Seleucus II Callinicus

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Seleucus II Callinicus

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(born 265died 225 ) Fourth king (r. 246225) of the Seleucid dynasty. He became ruler when his mother poisoned his father, Antiochus II, and proclaimed him king. Her supporters made away with his Egyptian stepmother, Bernice, daughter of Ptolemy II, whom Antiochus had briefly married. Ptolemy III, Bernice's brother, responded by invading Seleucus's kingdom and taking the eastern provinces. Seleucus managed to regain northern Syria and part of Iran but was defeated by his brother ( 235), now supported by their mother, and ceded territory beyond the Taurus River. He died in a fall from his horse.

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Seleucus II (Seleucus Callinicus), d. 226 B.C., king of ancient Syria (247-226 B.C.), son of Antiochus II. On his father's death there was a struggle for the throne between Seleucus and his stepmother, Berenice (on behalf of her infant son). Seleucus seems to have murdered both Berenice and her son before her brother Ptolemy III of Egypt could arrive. A long war with Ptolemy ensued. Seleucus also had to wage war with his own brother, Antiochus Hierax, for Asia Minor. Bactria and Parthia revolted and threw off Seleucid control. He was succeeded by his son Seleucus III, who was killed after a three-year reign; another son, Antiochus III, then became king.
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Seleucus II Callinicus

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Coin of Seleucus II. Reverse shows Apollo leaning on a tripod. The Greek inscription reads ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ (of King Seleucus).

Seleucus II Callinicus or Pogon (Greek: Σέλευκος Β' Καλλίνικος, the epithets meaning "beautiful victor" and "bearded", respectively), was a ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, who reigned from 246 to 225 BC. After the death of this father, Antiochus, he was proclaimed king by his mother, Laodice in Ephesos, while her partisans at Antioch murdered Berenice and her son, another Antiochus.

This dynastic feud began the Third Syrian War. Ptolemy III, who was Berenice's brother and the ruler of Egypt, invaded the Seleucid Empire and marched victoriously to the Tigris or beyond. He received the submission of the Seleucid Empire's eastern provinces, while Egyptian fleets swept the coast of Asia Minor.

Seleucus managed to maintain himself in the interior of Asia Minor. When Ptolemy returned to Egypt, Seleucus recovered Northern Syria and the nearer provinces of Iran. However, Antiochus Hierax, a younger brother of Seleucus, was set up as a rival in Asia Minor against Seleucus by a party to which Laodice herself adhered.

At Ancyra (about 235 BC) Seleucus sustained a crushing defeat and left the country beyond the Taurus to his brother and the other powers of the peninsula. Seleucus then undertook an anabasis to regain Parthia, the results of which came to nothing. According to some sources, he was even taken prisoner for several years by the Parthian king. Other sources mention that he established a peace with Arsaces I, who recognized his sovereignty.

In Asia Minor, Pergamon now rose to greatness under Attalus I. Antiochus Hierax, after a failed attempt to seize his brother's dominions when his own were vanishing, perished as a fugitive in Thrace in 228 or 227 BC.

About a year later, Seleucus was killed by a fall from his horse. Seleucus II married his cousin Laodice II, by whom he had five children and among them were: Antiochis, Seleucus III Ceraunus and Antiochus III the Great. He was succeeded by his elder son, Seleucus III Ceraunus, and later by his younger son Antiochus III the Great.

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 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Seleucus II Callinicus
Born:  ? Died: 225 BC
Preceded by
Antiochus II Theos
Seleucid King
246–225 BC
Succeeded by
Seleucus III Ceraunus

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