Podcasts about seleucid

I sat down with the wonderful Dustin and Meredith from the Alexander Standard to discuss Seleucus I, the Seleucid dynasty and diverse other topics from the Hellenistic world. Expect tales of Seleucus I handing his wife off strategically, Ptolemy VIII chopping up family members and Scipio humiliating a pharaoh. Oh, and the collective decision that Antiochus VIII may have needed rhinoplasty.

Now that Antiochus III is a bit more secure on the throne, it's time to examine his family. We've had reason to introduce his eldest son Antiochus and his daughter Cleopatra, but what about the rest of the brood? Well, in examining the family and the facts about their lives, we need to wade through quite a bit of the fog of history- and discuss the beginning of cursed marriages within the dynasty.Sources for this episode:TBA

Antiochus III is gunning for the east. Xerxes of Armenia, Arsaces II of Parthia and even Euthydemus of Bactria are going to be on the receiving end of Seleucid wrath... Sources for this episode: TBA

The Seleucid realm experienced twelve unusual years of peace during the reign of Seleucus IV Philopator (187-175), but his alleged murder by a corrupt court official paved the way for Antiochus IV Epiphanes (“God Manifest”) to usurp the throne of Syria from his nephew. An incredibly polarizing figure, Antiochus was renowned for his generous donations towards cities and temples, often in honor of his new patron deity Zeus Olympios, but his behavior earned him the scorn of those like Polybius, who nicknamed him Epimanes (“The Madman”). Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2025/02/06/104-the-seleucid-empire-madness-and-the-divine/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/104-the-seleucid-empire-madness-and-the-divine-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Patreon (https://patreon.com/TheHellenisticAgePodcast) Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

In this sermon, Pastor Dorrell unpacks the final chapters of the Book of Daniel, highlighting the historical battles between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires, culminating in the notorious rise and defeat of Antiochus Epiphanes. The sermon connects these ancient events to prophecies concerning the Antichrist and the ultimate spiritual battle of Armageddon. It emphasizes the role of prayer, spiritual warfare, and the hope found in God's control over history. Believers are urged to seek wisdom and live with the assurance of a heavenly reward, reminding us of God's sovereignty and the promised victory over evil.Eastland is a Place to Belong Eastland Baptist Church is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are a welcoming and close-knit family community that loves to care for each other through the Church. We strongly believe in loving and supporting each other and our neighbors. Our members don't just attend our Church; they feel a strong sense of belonging. Join Us Find service times and our location at https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/join. Connect with Us Website: https://www.eastlandbaptist.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastlandbaptisttulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlandbaptist To support the ministry of Eastland Baptist Church, tap here: https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/give.

In this mini-series, Rabbi Daniel Rowe explains the deeper meaning and understanding of the Jewish festival of Chanukah and how it applies to our lives. This episode brings out the essence of the ideological clash between the Seleucid oppressors and the Jews of the Chanuka story. It addresses the curious selection of 4 areas of observance that were banned: Circumcision, Shabbat, Forcing us to use a calendar instead of witnesses for the New Month, and a seemingly futile atempt to ban the oral transmission of the Unwritten Torah. Why these? What is their common root? and how does the Chanuka story redefine our place in existence, and personal meaning and value? Subscribe for more videos about Judaism, Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah. Rabbi Daniel Rowe is a popular Rabbi, philosopher and educator in the UK, who uses deep knowledge of Judaism, science and philosophy to captivate and educate audiences on a daily basis. Follow Rabbi Rowe on Social media for regular new uploads and updates: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@RabbiDanielRowe?si=dLtRunDWpW0GbOkx Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1qPQn7TIWdQ8Dxvy6RfjyD Instagram: https://instagram.com/rabbidanielrowe?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/LHRiZdB5EL2VdNaA/? Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/cd5debfe-684c-411d-b0bc-223dcfa58a39/rabbi-daniel-rowe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabbi-daniel-rowe-23838711?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rabbi.daniel.rowe?_t=8i87VmPNE7V&_r=1 #chanukah #hanukah #rabbi #jewish #judaism #jewishwisdom

