Seleucus IV Philopator
Seleucid king of Syria, ruler of Judea
- Reign
- 187–175 BCE
- Father
- Antiochus III the Great
- Died
- 175 BCE, assassinated by his minister Heliodorus
- Successor
- His brother Antiochus IV Epiphanes
- Burden
- Heavy war indemnity owed to Rome
Seleucid king who, in 2 Maccabees, sent his minister Heliodorus to seize the Jerusalem Temple treasury, and who was later murdered by him.
What is Seleucus IV Philopator known for?
Seleucus IV Philopator ruled the Seleucid empire, including Syria and Judea, from 187 to 175 BCE. He was the son of Antiochus III the Great, whose defeat by Rome left the kingdom owing a heavy war indemnity. That debt shaped his reign: he avoided costly wars, and his son Demetrius was held in Rome as a hostage.
2 Maccabees 3 says he sent his chief minister Heliodorus to confiscate money deposited in the Jerusalem Temple after hearing it held great wealth. In that account Heliodorus was driven off by a supernatural horseman and returned to tell the king that a divine power protected the place.
In 175 BCE Heliodorus assassinated Seleucus, apparently hoping to seize power, but the king's brother took the throne as Antiochus IV Epiphanes. An inscription published in 2007, the Heliodorus stele, preserves a royal letter from Seleucus IV to Heliodorus of around 178 BCE about appointing an official over the temples of the region, confirming that both men and the policy were real.
He is the king who sent Heliodorus to the Jerusalem Temple, and his letter on the Heliodorus stele anchors the story in history.
Mentioned on these pages
- Rabbit holeHeliodorus
- PersonOnias III
- PersonSimon (Temple officer in 2 Maccabees)
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Seleucus IV Philopator'Reference
- 2 Maccabees 3 (RSV), Bible GatewayPrimary text
- Wikipedia, 'Seleucus IV Philopator'Reference
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