Thereby in the fourth century BCE, he decided to conquer the region and led a campaign against the founder of the Mauryan Empire, Chandragupta Maurya. “It extended geographically from the oasis cities of Central Asia to the riding plains of Bulgaria, from the uplands of Armenia to the Bahrain archipelago,” Kosmin notes in his book The land of the Elephants.Īt its peak, the empire of Seleucus also bordered India in the east. Seleucus’ success in war also acquired him the surname ‘Nicator’ (a greek title meaning victor) and helped him build his empire which went on to be known as the Seleucid Empire and was one of the largest states in the ancient world for nearly 150 years.Īn Associate Professor of Humanities at Harvard University, Paul J Kosmin, remarks on Seleucus’ empire saying that it was a sprawling offcut from the carcass of Alexander’s conquests. “He was of such a large and powerful frame that once when a wild bull was brought for sacrifice to Alexander and broke loose from his ropes, Seleucus held him alone, with nothing but his hands, for which reason his statues are ornamented with horns,” Greek historian Appian of Alexandria notes in his accounts. After gaining control of Babylonia in 321 BC, Seleucus worked upon expanding his empire, which at its peak covered much of Alexander’s territories. In years to come, Seleucus shifted loyalties during the wars of the Diadochi to rise up the ladder.
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He was one of a group of Alexander’s contemporaries who were clearly being promoted by the king to free him from the influence and caution of the older men he had inherited from his father,” historian John D Grainger writes in his book The Rise of the Seleucid Empire. “Seleucus had emerged in the latter part of Alexander’s career of conquest as a senior commander, though with little in the way of personal distinction to mark him out from the rest. Portrait of Seleucus I Nicator, Louvre Museum, France. Seleucus, son of Antiochos, was one such general who had served in the army of Alexander and was now fighting to take control of his empire amongst others. The sudden death of the king led to a fight of succession between his rival generals, family, relatives and friends, collectively known as the Diadochi. Following the untimely death of Alexander the Great at the age of 32, his vast empire was left with no heir.
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