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Seleukid Empire #1
The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323 - 223 BC): Seleukos I to Seleukos III
The Seleukid kingdom was the largest state in the world for a century and more between Alexander's death and the rise of Rome. It was ruled for all that time by a succession of able kings, but broke down twice, before eventually succumbing to dynastic rivalries, and simultaneous external invasions and internal grasps for independence. The first king, Seleukos I, established a pattern of rule which was unusually friendly towards his subjects, and his policies promoted the steady growth of wealth and population in many areas which had been depopulated when he took them over. In particular the dynasty was active in founding cities from Asia Minor to Central Asia. Its work set the social and economic scene of the Middle East for many centuries to come. Yet these kings had to be warriors too as they defended their realm from jealous neighbors. John D Grainger's trilogy charts the rise and fall of this superpower of the ancient world.
In the first volume, John D Grainger relates the remarkable twists of fortune and daring that saw Seleukos, an officer in an elite guard unit, emerge from the wars of the diadochi (Alexander's successors) in control of the largest and richest part of the empire of the late Alexander the Great. After his conquests and eventual murder, we then see how his successors continued his policies, including the repeated wars with the Ptolemaic rules of Egypt over control of Syria. The volume ends with the deep internal crisis and the wars of the brothers, which left only a single member of the dynasty alive in 223 BC.
In the first volume, John D Grainger relates the remarkable twists of fortune and daring that saw Seleukos, an officer in an elite guard unit, emerge from the wars of the diadochi (Alexander's successors) in control of the largest and richest part of the empire of the late Alexander the Great. After his conquests and eventual murder, we then see how his successors continued his policies, including the repeated wars with the Ptolemaic rules of Egypt over control of Syria. The volume ends with the deep internal crisis and the wars of the brothers, which left only a single member of the dynasty alive in 223 BC.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2014
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November 19, 2025
از همون روز مرگ اسکندر مقدونی، امپراتوری عظیمش هم رو به فروپاشی رفت. نه جانشین مشخصی تعیین شده بود و نه ادعای یک نوزاد بر میراث اسکندر اعتباری داشت. سردارانش هم دیگه هدف مشترکی نداشتن که اونها رو مثل گذشته کنار هم نگه داره و خیلی زود جاه طلبیهای شخصیشون به بازیهای سیاسی بیپایانی تبدیل شد که امپراتوری اسکندر رو تکه تکه و کاملاً دگرگون کرد.
کتاب The Rise of the Seleukid Empire اثر جان گرینجر، به زندگی سیاسی و نظامی سلوکوس یکم و سه نسل بعد از سلوکوس میپردازه. سلوکوس یکی از سرداران اسکندر بود که بعدها پایه گذار دودمان سلوکی شد. سلوکوس در ابتدا از چهرههای برجستهی ارتش اسکندر نبود و نسبتاً دیرتر به فرماندهی رسید اما نقش مهمی در تحولات پس از مرگ اسکندر ایفا کرد.
بعد از مرگ اسکندر، سردارانش فوراً سراغ ائتلافها و نقشههایی رفتن که ظاهراً برای حفظ امپراتوری برای وارث اسکندر بود اما در عمل برای تقسیم قدرت میان خودشون شد. اسکندر ساختار ساتراپیِ هخامنشی رو حفظ کرده بود و چون تعداد زیاد از ساتراپها هم برکنار یا اعدام شده بودن، سردارانش همین قلمروهای آماده رو بین خودشون تقسیم کردن و سلوکوس در بابل مستقر شد و از اونجا حکومتی ساخت که به یکی از بزرگترین و قدرتمندترین امپراتوریهای پس از اسکندر تبدیل شد.
این کتاب نخستین جلد از یک سهگانهی پژوهشی دربارهی دودمان سلوکی و امپراتوری اونهاست. بخش عمدهی جلد اول به بازیهای سیاسی بین سرداران اسکندر و جنگهای پی در پی (جنگ های دیادوخوی) و رقابتهای تمام نشدنی قدرتهای نوظهور میپردازه.
گرینجر فقط بر موفقیتهای سیاسی و نظامی سلوکوس تمرکز نمیکنه بلکه اشتباهها، خیانتها، وفاداریهای متغیر و دردسرهای ریز و درشت شهرهایی که میلی به فرمانروایی مقدونیها نداشتن هم با جزئیات بررسی شدن. تقریباً نیمی از کتاب به سلوکوس و آشوبهای پس از مرگ اسکندر میپردازه. فصلهای پایانی هم تلاشهای سه نسل بعدی رو برای حفظ یا گسترش قلمرو اولیه روایت میکنه و کتاب در سال ۲۲۳ قبل از میلاد تموم میشه.
نویسنده علاقهی عمیقی به موضوع کتابش داره و این کتاب هم تمام جزئیاتی که یک پژوهشگر از نخستین سدهی فعالیت سلوکیان میخواد رو به اندازه زیادی ارائه میده. گرینجر در تحلیل تصمیمهای سلوکوس دیدگاهی نسبتاً عینی ارائه میده اما سبک نگارشش گاهی بین لحنی بسیار علمی و متنی با حدس و گمانهای فراوان در نوسانه که با توجه به اسناد و مکتوبات کمی که از سدهی اول دوران هلنی باقی مونده قابل درکه. بعضی فرضیات و نتیجهگیریها از دیدگاه مدرن بررسی شدن که هم جالبه و هم گاهی از اصالت تاریخی اثر میکاهه. با این حال تحلیلهای نظامی کاملاً مبتنی بر مستنداته و منطقی هستن. گرینجر اطلاعات پیش زمینهای کافی و یادداشتهای پشتیبان زیادی رو در ضمیمه کتاب ارائه کرده تا نتیجهگیریهاش رو مستدل کنه.
در آخر اینکه این اثر گزارشی کامل و دقیق از رویدادهایی هست که به تأسیس سلطنت سلوکی انجامیده و با استفاده از تحلیل های علمی، شکافهای تاریخی رو با نتیجهگیریهای جذاب پر میکنه اما با توجه به حجم اطلاعات موجود در جلد اول، اصلا یه کتاب مقدماتی محسوب نمیشه.
کتاب The Rise of the Seleukid Empire اثر جان گرینجر، به زندگی سیاسی و نظامی سلوکوس یکم و سه نسل بعد از سلوکوس میپردازه. سلوکوس یکی از سرداران اسکندر بود که بعدها پایه گذار دودمان سلوکی شد. سلوکوس در ابتدا از چهرههای برجستهی ارتش اسکندر نبود و نسبتاً دیرتر به فرماندهی رسید اما نقش مهمی در تحولات پس از مرگ اسکندر ایفا کرد.
بعد از مرگ اسکندر، سردارانش فوراً سراغ ائتلافها و نقشههایی رفتن که ظاهراً برای حفظ امپراتوری برای وارث اسکندر بود اما در عمل برای تقسیم قدرت میان خودشون شد. اسکندر ساختار ساتراپیِ هخامنشی رو حفظ کرده بود و چون تعداد زیاد از ساتراپها هم برکنار یا اعدام شده بودن، سردارانش همین قلمروهای آماده رو بین خودشون تقسیم کردن و سلوکوس در بابل مستقر شد و از اونجا حکومتی ساخت که به یکی از بزرگترین و قدرتمندترین امپراتوریهای پس از اسکندر تبدیل شد.
این کتاب نخستین جلد از یک سهگانهی پژوهشی دربارهی دودمان سلوکی و امپراتوری اونهاست. بخش عمدهی جلد اول به بازیهای سیاسی بین سرداران اسکندر و جنگهای پی در پی (جنگ های دیادوخوی) و رقابتهای تمام نشدنی قدرتهای نوظهور میپردازه.
گرینجر فقط بر موفقیتهای سیاسی و نظامی سلوکوس تمرکز نمیکنه بلکه اشتباهها، خیانتها، وفاداریهای متغیر و دردسرهای ریز و درشت شهرهایی که میلی به فرمانروایی مقدونیها نداشتن هم با جزئیات بررسی شدن. تقریباً نیمی از کتاب به سلوکوس و آشوبهای پس از مرگ اسکندر میپردازه. فصلهای پایانی هم تلاشهای سه نسل بعدی رو برای حفظ یا گسترش قلمرو اولیه روایت میکنه و کتاب در سال ۲۲۳ قبل از میلاد تموم میشه.