Web Description: Hanukkah is all about the Temple of God—what had happened to defile it and what they did to cleanse it and rededicate it. We too are a temple of God. We are to be a holy place in which God can dwell. But He cannot dwell within us if we are filled with defilement. Let us do today what Hanukkah celebrates. Let us enter into the promises that God will purify us and dwell in us. Then let us rededicate ourselves to walk with Him.   Show Notes: Christians need a greater understanding of Hanukkah. It occurs around Christmas time, but it existed as a celebration long before Christians conceived of Christmas. Hanukkah is the Feast of Dedication. And it remembers the time the Temple was rededicated to God after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes during the Seleucid dynasty. We as Christians should regard this time of rededication to the pure worship of God as something very applicable us. The people at the time of Antiochus IV rose up and fought against the defilement, and they removed it from their midst. What was at stake was the very presence of God in the place where He chose to dwell—the Temple. We must take it just as seriously today. We must fight against everything that is coming into our lives to defile us because the issue is still the same: Will God have a place to dwell in the earth? We are to be His dwelling place. We are to be His temple. And He cannot dwell in us if our temple is defiled. This Hanukkah should be a tremendous time for all of us. It was a lot of work to remove all the objects of defilement, clean and prepare the Temple, and rededicate it to the worship of God. And it may take a lot of work to do that in our own lives. But Hanukkah means that it can happen. We can separate ourselves from the defilement of this age. We can repent and He will cleanse us. We can be that place for Him to dwell.   Key Verses: Read 1 Maccabees 4:36–59. John 10:22–24. “The Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; … and Jesus was walking in the temple.” 2 Corinthians 7:1. “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit.” John 2:14–16. “He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20. “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” 1 John 1:9. “He is faithful and righteous to … cleanse us.” 2 Corinthians 6:14–18. “We are the temple of the living God.” Ephesians 2:18–22. “You also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.”   Quotes: “As we enter into Hanukkah ourselves and find the importance in our own lives about it, we realize we begin with an energy, with a drive in our heart that says, ‘We must remove all defilement.'” “He is holy, and He must dwell within holiness. We cannot tolerate the defilement and the uncleanness. We must remove all defilement and dedicate ourselves to being the dwelling place of God on this earth.” “We must be dedicated to the fact that He must have a holy temple called the Body of Christ in whom He will dwell, having built us up together into that dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”   Takeaways: 1. Just as the Temple had been defiled in the days of the Maccabees, today there are many people who have been defiled so that they no longer qualify as a place in which God can dwell. 2. Just as the altar and the instruments of worship had to be remade and rededicated, so this is a time for us to remake our lives in God. It is time for us to begin again and rededicate ourselves to the Lord. 3. We must put the energy into tearing down and removing that which is defiled. We must be cleansed of the defilement within ourselves, and we must rededicate our lives in service to the Lord so that we might be that place in which He will dwell.

Molon starts to become a serious threat- and the Seleucid court just keep fumbling the ball... Sources for this episode: Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Molon (online) (Accessed 30/04/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Xenoetas (online) (Accessed 30/04/2024).

100 years. That's how long it's been since Alexander the Great died. Before we move on from Seleucus III, let's look back on the past century and our five Seleucid monarchs... Sources for this episode are past episodes, with the exception of Diodorus Siculus for Alexander's plans. The reference for this is given below: Diodorus (1984), Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes. Volume IX: Books XVIII and XIX 1-65. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London: Harvard University Press and William Heinemann Ltd.

