ptolemy.

Now, once again the battle between Antigonus – the strongest Diadochi and other Diadochi happened. In this battle, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, and Cassander formed a coalition against Antigonus and Seleucus acted as the admiral to Ptolemy and got his ships into Aegean Sea. From his position in the Aegean Sea, he was successful enough to give tough competition to the forces of Antigonus in Syria as well as to the forces of Peithon which were attacking from Babylon.

After the entire battle, when the positions of Diadochi became stable, in around 311 BCE, Seleucus was prepared to return to Babylon. He got support of infantry and cavalry from Ptolemy, and was accompanied by his 50 loyal friends. Further on his way to Babylon, recruits were made from the neighbouring regions. Finally, he had about 3000 soldiers to fight on his behalf. He easily conquered Babylon and his return was marked as the beginning of the Seleucid Empire in Asia.

Establishment of Seleucid Empire

 After becoming the satrap of Babylon once again, Seleucus engaged in politics and warfare more aggressively. His reign started with the defeat of Peithon and soon he had to engage in a war with the combined forces of armies of Media and Aria region. Soon he conquered all the neighbouring regions including Media, Aria, Susania, and Parthia. It is not known how the administration in these regions was managed.

Soon, Antigonus sent his son Demetrius with a huge infantry and cavalry to defeat Seleucus and re-capture Babylon. Demetrius had an army of about 15,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalries. Antigonus was probably unaware of the fact that Seleucus had an army strength of 20,000 infantry and had further already captured the majority of the Eastern parts of the Empire. Though during the attack of Demetrius, Seleucus was not present in the Empire, he had managed the defence of Babylon so efficiently that Demetrius failed to accomplish the tasks. The defence of Babylon was given in the hands of Patrocles, who was successful enough to defend Babylon to a certain extent.

After a great struggle, Demetrius’ army sieged one of the forts, but it seemed more difficult to even conquer the second one. Demetrius gave this responsibility to his friend Archelaus and moved toward Syria where Antigonus had been waiting for him. Archelaus was probably defeated by the army of Seleucus.

Babylonian War

In and around 311 BCE, there were two main concentrations of power – Antigonus in the west and Seleucus in the East. Antigonus had managed to maintain peace with Cassander, Lysimachus, and Ptolemy which multiplied his power many folds and put him in the position to fight Seleucus. But on the other side, Seleucus made his position way stronger than it was assumed by Antigonus. He had recruited the soldiers of Archelaus and also got support from Eumenes. Above all, the population of Babylon supported him and hated Antigonus. Antigonus was surprised to see the strength of Seleucus’ army at the time of revolt.

Not much has been mentioned in the inscriptions and chronicles about the revolt but the Babylonian war is finally assumed to be won by Seleucus and Antigonus was forced to retreat.

Formation of Seleucia

Around 305-307 BCE, a new city by the name of Seleucia was formed by Seleucus. This was built at the shore of the river Tigris and was announced as the capital. Soon, this city became the most important city as the mint was transferred here, and also because the son of Seleucus transferred the entire population of Baylon to Selucia. This was considered the imitation of all the other Satraps like Lysimachus, Cassander, and Antigonus who had named the cities after themselves. The city of Selucia flourished upto165 BCE until the Romans destroyed it.

It was in 306 BCE, that Seleucus assumed the title of king. The event that took place around it was that the entire old royal lineage of Macedonia got extinct and Antigonus assumed the title of king rather than regent. Following Antigonus, all the satraps too including Seleucus assumed the title of king or ruler. By this time, he was also successful in getting control over Bactria and Sogdiana, with the help of his wife, Apama.

Seleucid-Mauryan war

As soon as a little stability in the Seleucid Empire was established, Seleucus turned his attention towards Eastwards. All the Persian provinces of modern-day Afghanistan and all the surrounding provinces of the Indus Valley had submitted to Alexander. Seleucus Nicator took control of these areas, and these were put under the Satraps.

But soon, the Mauryas annexed all of the area surrounding the Indus River by defeating the Satraps - Nicanor, Phillip, Eudemus, and Peithon. Now the Mauryan Empire had been established in this region. To protect the Macedonian region Eastwards, Seleucus came into direct conflict with the large Mauryan Empire in Seleucid-Mauryan war. In 306 BCE, Seleucus came to India to occupy the lost territory and conducted a war against the Mauryan Empire that was under Chandragupta Maurya. This was the second time when the Chandragupta Maurya and Greeks confronted each other. The details of the war are unknown, but the war ended with the treaty that took place in 303 BCE.

The treaty between them is considered more of a matrimonial alliance, where Seleucus got the support of Chandragupta in the form of 500 elephants, and in return Chandragupta retained his control over the entire north-western region of India along with being married to Seleucus’ daughter – Helena. Along with all this, Seleucus Nicator also established one of his ambassadors in the Mauryan court – Megasthenese. The relationship between the two kings and kingdoms remained pleasant for a long time.

Battle of Ipsus

Battle of Ipsus was among the most important battles of Seleucus’ life. Cassander, Seleucus, and Lysimachus allied together and decided to wage a war with Antigonus and Demetrius, referred to as the battle of Ipsus. This battle marked the end of Antigonus while Demetrius escaped. The major advantage of Seleucus in this war was the support of Chandragupta in the form of 500 war elephants which led to the victory of Seleucus.

After the victory, Seleucus managed to get control over Syria. In 299 BCE, Seleucus allied with Demetrius and married his daughter. The army of Demetrius had already defeated the army of Ptolemy, so there was no need to fight Ptolemy and the regions of Palestine and Phoenicia directly came into the hands of Seleucus.

Aftermath

Gradually, over years Ptolemy, Demetrius, and Lysimachus also died due to rivalry either among themselves or with Seleucus. Seleucus also invaded Asia Minor in the Battle of Corupedium in 281 BCE. Demetrius was now the only person left from those that were contemporary to Alexander the great.

Now, he had all the regions that Alexander had conquered, except Egypt. He made his son Antiochus, the co-ruler and viceroy of Eastern province while he moved to take Macedonia under possession. But on his way, near Lysimachia in modern-day Turkey, he was assassinated by Ptolemy Keraunos in 281 BCE marking the end of the a great ruler.