نویسنده علاقهی عمیقی به موضوع کتابش داره و این کتاب هم تمام جزئیاتی که یک پژوهشگر از نخستین سدهی فعالیت سلوکیان میخواد رو به اندازه زیادی ارائه میده. گرینجر در تحلیل تصمیمهای سلوکوس دیدگاهی نسبتاً عینی ارائه میده اما سبک نگارشش گاهی بین لحنی بسیار علمی و متنی با حدس و گمانهای فراوان در نوسانه که با توجه به اسناد و مکتوبات کمی که از سدهی اول دوران هلنی باقی مونده قابل درکه. بعضی فرضیات و نتیجهگیریها از دیدگاه مدرن بررسی شدن که هم جالبه و هم گاهی از اصالت تاریخی اثر میکاهه. با این حال تحلیلهای نظامی کاملاً مبتنی بر مستنداته و منطقی هستن. گرینجر اطلاعات پیش زمینهای کافی و یادداشتهای پشتیبان زیادی رو در ضمیمه کتاب ارائه کرده تا نتیجهگیریهاش رو مستدل کنه.
در آخر اینکه این اثر گزارشی کامل و دقیق از رویدادهایی هست که به تأسیس سلطنت سلوکی انجامیده و با استفاده از تحلیل های علمی، شکافهای تاریخی رو با نتیجهگیریهای جذاب پر میکنه اما با توجه به حجم اطلاعات موجود در جلد اول، اصلا یه کتاب مقدماتی محسوب نمیشه.
December 1, 2014
If you want a book about the early Seleukids... you're going to be getting this one anyway, because what choice is there?
Fortunately this is a pretty good, fairly comprehensive one, that covers exactly what it says, the early Seleukids, with, naturally, the Antigonids and Ptolemies mentioned, because how could they not be? It's clearly written and has good footnotes.
You know what I'd like? A biography of Phila, daughter of Antipater. Failing that, I'll certainly be reading more Grainger, because I seem to be obsessed with the Hellenistic period right now.
Fortunately this is a pretty good, fairly comprehensive one, that covers exactly what it says, the early Seleukids, with, naturally, the Antigonids and Ptolemies mentioned, because how could they not be? It's clearly written and has good footnotes.
You know what I'd like? A biography of Phila, daughter of Antipater. Failing that, I'll certainly be reading more Grainger, because I seem to be obsessed with the Hellenistic period right now.
August 14, 2023
3,75.
I would like to rate it at 4, but there are couple of issues.
Generally the book is easy to read, but the lack of family trees and maps regarding different dynasties and shifting political scenes, makes a phone or PC "must be" in order to maintain constant clarity.
Main problem, which the author also agrees on, is the lack of sources, so many of the events described are only assumptions based on fragmentary inscriptions. Due to that, it is sometimes difficult to separate authors opinions and hypothetical timeline of events from known facts, which is made more difficult by inconsistency in citing.
Overall, it is a good book for those who are trying to get some more knowledge on the subject.
I would like to rate it at 4, but there are couple of issues.
Generally the book is easy to read, but the lack of family trees and maps regarding different dynasties and shifting political scenes, makes a phone or PC "must be" in order to maintain constant clarity.
Main problem, which the author also agrees on, is the lack of sources, so many of the events described are only assumptions based on fragmentary inscriptions. Due to that, it is sometimes difficult to separate authors opinions and hypothetical timeline of events from known facts, which is made more difficult by inconsistency in citing.
Overall, it is a good book for those who are trying to get some more knowledge on the subject.
March 25, 2018
A remarkably lucid account of the rise of the Seleucid Empire. Grainger does an excellent job despite the paucity of resources. It could be hard to follow at times but not through the fault of the author. The times were complex and the names repetitive.
March 27, 2017
Practically the only book out on this time period. The author does a good job of dissecting the available sources logically. This period and the Seleukids have always fascinated me and the book does not disappoint. Macedonian Soap Opera for sure, the amount of historical back and forth, conniving, trickery, etc is amazing. I eagerly await the final 2 books of the series. I also enjoyed his previous work with the Roman Conquests series.
June 17, 2019
The 3 stars are not for content, but for the poorly written prose. The author could have used a good text editor. It was difficult sledding at times, especially given the dense subject matter. However, I still plan on reading his other two volumes.
August 4, 2019
It is a little-known fact that Alexander the Great awoke from his deathbed in a feverish sweat and summoned an oracle from the great Esagila temple of Marduk. Below is a verbatim transcription of the oracle’s prophetic conversation with Alexander, which until today was only known by the oracle and Alexander himself:
“Wise priestess of Marduk, shall I survive this fever?”
“No, great Basileus, you shall die this night.”
