The Seleucid Empire was one of the major Hellenistic states that emerged after the death of Alexander the Great. Founded by the Macedonian general Seleucus I Nicator in 312 BC, it extended over much of Western Asia, encompassing at its peak territories that today constitute Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Afghanistan, parts of Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan.
After Alexander's death in 323 BC and the division of his empire among his generals (the Diadochi), Seleucus took control of Babylon and from there expanded his domains, coming to control key trade routes between the Mediterranean and Asia, which gave him great strategic and economic importance.
The empire was characterized by the spread of Greek culture (Hellenization) throughout the Near East: Greek became the language of administration and commerce, and numerous Greek-style cities were founded. However, local populations constantly resisted Greek cultural and religious imposition, as exemplified by the Maccabean revolt in Judea.
Throughout the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, the empire suffered territorial losses due to the independence of eastern regions such as Bactria and Parthia , as well as defeats by Rome and internal rebellions. Finally, Pompey's conquest of Syria in 63 BC marked the end of the Seleucid Empire, which was absorbed into the Roman Republic.
In short, the Seleucid Empire was key in the transmission and fusion of Greek culture with Eastern traditions, and its legacy endured in the political, cultural, and urban history of the Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asia.
