Surprisingly, little is known about the life of Seleucus I. This mere officer in Alexander’s army gave himself the title Nicator – “victorious” – and staked out an empire. But, the ancient sources barely mention him.
The Childhood of Seleucus
If little is known about the life of Seleucus, even less is known about his formative years. He was born somewhere in Macedon in the mid 350s BCE. The Roman historians Justin and Appian date the birth of Seleucus to 358 and 354 BCE respectively. Eusebius, a Palestinian bishop and historian, gives him the birth year 356 BCE. Alexander the Great, too, was born in 356 BCE and thus most scholars believe this birth date simply part of Seleucus’s propaganda to appear more like Alexander.
The stories relayed about the birth of Seleucus likewise bear striking resemblance to those of Alexander. Whereas Alexander is said to have been the son of Zeus, Seleucus is said to have been the son of Apollo. Like Olympias, Alexander’s mother, the mother of Seleucus, Laodice, learnt of her son’s divine descent in a dream. His human father, whom Seleucus acknowledged by naming a full sixteen cities after him, bore the name Antiochus.
While in his teens, Seleucus was accepted into the service of Philip II as a royal page. Only sons aristocrats were accepted, and thus it is likely that he came from a noble family. His father may even have been an officer to Philip II.
Life as an Officer under Alexander the Great
Unlike the other Successors to Alexander’s Empire, Seleucus was never a general during Alexander’s eastern campaigns. The highest office he held was that of regimental commander when he served in the royal body guard, which brought with it no strategic or decisive responsibilities.
There are indications, however, that Seleucus received exceptional favour and trust from Alexander. He had been the king’s chief of police during Alexander’s last frantic month in life, a time when he trusted no one. Also, when Alexander in a great spectacle married his Macedonian generals and officers to Persian women he gave to Seleucus the daughter of a mighty foe.
Little else is known of this part of Seleucus’s life. Appian relays several anecdotes, though they are most likely part of later Seleucid propaganda to ensure that he appeared as the natural successor of Alexander:
It is said that once when a wild bull was brought for sacrifice to Alexander it broke free and the powerful Seleucus overpowered it on his own. It is also said that the oracle of Apollo at Didyma foretold his future victories in Asia, and that Seleucus once saved Alexander’s royal diadem and had to carry it to safety on his own head as if he himself were king himself.
After the Death of Alexander the Great
Once Alexander was dead, Seleucus remained with his former general, Perdiccas, and was promoted to command of the royal elite cavalry guard. This new position meant considerably more power. It made him second in command of what appeared then to be the remains of Alexander’s vast empire. As it broke down and Alexander’s generals waged war on one another, however, Seleucus did not side with Perdiccas. Indeed, he was quite possibly involved in Perdiccas’s assassination.
Seleucus was then, though not in name, the real administrator and commander of Syria and Mesopotamia. That is how the army saw him and his power was further established among the other Successors when he was able to intervene on the behalf of Antipater, the regent of Macedon, to stop the mutiny of his troops.
When Antigonus, a man of significantly more power than Seleucus, eventually took control of Syria and Mesopotamia, Seleucus was given the governorship of Babylon. Within a few years, however, Antigonus was growing suspicious of the power of his generals and governors and started putting them to death for plotting against him. Seleucus barely escaped that very destiny by fleeing to Ptolemy in Egypt.
Building the Seleucid Empire
It was Ptolemy who eventually sponsored Seleucus’s attempt to retake control of Babylon by lending him an army. Unlike previous Macedon conquerors, Seleucus was welcomed in Mesopotamia. He paid more attention and respect than any before him to the Babylonian priests and gods, and even managed to recruit locals for his army. His power quickly grew and when Antigonus tried to depose him, he found it impossible to do so and had to sue for truce.
Around 306 BCE the Successors of Alexander proclaimed themselves kings of their individual parts of the empire, in name now as well as in practice. However, this did not stop the wars between them for ultimate power. Eventually, in 301 BCE Seleucus joined with Lysimachus against Antigonus. At defeating him, the two of them split the empire of Antigonus between them and Seleucus became king of the vast landmass between Palestine and India.
The eastern part of this massive kingdom, Seleucus decided, was to be ruled by his son Antiochus. For his queen, Seleucus gave his son his own second wife. Allegedly, Antiochus had been lovesick for his stepmother for some time and his father graciously stepped aside. Seleucus himself had his sight set on the kingship of Macedon.
It looked as if he might have been his, but before he reached its gates he was assassinated. He left a vast empire, the power of which was not yet quite established, to his son.
Sources
Appian, Syriaca.
Grainger, J.D., Seleukus Nikator: Constructing a Hellenistic Kingdom, London 1990.
Green, P., The Hellenistic Age, New York 2007.
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