“Then who shall succeed me? My unborn son? Perdiccas, my chief bodyguard? Craterus, whom I have sent to lead Macedon in my absence?”
“Great Basileus, none of your family shall rule for long. As pawns in a battle of titans, each shall be used then slain. Perdiccas shall take power, but be overthrown by his troops while battling for Egypt. Craterus shall join with Neoptolemus, but both shall be defeated in battle by Eumenes and his self-trained cavalry.”
“Eumenes, my secretary, will defeat the greatest of my warriors? He lacks battle-testing, but his intelligence is second-to-none. I knew he had great feats within him! Will he take my empire?”
“No, great Basileus. He and Antigonus the One-Eyed shall fight a great chess match over all of Asia, but Eumenes will be betrayed by his Macedonian troops and Antigonus will conquer Asia.”
“Ah, Antigonus, my Phrygian satrap – ambitious and experienced. I am not surprised. Will he take my empire?”
“No, great Basileus, though his descendants will found a dynasty in Macedonia. Ptolemy will take Egypt and found his own long-lived dynasty, Lysimachos will take Thrace, and . . .”
“Both are among my ablest bodyguards. Ptolemy, clever and careful to the core. And only ruthless Lysimachos could conquer the fierce Thracians. But that leaves most of the empire I conquered.”
“Yes, great Basileus. One man will rule Babylon, reconquer the East, defeat Antigonus and then Lysimachos, found dozens of cities, and claim kingship over Asia to establish a great kingdom. That man will be Seleukos.”
“Seleukos! Excellent. But, wait . . . Seleukos who?”
Seleukos rose from obscurity to become one of Alexander’s many generals and then, through battle and guile, to found and rule over the largest kingdom in the world. His story is one of the most fascinating outcomes of the Wars of the Successors. But his is a story rarely told, and his character and kingdom remain tantalizingly obscure.
The Rise of the Seleukid Empire describes, in a scholarly fashion, the establishment of the Seleukid Empire and the policies and wars of the early Seleukid kings. This is a challenging task; written sources for the era are scattered and incomplete and few Seleukid archaeological sites have been fully explored. Because of this, any writer on the topic must infer a great deal from ruin locations, numismatic evidence, and random stelae. Author John Grainger is up to the task. He crafts a reasonable picture of a murky time, with a heavy emphasis on the empire’s innovative use of city-building as a defensive and industrial policy.
I rate the book as a success, as it sticks closely to what is known and nonetheless manages a rare attempt to assemble a comprehensive history of the early Seleukid royal family. Still, it’s not without shortcomings. The pre-history of the empire, recounting the wars of Alexander’s successors, is a bit haphazard and covered better in other texts focusing on that era. As the sources get scarcer, more and more inferences are made. And the narrative lacks some necessary energy, both because the text fails to maximize the impact of crucial moments and because too few sentences use active verbs. But it’s a thoughtful attempt to handle a difficult era.
I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
“Wise priestess of Marduk, shall I survive this fever?”
“No, great Basileus, you shall die this night.”
“Then who shall succeed me? My unborn son? Perdiccas, my chief bodyguard? Craterus, whom I have sent to lead Macedon in my absence?”
“Great Basileus, none of your family shall rule for long. As pawns in a battle of titans, each shall be used then slain. Perdiccas shall take power, but be overthrown by his troops while battling for Egypt. Craterus shall join with Neoptolemus, but both shall be defeated in battle by Eumenes and his self-trained cavalry.”
“Eumenes, my secretary, will defeat the greatest of my warriors? He lacks battle-testing, but his intelligence is second-to-none. I knew he had great feats within him! Will he take my empire?”
“No, great Basileus. He and Antigonus the One-Eyed shall fight a great chess match over all of Asia, but Eumenes will be betrayed by his Macedonian troops and Antigonus will conquer Asia.”
“Ah, Antigonus, my Phrygian satrap – ambitious and experienced. I am not surprised. Will he take my empire?”
“No, great Basileus, though his descendants will found a dynasty in Macedonia. Ptolemy will take Egypt and found his own long-lived dynasty, Lysimachos will take Thrace, and . . .”
“Both are among my ablest bodyguards. Ptolemy, clever and careful to the core. And only ruthless Lysimachos could conquer the fierce Thracians. But that leaves most of the empire I conquered.”
