Seleucide

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a dynasty of kings who succeeded to that portion of the empire of Alexander the Great which embraced the Asiatic provinces, and is generally known as Syria. SELEUCUS I., surnamed Nicator, the founder of the line, born about 358 B. c., was a general of Alexshortly afte after whose ander the Great, death (323 B. c.) he obtained the satrapy of Babylon. Subsequently Antigonus forced him to withdraw into Egypt (316 B. C.), but having induced Ptolemy, the governor of Egypt, along with Lysito take the machus and Cassander, field against Antigonus, he was enabled to re turn to Babylon in 312 B. C. He grad ually extended his possessions from the Euphrates to the Indus, assumed the title of king in 306, and latterly acquired Syria and the whole of Asia Minor, but was assassinated in 280 B. C. He is said to have been the most upright of Alexander's successors, and was the founder of Antioch and other cities. He was succeeded by his son Antiochus I. and by a number of monarchs of the name of Seleucus and Antiochus, the most distinguished being Antiochus the Great. The power of the Seleucidæ began to decline as early as the reign of Seleucus II. (246- 226 B. c.), and they successively lost, through revolts and otherwise, Bactria, Parthia, Armenia, Judea, etc., and what subsequently remained was converted into a Roman province in 65 B. C. See AN- TIOCHUS. ORDINANCE, SELF-DENYING a measure carried through the British Parliament in 1645 by the influence of Cromwell and the Independents, by means of efwhich generals who were either less ficient or but half-hearted in the cause were removed from the command of the army. After Manchester's lack of energy at the second battle of Newbury (Oct. 27, 1645), Cromwell had determined on a change of tactics, and attacked Man chester in Parliament, but he soon found better the more sweeping measure a means toward his ends. The lords threw out the measure, whereupon the Commons proceeded to form a new army under Sir Thomas Fairfax as general-inchief. The lords now passed the measure with some alterations and called on all existing officers to resign. Thus Essex, Waller, and Manchester were got rid of, while Cromwell was specially reappointed to the command of the cavalry as lieutenant-general.