Seleucid invasion of Egypt

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The Seleucid invasion of Egypt was a major military campaign in 170–168 BCE during which the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes sought to conquer Ptolemaic Egypt, triggering a crisis that drew in the Roman Republic and reshaped the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
military campaign
war
commandedBy Antiochus IV Epiphanes
conflictType Hellenistic interstate war
invasion
describedIn ancient sources such as Polybius
followedBy continued Roman involvement in Near Eastern politics
hasAlternativeName Antiochus IV’s invasion of Egypt
hasCause Seleucid attempt to conquer Ptolemaic Egypt
dynastic and territorial rivalry between Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Kingdom
weakness and internal instability of the Ptolemaic monarchy
hasContext Hellenistic period
power struggle after the fragmentation of Alexander the Great’s empire
hasEffect Roman diplomatic intervention in eastern Mediterranean affairs
Seleucid annexation of Cyprus (temporary)
confirmation of Roman dominance in eastern Mediterranean politics
limitation of Seleucid expansion
restoration of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt
temporary Seleucid occupation of parts of Egypt
hasEndTime 168 BCE
hasLocation Cyprus
Egypt
eastern Mediterranean
hasOutcome Roman-imposed withdrawal of Seleucid forces from Egypt
diplomatic humiliation of Antiochus IV Epiphanes
survival of Ptolemaic Kingdom as a Roman client state
hasParticipant Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Cleopatra II of Egypt
Ptolemaic Kingdom
Ptolemy VI Philometor
Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II
Roman Republic
Seleucid Empire
hasSignificantEvent Roman ultimatum to Antiochus IV at Eleusis
Seleucid advance towards Alexandria
Seleucid invasion of Cyprus
Seleucid occupation of Memphis
hasStartTime 170 BCE
hasTimePeriod 170–168 BCE
involves Roman envoy Gaius Popillius Laenas
opponent Ptolemaic Kingdom
Seleucid Empire
opposedBy Ptolemy VI Philometor
Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II
Roman Senate
partOf Sixth Syrian War
precededBy earlier Syrian Wars between Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (5)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Sixth Syrian War hasPart Seleucid invasion of Egypt
Seleucid invasion of Egypt hasSignificantEvent Seleucid occupation of Memphis
linked to: Seleucid invasion of Egypt
Battle of Pelusium (170 BCE) associatedWith Antiochus IV’s Egyptian campaign
linked to: Seleucid invasion of Egypt
Gaius Popillius Laenas notableEvent Roman–Seleucid diplomatic confrontation in Egypt
linked to: Seleucid invasion of Egypt
Siege of Alexandria (168 BCE) chronologicallyFollows Seleucid invasion of Egypt in 170–169 BCE
linked to: Seleucid invasion of Egypt