“Yes, great Basileus. One man will rule Babylon, reconquer the East, defeat Antigonus and then Lysimachos, found dozens of cities, and claim kingship over Asia to establish a great kingdom. That man will be Seleukos.”
“Seleukos! Excellent. But, wait . . . Seleukos who?”
Seleukos rose from obscurity to become one of Alexander’s many generals and then, through battle and guile, to found and rule over the largest kingdom in the world. His story is one of the most fascinating outcomes of the Wars of the Successors. But his is a story rarely told, and his character and kingdom remain tantalizingly obscure.
The Rise of the Seleukid Empire describes, in a scholarly fashion, the establishment of the Seleukid Empire and the policies and wars of the early Seleukid kings. This is a challenging task; written sources for the era are scattered and incomplete and few Seleukid archaeological sites have been fully explored. Because of this, any writer on the topic must infer a great deal from ruin locations, numismatic evidence, and random stelae. Author John Grainger is up to the task. He crafts a reasonable picture of a murky time, with a heavy emphasis on the empire’s innovative use of city-building as a defensive and industrial policy.
I rate the book as a success, as it sticks closely to what is known and nonetheless manages a rare attempt to assemble a comprehensive history of the early Seleukid royal family. Still, it’s not without shortcomings. The pre-history of the empire, recounting the wars of Alexander’s successors, is a bit haphazard and covered better in other texts focusing on that era. As the sources get scarcer, more and more inferences are made. And the narrative lacks some necessary energy, both because the text fails to maximize the impact of crucial moments and because too few sentences use active verbs. But it’s a thoughtful attempt to handle a difficult era.
I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
August 21, 2017
Unusually for such an eminent power of antiquity, there has been a paucity of books about the Seleukids (or Seleucids, if you prefer). This is, apparently, a function of the dearth of source documentation, both absolute and relative.
John D. Grainger's The Rise of the Seleukid Empire is the first of a trilogy attempting to address this deficiency in the literature and provide a high-level overview of the Empire's history. Judging by its 2013 publication date and its extensive references, it gives the impression of the author having thoroughly reviewed the state of scholarship on the subject. But given that many of these sources are limited or only indirectly related and he can't conjure more from thin air, he labours diligently to string together what we do know and provide some sort of comprehensible bigger picture.
Inevitably this results in rather a lot of supposition used to fill the gaps. In a purely academic text, that would be understandably frowned upon. However, in a layman's (I hesitate to say 'popular') history, it is a workable compromise. Grainger makes it clear when something isn't known and suggests a possibility which is at least logically arguable. Sometimes though he is bold to the point of saying the truth would be different or even opposite to the sources, as with the details of the battle near Gaza between Ptolemy and Demetrios.
This is, chiefly, a political and military history. Nevertheless, other aspects are discussed within this context. Grainger places an emphasis on city-building and the role it played in the struggles for supremacy among the Greco-Macedonians. There is some discussion about matters such as the role of religion, the styles of administration, the logistics of communication, and the economics of colonisation. Relatively little focus is given to the presumably complex cultures and cultural intersections between conquerors and conquered.
The early chapters are easy to follow, featuring a broad view of the political and military manoeuvrings between the original Diadochi as they carved up Alexander's empire for themselves. Later on it becomes much murkier, with increasing decentralisation resulting from the complexity of numerous factions, cultures and individuals all aiming at some degree of power.
There are conflicts within the Seleukid royal family, with the other Greco-Macedonian potentates, disgruntled natives, remnants of the Aramaic/Persian nobility, marauding barbarians, foreign powers and ambitious local lords. Asia Minor particularly is a headache of fragmentation and frequent change. Alliances come and go like a more intricate version of 1984.
And as generations pass, this confusion is not helped by the mere handful of royal names favoured within each dynasty (Ptolemy being the worst offender). Nor is this purely a problem for inexpert readers, as even the historians referenced are sometimes unclear as to which Antiochos or Stratonike or whoever is the subject of a source.
In all, Grainger does an admirable job of providing us with an idea of the fascinating first century following the massive geo-political disruptions set in motion by arguably the greatest conqueror of all.
John D. Grainger's The Rise of the Seleukid Empire is the first of a trilogy attempting to address this deficiency in the literature and provide a high-level overview of the Empire's history. Judging by its 2013 publication date and its extensive references, it gives the impression of the author having thoroughly reviewed the state of scholarship on the subject. But given that many of these sources are limited or only indirectly related and he can't conjure more from thin air, he labours diligently to string together what we do know and provide some sort of comprehensible bigger picture.
