youngest son of Seleucus II, (223-187 BC). Wanting to avenge the defeats suffered by his father at the hands of Ptolemy III, he invaded Egypt, Fourth Syrian War, 219-217 BC. C., almost at the time of the death of the Egyptian king. A. III was defeated by Ptolemy IV, 217 a. C., in Rafia, when both sides used elephants Dn 11 10 19. Later, A. III recovered the eastern territories that his father Seleucus I had inherited from Alexander the Great, and then calls himself A. the Great. When ascending the throne of Egypt Ptolemy V, a child, 205 BC, A. III allied himself with Philip V of Macedon, 201 BC. C., and begins the Fifth Syrian War against Egypt. While these kings were preparing this campaign, Rome defeated the Carthaginian general Hannibal, avenging his three victories over Rome. Egypt had helped Rome when Hannibal beat her, so she asked Rome for help. As Filipo V was an ally of the Carthaginian general, Rome on the way claimed his loyalty to Hannibal. While this was happening, 195 a. C., Antiochus III defeated Egypt, took all of Syria and Judea, which after the Ptolemaic domination, remained under the strong hand of the Seleucids. The Romans defeated Philip V, and the small nations of western Asia Minor were placed under Roman tutelage. Rome demanded that A. III leave Asia Minor, but he ignored the warning. Hannibal, refugee in the court of A. III, asked him for an army to invade Italy, but the Seleucid king believed he could take care of Rome without major obstacles. He led an army into Greece, where the Romans dealt him a heavy blow, so he went to Asia Minor, where they pursued him and suffered a worse defeat at Magnesia of Sipylos, 190 BC. C., at the hands of the consul Lucio Cornelio Escipión, having to sign a burdensome treaty in Apamea 1 M 8, 6 ss; Seleucus IV, son of A. III, wanted to seize the Temple treasure due to lack of resources, due to his father’s debt to Rome 2 M 3; Dan 11, 20.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary