For the first time since Antiochus I's flight westwards after his father's death in 281 BCE, we're going to see the Seleucids intervene in Europe and attempt to win back some territory on the other side of the Bosporus. Specifically, we're going to focus on Antiochus II's hostility with Byzantium (the settlement which will become Constantinople about six hundred years from now)- as well as a campaign fought in Thrace.

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. 2) Ehrlich, B., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2021), Istanbul (online) [Accessed 01/08/2021]. 3) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 4) Ilıev, J. (2013), The Campaign of Antiochus II in Thrace, History Studies International Journal of History 5(1): 211- 222. 5) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Cypsela (Thrace) 6) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Polyaenus (online) [Accessed 09/08/2021].

Round two of the scrap for Syria! Although my sources seem to be slightly uncertain about some of the details, the broad strokes of the conflict are agreed upon. So, today, let's discuss a conflict that will rage from the early to late 250s BCE- and which will also have implications for Antiochus II's rule in the east...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus, London: Edward Arthur. 2) Bevan, E. R., Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911, edited by Hugh Chisholm), Seleucid dynasty. Available at: Wikisource [Accessed 18/06/2021]. 3) Bevan, E. R. (1927), The House of Ptolemy, London: Methuen Publishing. Available at: LascusCurtis [Accessed 08/02/2021]. 4) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (check date), Antiochus II Theos (online) [Accessed 21/04/2021]. 5) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (check date), Syrian Wars (online) [Accessed 30/07/2021]. 6) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 7) Heinen, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (check date), Ptolemy II Philadelphus (online) [Accessed 21/04/2021]. 8) Rawlinson, G. (1869) 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, Judea, Egypt, Carthage, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Rome, and Parthia. Oxford: Clarendon Press. (eBook) [Accessed 02/03/2021]. 9) Tunny, J. A. (2000), Ptolemy 'The Son' Reconsidered: Are there too Many Ptolemies? Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und Epigraphik 131: 83-92. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus II Theos [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nicomedes I of Bithynia (online) [Accessed 01/08/2021]. 12) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ptolemy II Philadelphus [Accessed 28/03/2021].

The Second Syrian War has begun! However, rather predictably, it will not simply be a contest between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids; the Antigonids are going to get sucked into the hurricane of battle as well. So, this week, we're going to recap the relationship between the Antigonids and the other major powers and discuss the alliance between Antigonus II and Antiochus II against their mutual enemy...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. (1902) The House of Seleucus (Vol I.). London: Edward Arthur. 2) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 3) Heinen, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Ptolemy II Philadelphus (online) [Accessed 17/06/2021]. 4) Volkmann, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Antigonus II Gonatas (online) [Accessed 15/06/2021]. 5) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antigonus II Gonatas (online) [Accessed 19/06/2021]. 6) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Battle of Cos (online) [Accessed 19/06/2021]. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Demetrius I of Macedon (online) [Accessed 15/06/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Demetrius the Fair (online) [Accessed 15/06/2021]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus I Nicator (online) [Accessed 15/06/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown) Stratonice of Syria (online) [Accessed 15/06/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Syrian wars (online) [Accessed 19/06/2021].

Around 258 BCE, a Ptolemaic prince rebelled against Ptolemy II in Ephesus. His rebellion, in conjunction with a self-made dynasty called Timarchus, would ultimately fail, although the details of the prince involved, events themselves and. However, if we sweep aside the murky veil of time, we can see that the events after the rebellion lead directly to the Second Syrian War...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus, London: Edward Arthur. Quote: p.175. 2) Bevan, E. R. (1927), The House of Ptolemy, London: Methuen Publishing. Available at: LascusCurtis [Accessed 08/02/2021]. 3) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Antiochus II Theos (online) [Accessed 21/04/2021]. 4) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 5) Heinen, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Ptolemy II Philadelphus (online) [Accessed 21/04/2021]. 6) Tunny, J. A. (2000), Ptolemy 'The Son' Reconsidered: Are there too Many Ptolemies? Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und Epigraphik 131: 83-92. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus II Theos (online) [Accessed 11/06/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Condotierro (online) [Accessed 11/06/2021]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ephesus (online) [Accessed 11/06/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Miletus (online) [Accessed 11/06/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ptolemy II Philadelphus (online) [Accessed 11/06/2021]. 12) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Timarchus of Miletus (online) [Accessed 11/06/2021].

Today, we're going to return to a point we last covered in episode 27. Specifically, it seems that Ptolemy of Telmessus, the son of Lysimachus and Arsinoe II, is unlikely to have been elevated to co-king in Egypt. To find out why, we're going to have to uncover the life of the mysterious elder son of Ptolemy II and older brother of Ptolemy III, who had his shot at power before it all went wrong...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1927), The House of Ptolemy, London: Methuen Publishing. Available at: LascusCurtis [Accessed 08/02/2021]. 2) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 3) Tunny, J. A. (2000), Ptolemy 'The Son' Reconsidered: Are there too Many Ptolemies? Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und Epigraphik 131: 83-92. 4) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), 'Ptolemy II Philadelphus' (online) [Accessed 14/05/2021].

