Changes

The era of Greco-Roman history known as the Hellenistic Period (336-31 BC) is often overlooked and sometimes trivialized by historians and classicists. Some experts argue that the era was lacking in the artistic beauty and cultural significance of the earlier Greek city-state period: most of the great Greek philosophers were pre-Hellenistic and most of what are considered Greece’s finest works of art and architecture were made before 336 BC.

The Hellenistic Period was essentially a bridge that joined the Greeks and Romans into what experts of “big history” refer to as “Hellenic Civilization.” It was a period of turmoil, war, and expansion, when Macedonian Greek kings eschewed democracy but attempted to spread other elements of Greek culture to the east. Among the Hellenistic kings, Antiochus III of the Seleucid Empire was one of the greatest. From his throne in the newly founded city of Seleucia, Antiochus III influenced the greater Hellenistic world by waging wars against Ptolemaic Egypt and Rome and by recognizing the native Babylonian culture, while promoting Hellenism within the kingdom.

===The Fourth and Fifth Syrian Wars===

Perhaps the greatest enemy that the Seleucids had was another Macedonian descended dynasty – the Ptolemies of Egypt. The Seleucids and Ptolemies fought six major wars, known as the Syrian Wars, against each other for control of the region they knew as “Coele-Syria,” which was the inland region of the Levant, not including Judea. Four wars had already taken place between the Ptolemies and Seleucids by the time Antiochus III came to the throne, usually with very little change in the geopolitical map, but the upstart Seleucid king believed that he could easily defeat Ptolemy IV (reigned 221-204 BC). The Fourth Syrian War lasted from 219 BC until 217 BC, ending in dramatic fashion at the Battle of Raphia on June 22, 217 BC. All expected Antiochus III to win the war, but Ptolemy IV pulled out the upset, routing the Seleucid forces. The victory was only temporary, though, as native Egyptian military officers aligned with native Egyptian priests fomented a rebellion in order to overthrow the Ptolemies. <ref> Chauveau, Michael. <i>Egypt in the Age of Cleopatra: History and Society under the Ptolemies.</i> Translated by David Lorton. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2000), p. 11</ref> The Ptolemies were able to suppress the native rebellion and hold Coele-Syria, which meant that Antiochus III had to switch his tactics from military force to diplomacy.

Most successful rulers show their true acumen as a leader during peacetime and in the art of diplomacy. Any king with a large enough army can win battles, but it takes a certain amount of cunning and intelligence to be able to negotiate beneficial deals during peacetime and arrange alliances that can put one in a more stable position when war does resume. Antiochus III did this by arranging the marriage of his daughter to the next king of Egypt, Ptolemy V (ruled 204-180 BC). The marriage temporarily brought peace to the two kingdoms, but Antiochus III merely used the respite to consolidate his forces and prepare for a surprise attack in Coele-Syria.