Inevitably this results in rather a lot of supposition used to fill the gaps. In a purely academic text, that would be understandably frowned upon. However, in a layman's (I hesitate to say 'popular') history, it is a workable compromise. Grainger makes it clear when something isn't known and suggests a possibility which is at least logically arguable. Sometimes though he is bold to the point of saying the truth would be different or even opposite to the sources, as with the details of the battle near Gaza between Ptolemy and Demetrios.
This is, chiefly, a political and military history. Nevertheless, other aspects are discussed within this context. Grainger places an emphasis on city-building and the role it played in the struggles for supremacy among the Greco-Macedonians. There is some discussion about matters such as the role of religion, the styles of administration, the logistics of communication, and the economics of colonisation. Relatively little focus is given to the presumably complex cultures and cultural intersections between conquerors and conquered.
The early chapters are easy to follow, featuring a broad view of the political and military manoeuvrings between the original Diadochi as they carved up Alexander's empire for themselves. Later on it becomes much murkier, with increasing decentralisation resulting from the complexity of numerous factions, cultures and individuals all aiming at some degree of power.
There are conflicts within the Seleukid royal family, with the other Greco-Macedonian potentates, disgruntled natives, remnants of the Aramaic/Persian nobility, marauding barbarians, foreign powers and ambitious local lords. Asia Minor particularly is a headache of fragmentation and frequent change. Alliances come and go like a more intricate version of 1984.
And as generations pass, this confusion is not helped by the mere handful of royal names favoured within each dynasty (Ptolemy being the worst offender). Nor is this purely a problem for inexpert readers, as even the historians referenced are sometimes unclear as to which Antiochos or Stratonike or whoever is the subject of a source.
In all, Grainger does an admirable job of providing us with an idea of the fascinating first century following the massive geo-political disruptions set in motion by arguably the greatest conqueror of all.
July 23, 2022
Good Lord what an amazing read! All I knew of the Seleucids was
1) They where the punching bag for the Romans.
and
2) I enjoyed playing as them in Total War: Rome II.
Now however I know a ton about the Seleucids Empire. It mainly focuses on the founder Seleucus I Nicator ( who I am convinced is my Dad in one of my previous lives) He was so intelligent, and such a good Emperor and Warrior. If he would have lived forever, he would have destroyed the Romans!! One other point is out of all of the men who followed Alexander, only Seleucus stayed faithful to his Persian wife, whom Alexander chose for him. He took other wives for political reasons, but those other wives ended up going back to their homelands within months or marrying somebody else instead. That shows true faithfulness and lastly Seleucus was the first first statesman that never even brought up Race, during his rule. He made STRONG relations with The Maurya Empire by providing a daughter for the Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta. I mean he had a Persian wife, an Indian son in law so he truly was promoting harmony despite difference of race!
A lot of Indian scholars I have read always say that The Maurya empire beat the Seleucids so bad that they ran away and hid from them. That is impossible however since, if it where true, it makes no sense why they never advanced their forces into Seleucid lands.... There was strong evidence that Seleucus even kept up a friendship with the man over his twilight years. Just pondering that he mainly waged war against his former Greek comrades, while keeping friendly relations with an Indian Empire next door is inspiring.
First time I have tried to review a non-fiction book so I don't really know how to work out describing elements of the book. All I can say is that John D Grainger, made an amazing book so I will be sure to check on his other non fiction.
1) They where the punching bag for the Romans.
and
2) I enjoyed playing as them in Total War: Rome II.
Now however I know a ton about the Seleucids Empire. It mainly focuses on the founder Seleucus I Nicator ( who I am convinced is my Dad in one of my previous lives) He was so intelligent, and such a good Emperor and Warrior. If he would have lived forever, he would have destroyed the Romans!! One other point is out of all of the men who followed Alexander, only Seleucus stayed faithful to his Persian wife, whom Alexander chose for him. He took other wives for political reasons, but those other wives ended up going back to their homelands within months or marrying somebody else instead. That shows true faithfulness and lastly Seleucus was the first first statesman that never even brought up Race, during his rule. He made STRONG relations with The Maurya Empire by providing a daughter for the Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta. I mean he had a Persian wife, an Indian son in law so he truly was promoting harmony despite difference of race!
