Seleucus I Nicator (ca. 358–281 bc). The founder and first king of a dynasty of Greek-speaking kings that ruled over Syria after the death of Alexander the Great (ca. 321–64 bc). Seleucus was the son of Antiochus, who may have been a general of Philip II of Macedon.

One of the distinguished generals of Alexander the Great, Seleucus became a commander of 1,000 men (i.e., a chiliarch) after Alexander’s death in 323 bc. Two years later, he was awarded the satrapy of Babylon (321 bc). But as the successors of Alexander fought for control of the massive empire, Seleucus was forced out of Babylon by Antigonus (316 bc). He fled to Egypt and to the protection of Ptolemy I, who helped him regain Babylon when they defeated Antigonus at Gaza (312 bc).

In the years that followed, Seleucus extended his empire to include Media, Susiana, and NW India. In 301 bc, Seleucus gained control of Syria and much of Asia Minor by defeating Antigonus at Ipsus. He established Antioch as a new capital city and avidly promoted Hellenism throughout his empire. His rise to power, which nearly took him to the Macedonian throne, was cut short when he was murdered by an exiled son of Ptolemy.