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, the Seleucid kings ruled a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to Anatolia, Armenia to the Persian Gulf. In a radical move to impose unity and regulate behavior, this Graeco-Macedonian imperial power introduced a linear and transcendent conception of time. Under Seleucid rule, time no longer restarted with each new monarch. Instead, progressively numbered years, identical to the system we use today—continuous, irreversible, accumulating—became the de facto measure of historical duration. This new temporality, propagated throughout the empire, changed how people did business, recorded events, and oriented themselves to the larger world. Challenging this order, however, were rebellious subjects who resurrected their pre-Hellenistic pasts and created apocalyptic time frames that predicted the total end of history. The interaction of these complex and competing temporalities led to far-reaching religious, intellectual, and political developments. Time and Its Adversaries in the Seleucid Empire (Harvard University Press, 2018) by Paul J. Kosmin, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, opens a new window onto empire, resistance, and the meaning of history in the ancient world. Ryan Tripp is an adjunct faculty member in history at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, the Seleucid kings ruled a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to Anatolia, Armenia to the Persian Gulf. In a radical move to impose unity and regulate behavior, this Graeco-Macedonian imperial power introduced a linear and transcendent conception of time. Under Seleucid rule, time no longer restarted with each new monarch. Instead, progressively numbered years, identical to the system we use today—continuous, irreversible, accumulating—became the de facto measure of historical duration. This new temporality, propagated throughout the empire, changed how people did business, recorded events, and oriented themselves to the larger world. Challenging this order, however, were rebellious subjects who resurrected their pre-Hellenistic pasts and created apocalyptic time frames that predicted the total end of history. The interaction of these complex and competing temporalities led to far-reaching religious, intellectual, and political developments. Time and Its Adversaries in the Seleucid Empire (Harvard University Press, 2018) by Paul J. Kosmin, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, opens a new window onto empire, resistance, and the meaning of history in the ancient world. Ryan Tripp is an adjunct faculty member in history at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, the Seleucid kings ruled a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to Anatolia, Armenia to the Persian Gulf. In a radical move to impose unity and regulate behavior, this Graeco-Macedonian imperial power introduced a linear and transcendent conception of time. Under Seleucid rule, time no longer restarted with each new monarch. Instead, progressively numbered years, identical to the system we use today—continuous, irreversible, accumulating—became the de facto measure of historical duration. This new temporality, propagated throughout the empire, changed how people did business, recorded events, and oriented themselves to the larger world. Challenging this order, however, were rebellious subjects who resurrected their pre-Hellenistic pasts and created apocalyptic time frames that predicted the total end of history. The interaction of these complex and competing temporalities led to far-reaching religious, intellectual, and political developments. Time and Its Adversaries in the Seleucid Empire (Harvard University Press, 2018) by Paul J. Kosmin, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, opens a new window onto empire, resistance, and the meaning of history in the ancient world. Ryan Tripp is an adjunct faculty member in history at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, the Seleucid kings ruled a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to Anatolia, Armenia to the Persian Gulf. In a radical move to impose unity and regulate behavior, this Graeco-Macedonian imperial power introduced a linear and transcendent conception of time. Under Seleucid rule, time no longer restarted with each new monarch. Instead, progressively numbered years, identical to the system we use today—continuous, irreversible, accumulating—became the de facto measure of historical duration. This new temporality, propagated throughout the empire, changed how people did business, recorded events, and oriented themselves to the larger world. Challenging this order, however, were rebellious subjects who resurrected their pre-Hellenistic pasts and created apocalyptic time frames that predicted the total end of history. The interaction of these complex and competing temporalities led to far-reaching religious, intellectual, and political developments. Time and Its Adversaries in the Seleucid Empire (Harvard University Press, 2018) by Paul J. Kosmin, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, opens a new window onto empire, resistance, and the meaning of history in the ancient world. Ryan Tripp is an adjunct faculty member in history at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, the Seleucid kings ruled a vast territory stretching from Central Asia to Anatolia, Armenia to the Persian Gulf. In a radical move to impose unity and regulate behavior, this Graeco-Macedonian imperial power introduced a linear and transcendent conception of time. Under Seleucid rule, time no longer restarted with each new monarch. Instead, progressively numbered years, identical to the system we use today—continuous, irreversible, accumulating—became the de facto measure of historical duration. This new temporality, propagated throughout the empire, changed how people did business, recorded events, and oriented themselves to the larger world. Challenging this order, however, were rebellious subjects who resurrected their pre-Hellenistic pasts and created apocalyptic time frames that predicted the total end of history. The interaction of these complex and competing temporalities led to far-reaching religious, intellectual, and political developments. Time and Its Adversaries in the Seleucid Empire (Harvard University Press, 2018) by Paul J. Kosmin, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University, opens a new window onto empire, resistance, and the meaning of history in the ancient world. Ryan Tripp is an adjunct faculty member in history at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

Seleucus III is on his way to Anatolia. However, two members of the Seleucid army called Nicanor and Apaturius are about to make life difficult... Sources for this episode: Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Phrygia (online) (Accessed 15/04/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus III Ceraunus (online) (Accessed 15/04/2024).

Seleucus II has perished from falling off his horse. Long live king Alexander! Oh... wait... That's too original of a name, isn't it? Well, Seleucus III it is then. Find out in this episode what the new Seleucid regime has to consider. Sources for this episode: Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook). Rawlinson, G. (1871), A Manual of Ancient History, From the Earliest Times to the Fall of the Western Empire. Comprising the History of Chaldea, Assyria, Media, Babylonia, Lydia, Phoenicia, Syria, Judaea, Egypt, Carthage, Persia, Greece, Macedonia, Parthia, and Rome. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers. Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Cleomenes III (online) (Accessed 09/04/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus III Ceraunus (online) (Accessed 09/04/2024).

In A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and Beyond (T&T Clark, 2019), Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and Beyond (T&T Clark, 2019), Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and Beyond (T&T Clark, 2019), Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

In A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and Beyond (T&T Clark, 2019), Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