A lot of Indian scholars I have read always say that The Maurya empire beat the Seleucids so bad that they ran away and hid from them. That is impossible however since, if it where true, it makes no sense why they never advanced their forces into Seleucid lands.... There was strong evidence that Seleucus even kept up a friendship with the man over his twilight years. Just pondering that he mainly waged war against his former Greek comrades, while keeping friendly relations with an Indian Empire next door is inspiring.
First time I have tried to review a non-fiction book so I don't really know how to work out describing elements of the book. All I can say is that John D Grainger, made an amazing book so I will be sure to check on his other non fiction.
September 4, 2018
When looking for books on the Seleucid Empire, one will notice a lack. That is because of the lack of amount of sources detailing the empire & it's exploits. Indeed, there is much we do not know about this empire that lasted for over 2 centuries.
But this book does a good job interpreting the available sources. Citing Diodoros,the Babylonian Chronicles, bits of archaeology, and sources that dealt with this kingdom from the outside. The result is an early history that deals with a lot of court intrigue, rebellions, and wars. This is not unfamiliar, and it gives a background.
Ths book is well written. However, the flow of information (i.e. the style) doesn't flow as well as it could. It is a chronological as it can be, but there seems to be no spots where you are allowed to sink in the information.
Lack of maps of probable wars is also an issue. It mentions several wars, including 3 Syrian wars, the wars in Macedon & Greece, as well as Asia Minor. Topography can help with helping the reader to get better 'bearings' on this.
Overall, it is a good read. For those who know that the Greek/Alexandrian Empire did not end with Alexander, this will be a valuable resource.
But this book does a good job interpreting the available sources. Citing Diodoros,the Babylonian Chronicles, bits of archaeology, and sources that dealt with this kingdom from the outside. The result is an early history that deals with a lot of court intrigue, rebellions, and wars. This is not unfamiliar, and it gives a background.
Ths book is well written. However, the flow of information (i.e. the style) doesn't flow as well as it could. It is a chronological as it can be, but there seems to be no spots where you are allowed to sink in the information.
Lack of maps of probable wars is also an issue. It mentions several wars, including 3 Syrian wars, the wars in Macedon & Greece, as well as Asia Minor. Topography can help with helping the reader to get better 'bearings' on this.
Overall, it is a good read. For those who know that the Greek/Alexandrian Empire did not end with Alexander, this will be a valuable resource.
February 2, 2018
Fascinating look at politics in the near East between Alexander the Great's demise and the start of the Seleucid and Ptolemy houses. Since the same names are used over and over, and the turnover of rulers/generals is so very rapid, it took a lot of flipping back and forth to keep track of "Which one now?" to alleviate my confusion.
The model of government established was intriguing, and there were a couple items of more personal drama that (quite frankly) I had hoped to find more of, since my original reason for acquiring the book was to find out about the relationships between the two dynasties. Actual relationships, I mean, preferably regarding all those infamous Berenices and Cleopatras and more details of the assassinations that were a part of life for the ruling families of the time.
Still, it gives an awful lot of insight into current practices. There really isn't anything new under the sun, is there?
The model of government established was intriguing, and there were a couple items of more personal drama that (quite frankly) I had hoped to find more of, since my original reason for acquiring the book was to find out about the relationships between the two dynasties. Actual relationships, I mean, preferably regarding all those infamous Berenices and Cleopatras and more details of the assassinations that were a part of life for the ruling families of the time.
Still, it gives an awful lot of insight into current practices. There really isn't anything new under the sun, is there?
December 31, 2018
Bloody brilliant! Writing vacillates between a rollicking read of dastardly deeds with surprise twists, and clerical Lists of Things. Incorporates the 'how we know' as part of the text, so you come away knowing by osmosis about coins, archaeology sites, growing seasons, language and religion... Mostly about the post-Alexander era blokes but the women are also given their due. Although - word to the wise - if you read it, have the family trees next to you - these people called everyone the same name, all the men are Antiochus, Seleucus, Ptolemy, Antigonus, Demetrios, the women all Stratonike, Phila, Apama, Berenike, or Laodike, even if they were siblings. I also had to make a 'killed, married' chart to figure out how the families fit together, resulting in a spaghetti string of tangled lines. I THINK I'm ready to go onto vol 2 in this 3 vol series...
June 17, 2022
A weak 4* with a pity star for covering a wildly underserved topic.
