After Alexander

With Molon dealt with, Antiochus III now turns his attention towards Lesser Media and the east. Hermias, the scheming minister, is fine with this decision given that there's an heir been born and the possibility of a regency should anything happen to the king. However, Antiochus has his own ideas- as does prince Achaeus over in Anatolia...

Sources for this episode:

• Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.
• Cook, J. M. (1999), The Persians. London: The Folio Society.
• Gershon, L., Smithsonian Magazine (2020), Grandson of President John Tyler, Who Left Office in 1845, Dies at Age 95 (online) (Accessed 24/06/2024).
• Polybius (1979), Polybius the Histories, in Six Volumes (Volume III). Translated by W. R. Paton. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann, Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Artabazanes (online) (Accessed 24/06/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Darius III (online) (Accessed 24/06/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Harrison Ruffin Tyler (online) (Accessed 24/06/2024).

The showdown is here, and as the title might give away- Molon might want to think of a backup career path instead of 'king'...Sources for this episode:

• Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.
• Polybius (1979), Polybius the Histories, in Six Volumes (Volume III). Translated by W. R. Paton. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann, Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Alexander (satrap) (online) (Accessed 23/06/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus (son of Antiochus III the Great) (online) (Accessed 23/06/2024).

Episode 13 was once called 'Young Man, Go West!'- well, now a descendant of the king we exhorted to travel to Macedon is heading east to deal with the threat of Molon.

Sources for this episode:

• Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.
• The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (2016), Anti-Lebanon Mountains (online) (Accessed 21/06/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Go West, young man (online) (Accessed 21/06/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Syrian Wars (online) (Accessed 21/06/2024).

Ptolemy IV has become king of Egypt, and there are going to be consequences. Let's explore some bloodletting within the Ptolemaic royal family...

Sources for this episode:

• Bennett, C. (2002), The Children of Ptolemy III and the Date of the Exedra of Thermos. Zeitschirft für Payrologie und Epigraphik 138: 141-145.
• Bevan, E. R. (1914), A History of Egypt under the Ptolemaic Dynasty. London: Metheuen & Co. Ltd.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ptolemy III Euergetes (online) (Accessed 29/05/2024).

Molon starts to become a serious threat- and the Seleucid court just keep fumbling the ball...Sources for this episode:

• Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Molon (online) (Accessed 30/04/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Xenoetas (online) (Accessed 30/04/2024).

We start off the reign of Antiochus III reviewing just how bad a situation the empire finds itself in. Not only have we seen the edges fall away, but now cronies are squabbling over how to squander the remainder...

Sources for this episode:

• Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.
• Burstein, S. (2022), Ptolemy III Euergetes ("Benefactor") I, king of Egypt, early 246 to 221 BCE. In: Oxford Classical Dictionary.
• The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (2024), Ptolemy IV Philopator (online) (Accessed 29/04/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus III the Great (online) (Accessed 22/04/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Molon (online) (Accessed 29/04/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ptolemy III Euergetes (online) (Accessed 29/04/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ptolemy IV Philopator (online) (Accessed 29/04/2024).

100 years. That's how long it's been since Alexander the Great died. Before we move on from Seleucus III, let's look back on the past century and our five Seleucid monarchs...

Sources for this episode are past episodes, with the exception of Diodorus Siculus for Alexander's plans. The reference for this is given below:

• Diodorus (1984), Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes. Volume IX: Books XVIII and XIX 1-65. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.

We are slowly but steadily approaching episode 100 of After Alexander. I'm planning to make that a proper episode, but my aim is to host an AMA (or an Ask Me Anything) around about the same time. If you have any questions about the podcast, podcasting generally, or anything else, I'd love to hear from you! Simply get in touch at the show's email address, '[email protected]'.

There is also a second question this episode- would you be interested in an After Alexander Patreon? I've had questions about this in the past, so I would love to hear your thoughts. You can get in touch about it at the email address, or else there is a public vote on it somewhere on the podcast's YouTube community page.

Back again after what feels like a confusingly short amount of time. Seleucus III has no son to succeed him, making him the first king since his great-great-grandfather without a direct heir. So, let's put Seleucus III behind us...

This episode draws upon material from previous episodes.

Demetrius II was king last time we checked in with the kingdom of Macedon. In order to establish some context for the time period when both Macedon and Egypt were getting involved in Cleomenes of Sparta's war, we are going to have to introduce both Antigonus III and the young Philip V.

Sources for this episode:

• Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.
• Rawlinson, G. (1871), A Manual of Ancient History, From the Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire. Comprising the History of Chaldea, Assyria, Media, Babylonia, Lydia, Phoenicia, Syria, Judaea, Egypt, Carthage, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Parthia, and Rome. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antigonus III Doson (online) (Accessed c.16/04/2024).
• Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Philip V of Macedon (online) (Accessed 15/04/2024 and 16/04/2024).