Seleucus I Nicator

Son of Antiochus, of the Macedonian aristocracy of Europus, born c. 358 BC. Companion-cavalry commander under Alexander in the Asian campaign. Present at the Babylon deathbed scene; chiliarch under Perdiccas; one of the three officers (with Peithon and Antigenes) who entered the regent's tent on the Nile in 321 and stabbed him (Diod. 18.36.5). Took Babylon as his satrapy at Triparadisus; fled to Egypt 316 when Antigonus moved against the upper satraps after Gabiene; returned to Babylon 312 with Ptolemy's support and reconquered the eastern provinces over the next decade. Pushed his frontier east to the Indus 305 and met Chandragupta Maurya in the field; the negotiated settlement (Strab. 15.2.9 + App. *Syr.* 55) gave India east of the Indus to the Mauryan and four hundred war-elephants to Seleucus — the elephant-line that would decide Ipsus 301. Took the royal title 305 with the other Diadochi. At Ipsus held the cavalry-reserve and the elephant-line that cut off Demetrius's pursuit and exposed the Antigonid centre (Plut. *Demetr.* 29). Founded Antioch on the Orontes after Ipsus on the site of Antigonus's Antigoneia; built the Seleucid *tetrapolis* (Antioch–Apamea–Laodicea–Seleucia in Pieria) as the dynastic core and re-founded a network of seventy *Seleukeiai* and *Antiocheiai* across the upper satrapies. Defeated Lysimachus at Corupedium February 281 — the last of Alexander's bodyguards now alone surviving. Crossed the Hellespont in early summer 281 to take Macedon as his last conquest; struck down from behind by Ptolemy Keraunos near Lysimacheia within weeks of the crossing (Memnon F8 §8 + Appian *Syr.* 62). Age about seventy-eight. His son Antiochus I Soter held Asia for the dynasty.

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