Despite not having as much trouble with Anatolia as his father, Antiochus II is still going to face a not-inconsiderable struggle upon his accession. This week, we're going to explore the Chremonideian War which kept Ptolemy II occupied until 261 BCE, and introduce some of the underlying causes of the Second Syrian War...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bagnall, R. S. and Derow, P. S. (2004), Greek Historical Documents: The Hellenistic Period (2nd edition). C. The Period of Stability (276-221): 19. Chremonides' Decree, Oxford: Blackwell. Available at: columbia.edu [Accessed 06/06/2021]. 2) Bevan, E. R. (1927), The House of Ptolemy, London: Methuen Publishing. Available at: LascusCurtis [Accessed 08/02/2021]. 3) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 4) Heinen, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Ptolemy II Philadelphus (online) [Accessed 27/05/2021]. 5) Hornblower, S., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2020), ancient Greek civilisation (online) [Accessed 07/06/2021]. 6) Rawlinson, G. (1869) 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, Judea, Egypt, Carthage, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Rome, and Parthia. Oxford: Clarendon Press. (eBook) [Accessed 02/03/2021]. 7) Volkmann, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Antigonus II Gonatas (online) [Accessed 27/05/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Battle of Cos (online) [Accessed 27/05/2021]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Chremonideian War (online) [Accessed 07/06/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Chremonides (online) [Accessed 06/06/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Saronic Gulf (online) [Accessed 06/06/2021]. 12) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Syrian Wars (online) [Accessed 27/05/2021].

To get to know our new ruler, we're going to recap his life up until his accession in 261 BCE at the age of about twenty-five. In addition, I'm going to pan out for a bit and give a lightning quick summary of what the political situation is like in the eastern Mediterranean and the broader Hellenistic world. Then, next time, we'll plunge back into everyone's favourite pastime: war with Egypt! Well, it's something for Antiochus II to do...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I), London: Edward Arthur. Quotes: p.169, 171, 172. 2) Rawlinson, G. (1869) 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, Judea, Egypt, Carthage, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Rome, and Parthia. Oxford: Clarendon Press. (eBook) [Accessed 02/03/2021]. 3) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus Hierax (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 4) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus II Theos (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 5) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ashoka (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 6) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Laodice I (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Laodice (wife of Mithridates II of Pontus) (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Manuel Erotikos Komnenos (online) [Accessed 28/05/2021]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nabatean Kingdom (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus II Callinicus (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021].11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Stratonice of Cappadocia (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021]. 12) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Stratonice of Syria (online) [Accessed 25/05/2021].

In order to smooth over the transition from Antiochus I to Antiochus II, I'm going to take a moment to discuss a reference in Ashoka's edicts glorifying the emperor's spread of Buddhism, which may refer to either of the Seleucid kings given that only a name is present. However, this discussion will also allow us to return to the Indian subcontinent and pick up its history where we left off...

Sources for this episode: 1) Chisholm, H., Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911, Vol. I), Alexander II (king of Epirus). 2) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2014), Bindusara (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 3) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2014), Deccan (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 4) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2015), Kalinga (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 5) Smith, V. (1920), Asoka, the Buddhist emperor of India (3rd edition), Oxford: The Clarendon Press. Available at: Internet Archive [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 6) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus II Theos (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Ashoka (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Bindusara (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Chandragupta Maurya (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Devata (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Sushima (online) [Accessed 20/05/2021].

So, for the second time on the show, we've come to the end of a sole ruler's reign. Antiochus I (reigned 281- 261 BCE) is dead, and his only surviving son Antiochus II will succeed him. But we're not there yet! This week, I'm going to recap everything we've talked about in the twenty years since Antiochus Soter came to power, and walk you through my pitch for his 21st century epithet- Antiochus the Troubled.

Sources for new material this episode: 1) Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. Quote: p.169. 2) Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook) [Accessed 04/01/2021]. 3) Lendering, J. (2002, modified 2020), Arrian on the weddings in Susa (online) [Accessed 18/05/2021]. 4) Rawlinson, G. (1869) 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, Judea, Egypt, Carthage, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Rome, and Parthia. Oxford: Clarendon Press. (eBook) [Accessed 02/03/2021].

Bonus episode! We covered Alexander the Great's half-sister Thessalonica- the mother of Philip IV, Antipater II and Alexander V- way back in the early episodes of the podcast. After all, we've witnessed quite a bit of family scheming (which I'll come back to with a new perspective today). However, today's topic is going to take her story beyond her death in 295 BCE. In fact, her memory would live on in the form of a mermaid reported to ask sailors a question in the Aegean. Spoiler alert: you don't want to give her the wrong answer...

Sources for this episode: 1) Gerakiti, E., Daily Art Magazine (2020), Alexander the Great and His Mermaid Sister in Folklore (online) [Accessed 19/04/2021]. 2) Justinus, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus' Philippic Histories (books 16-20). Translated by Rev. J. S. Watson (1853). Available at: Attalus [Accessed 31/05/2021]. 3) Mitakidou, S., Manna, A. L. and Kanatsouli, M. (2002), Folktales from Greece: A Treasury of Delights. Greenwood Village: Libraries Unlimited. (eBook) [Accessed May-June 2021]. 4) Plutarch, (1920) the Parallel Lives (The Life of Pyrrhus 6) in: the Loeb Classical Library edition (Vol. IX). Proofread by Robert Thayer. Available at the University of Chicago [Accessed 31/05/2021]. 5) Author unknown, Royal Museums Greenwich (date unknown), What is a mermaid? (online) [Accessed 19/04/2021]. 6) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Aegean Sea (online) [Accessed 18/04/2021]. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Aegeus (online) [Accessed 18/04/2021]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antipater II of Macedon (online) [Accessed 18/04/2021]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Battle of the Crocus Fields (online) [Accessed 31/05/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nicesipolis (online) [Accessed 31/05/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Philip IV of Macedon (online) [Accessed 18/04/2021]. 12) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Thessalonike of Macedon (online) [Accessed 18/04/2021].