Antiochus IV Epiphanes

Antiochus IV Epiphanes (in ancient Greek, Αντίοχος Επιφανής 'manifested god') 215 BC. c.-163 a. C.) was king of Syria of the Seleucid dynasty from c. 175 B.C. c.-164 a. c.

He was the son of Antiochus III Megas and brother of Seleucus IV Philopator. He was originally called Mithridates, but adopted the name Antiochus after his accession to the throne (or perhaps after the death of his older brother, also Antiochus).

He ascended the throne after the death of his brother Seleucus IV Philopator who ruled for a short time before him, until his treasurer, Heliodorus, killed him out of ambition. He had lived in Rome under the terms of the Peace of Apamea (188 BC), but had just been exchanged for Seleucus IV's son and legitimate heir, the future Demetrius I Soter. Antiochus took advantage of the situation, and along with his another brother Antiochus, proclaimed himself king with the support of Eumenes II of Pergamum and his brother, Attalus I. Antiochus's brother would be assassinated a few years after.

Because of his confrontation with Ptolemy VI, who claimed Celesiria, he attacked and invaded Egypt, conquering almost the entire country, with the exception of the capital, Alexandria. He went so far as to capture the king, but in order not to alarm Rome, he decided to restore him to the throne, albeit as his puppet. However, the Alexandrians had chosen his brother, Ptolemy VIII Evergetes as king, and after his departure they decided to reign jointly. This forced him to invade the country again, and so in 168 B.C. C. he conquered Cyprus with his fleet. Near Alexandria he met the Roman consul Gaius Popilius Lenas, who urged him to leave Egypt and Cyprus. When Antiochus replied that he should consult with his advice, Popilius drew a circle in the sand around him and said, "Think about it here." Seeing that leaving the circle without having ordered the withdrawal was a challenge to Rome, he decided to cede in order to avoid a war.

On his return, he organized an expedition against Jerusalem, which he sacked. According to the Book of Maccabees, he promulgated several religious ordinances: he tried to suppress the cult of YAHWEH, he prohibited Judaism by suspending all kinds of religious manifestations, he ordered that food considered impure be eaten, and he tried to establish the cult of the Greek gods. But the Jewish priest Mattathias and his two sons called Maccabees managed to raise the population against him and expelled him. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah commemorates this fact.

In the year 166 B.C. C. he organized some sports games in Dafne, a suburb of Antioch, in which the initial parade was especially majestic.Later he undertook a campaign against the Parthian Empire and in 164 or 163 a. C. he died, in a city called Tabas or Gabas, caused by an illness. He was succeeded by his son Antiochus V Eupator.

His reign was the last period of strength and splendor for the Seleucid Empire, which after his death began a progressive decline.