Seleucid Empire

State · 318–64 BCE · at its largest around 301 BCE

Greek kings ruled a mosaic of Persians, Babylonians, Jews and Bactrians, founding Greek cities such as Antioch and Seleucia. Babylonian astronomy thrived under them, and their attempt to Hellenize Judaea sparked the Maccabean revolt remembered at Hanukkah.

In the guided tours

Alexander's world: How a Macedonian king overthrew the Persian Empire and left behind Greek-speaking kingdoms from Egypt to Afghanistan.

On its lands while it lasted

Uruk (c. 5,000 BCE – c. 700 CE): Sumerian city on the Euphrates that by about 3100 BCE was probably the largest city in the world, centre of the first urban civilization.
Anshan Persia (4,000 BCE – 675 CE): Capital of Elam (2700 BCE–601 BCE).
Babylon (2,201 BCE – 1 CE): Capital of Babylonia (1800 BCE–601 BCE), Neo-Babylonian Empire (600 BCE–539 BCE), Achaemenid Empire (550 BCE–330 BCE).
Incense Route (c. 700 BCE – c. 200 CE): Camel caravans carried frankincense and myrrh from southern Arabia north along the Red Sea hinterland through Nabataean Petra to Gaza on the Mediterranean.
Ecbatana (c. 550 BCE – c. 1800 CE): Capital of Achaemenid Empire (550 BCE–330 BCE).
Sogdians (c. 500 BCE – c. 900 CE): Iranian people of the Zeravshan valley around Samarkand and Bukhara whose merchants dominated trade along the Silk Roads, especially between the 4th and 8th centuries.
Petra (c. 312 BCE): The rock-cut capital of the Nabataean kingdom in southern Jordan, famous for tombs and temples carved into sandstone cliffs such as Al-Khazneh.
Ardabil (c. 307 BCE): Capital of Atropatene (307 BCE–165 BCE).
Amasya (c. 281 BCE): Capital of Kingdom of Pontus (281 BCE–183 BCE).
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (c. 256–120 BCE): Hellenistic kingdom established when the satrap Diodotus broke away from the Seleucid Empire around 256 BCE, centred on Bactra (Balkh).
Balkh (c. 247 BCE): Capital of Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (247 BCE–127 BCE), Sasanian Empire (215–643), Indo-Sasanian Empire (260–357).
Parthian Empire founded (c. 247 BCE): The Parni under Arsaces I founded the Arsacid dynasty in northeastern Iran; the Parthian Empire became Rome's main rival in the east until 224 CE.
Ctesiphon (c. 239 BCE – c. 637 CE): Capital of Parthian Empire (239 BCE–224).
Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions (c. 138–126 BCE): Sent by Emperor Wu of Han to seek allies against the Xiongnu, Zhang Qian was held captive for about ten years before reaching Ferghana and Bactria. His reports opened Han contacts with Central Asia and the Silk Road.
Silk Road (c. 130 BCE – c. 1450 CE): A network of overland caravan routes linking China with Central Asia, Persia and the Mediterranean, along which silk, spices, horses, religions, technologies and diseases travelled for more than 1,500 years.