I read the ebook so maybe the paper editions don't suffer the main drawback of this book, which is the lack of maps and charts explaining the familial relations between the various people within this, all of whom seem to share names from a pretty small pool of unfamiliar Macedonian names. To make matters worse, the names seem to get transposed in a couple of places, making matters even more confusing.
Nevertheless a good if heavy read if you're willing to jump on Wikipedia once in a while to look up a person or place, which I did, or are willing to take copious notes, which I did not.
I read the ebook so maybe the paper editions don't suffer the main drawback of this book, which is the lack of maps and charts explaining the familial relations between the various people within this, all of whom seem to share names from a pretty small pool of unfamiliar Macedonian names. To make matters worse, the names seem to get transposed in a couple of places, making matters even more confusing.
Nevertheless a good if heavy read if you're willing to jump on Wikipedia once in a while to look up a person or place, which I did, or are willing to take copious notes, which I did not.
May 28, 2020
History from 30k
Focus on troop movement and large scale strategy. Well documented Selukus and Ptolemy in the end just wore out the human resources of a nation. Sadly viewed as in this tome as expendable. Successes (and failures) were wiped out in months thousands died. This was their time and just a small step in march of humanity
Focus on troop movement and large scale strategy. Well documented Selukus and Ptolemy in the end just wore out the human resources of a nation. Sadly viewed as in this tome as expendable. Successes (and failures) were wiped out in months thousands died. This was their time and just a small step in march of humanity
October 25, 2018
Not the best history book, perhaps, but if you want to know about this period in history there's not much else to read.
July 11, 2024
John Grainger + The Seleukid Empire = climax with every page turn.
April 10, 2021
Impeccably researched, but the prose is so poorly organized as to be almost unreadable.
October 8, 2022
"The Rise of the Seleukid Empire" was a interesting and informative book that focused on Seleukos I, one of Alexander the Great's generals, who in the aftermath of Alexander's untimely death in 323 B.C. fought for control of the empire. Ultimately, Seleukos would survive the bloodbath and forge a dynasty and kingdom whose domains, at its height, would stretch from the Aegean Sea to the Indus River, one of the largest empires in human history.
Written by the elderly British historian, John D. Grainger, an expert on the Hellenistic Period and the Near East, I found his book to be a mostly dry book, being academic in tone but still readable to the average person. At his best, Grainger is very good at attempting to write a detailed and continuous narrative on a period and place where the historical sources are few and far between. If the Seleukid Kingdom ever held an historical archive detailing its long history, its contents were destroyed or lost to the sands of time (literally or figuratively, choose your pick). Readers will therefore appreciate Grainger's attempts to sort through sources, parsing which information is true or false and offering his own conjectures on the subject that he try's to back up with solid facts.
Readers interesting in the period of Antiquity in general and the Hellenistic period in particular should be encouraged to get this book, at an affordable price though. I was able to acquire all three of Grainger's volumes on the Seleukid Kingdom on the Kindle for the cheap and affordable price of $3.90. If you find it at such a price, I implore you to snatch it up.
Written by the elderly British historian, John D. Grainger, an expert on the Hellenistic Period and the Near East, I found his book to be a mostly dry book, being academic in tone but still readable to the average person. At his best, Grainger is very good at attempting to write a detailed and continuous narrative on a period and place where the historical sources are few and far between. If the Seleukid Kingdom ever held an historical archive detailing its long history, its contents were destroyed or lost to the sands of time (literally or figuratively, choose your pick). Readers will therefore appreciate Grainger's attempts to sort through sources, parsing which information is true or false and offering his own conjectures on the subject that he try's to back up with solid facts.
Readers interesting in the period of Antiquity in general and the Hellenistic period in particular should be encouraged to get this book, at an affordable price though. I was able to acquire all three of Grainger's volumes on the Seleukid Kingdom on the Kindle for the cheap and affordable price of $3.90. If you find it at such a price, I implore you to snatch it up.
September 26, 2018
Worth a read
Worth a read, unfortunately the book ended earlier than I thought. A good read over a period of which I had little knowledge. I found the book reasonably easy to read and enjoyable. Only complaint would the scarcity of maps, but this is a complaint of most books in ancient history.
Worth a read, unfortunately the book ended earlier than I thought. A good read over a period of which I had little knowledge. I found the book reasonably easy to read and enjoyable. Only complaint would the scarcity of maps, but this is a complaint of most books in ancient history.
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