In A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and Beyond (T&T Clark, 2019), Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In A History of the Hasmonean State: Josephus and Beyond (T&T Clark, 2019), Kenneth Atkinson tells the exciting story of the nine decades of the Hasmonean rule of Judea (152 - 63 BCE) by going beyond the accounts of the Hasmoneans in Josephus in order to bring together new evidence to reconstruct how the Hasmonean family transformed their kingdom into a state that lasted until the arrival of the Romans. Atkinson reconstructs the relationships between the Hasmonean state and the rulers of the Seleucid and the Ptolemaic Empires, the Itureans, the Nabateans, the Parthians, the Armenians, the Cappadocians, and the Roman Republic. He draws on a variety of previously unused sources, including papyrological documentation, inscriptions, archaeological evidence, numismatics, Dead Sea Scrolls, pseudepigrapha, and textual sources from the Hellenistic to the Byzantine periods. Atkinson also explores how Josephus's political and social situation in Flavian Rome affected his accounts of the Hasmoneans and why any study of the Hasmonean state must go beyond Josephus to gain a full appreciation of this unique historical period that shaped Second Temple Judaism, and created the conditions for the rise of the Herodian dynasty and the emergence of Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biblical-studies

Attalus of Pergamon seems to have become enough an issue that Seleucus is trying to stabilise Syria ahead of an incursion. It's time to mete out some Seleucid wrath to Anatolia- or is it...? Sources for this episode: Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur.  Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus II Callinicus (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024).

"Holy Julitta was of noble birth. She was widowed young, and left with a newborn child, Cyricus. She lived in Iconium, a city of Lycaonia, and was a very devout Christian. She had her son baptised immediately after his birth and, when he was three years old, instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray insofar as a child of that age is capable of learning. When Diocletian launched a persecution of Christians, much innocent blood was shed in the city of Iconium. Julitta took her son and hid from the wrath of the pagans in the town of Seleucid, but things were no better there. Julitta was arrested as a Christian and brought to trial. Seeing Julitta so courageously proclaim her faith in the Lord Jesus, the judge, to distress her and make her waver, took the child in his arms and began to kiss it. But Cyricus shouted: 'I am a Christian; let me go to my mother!', and he began to scratch the judge, turning his face away from him. The judge was furious, threw the child to the ground and kicked it, and the child rolled down the stone steps and gave his holy and innocent soul to God. Seeing how Cyricus suffered before her, Julitta was filled with joy and gave thanks to God that her son had been counted worthy of the wreath of martyrdom. After harsh torture, Julitta was beheaded, in the year 304. The relics of Ss Cyricus and Julitta have wonderworking power to this day. A part of the relics of these saints is to be found in Ochrid, in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, the Healer." (Prologue. In the Prologue, the name of Cyricus is spelled "Cerycus." It is changed here for consistency with other sources.)

Seleucus may have been losing territory around the edges, but life in the centre of the empire is no bed of roses either. The moral of the story? If you're a Seleucid royal, rejecting a proposal by your aunt may have consequences... Sources for this episode:  Grainger, J. D., (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Demetrius II Aetolicus (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nicomedes II of Bithynia (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nicomedes III of Bithynia (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Nicomedes IV of Bithynia (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Prusias I of Bithynia (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Prusias II of Bithynia (online) (Accessed 28/03/2024).

“Rhabarberbarbara” Daniel 11:2-45 by William Klock On Wednesday a friend at the pool stopped me and asked if I'd watch a video on her phone and tell her what it was about.  It was in German and she didn't understand.  So she hit “play” and two men started singing and I laughed.  I said, “It's ‘Rhabarberbarbara' and they've set it to music.  “Rhabarberbarbara” is a German tongue twister poem.  Imagine “She sell seashells down by the seashore”, but it's all ba…ba…ba sounds, and with each stanza the tongue twisting part gets longer.  Barabara opens a bar to sell her rhubarb cake: Barbaras rhabarberbar”.  But pretty soon bald, bearded barbarians in need of a barber show up.  It's a funny poem and it's hard to say, but these two guys set it to music and sang the whole thing perfectly.  My friend said she liked how catchy it was, but had no idea what it meant.  I laughed, because this is how the Greeks came up with the word “barbarian” for foreigners.  Their languages just sounded like “Bar…bar…bar”.  If you don't know the language, your ear hears the repetitive sounds, but you have no idea what any of it means.  Imagine hearing “She sells seashells down by the sea shore” if you didn't speak English.  It's just rhyming repetitive gibberish. As I was walking away I started thinking how this is a metaphor for how a lot of people might hear Daniel 11, which is what we come to today.  It's the longest chapter in the book and most of it describes a long conflict between the King of the North and the King of the South.  The actual kings are never named.  The places involved aren't named.  It goes on and on, back and forth between north and south.  In this case the language is history, not German, but if you don't know the language it's not that different than my friend listening to that German tongue twister that's all bar…bar…bar.  It's just repetitive gibberish. But if you know the history, Chapter 11 describes the historical events that were whirling around Judah from the time of Daniel in the Sixth Century up to the 160s BC.  If you know the history a story emerges from the Rhubarberbarbara.  That said, knowing all the historical details isn't the important thing you need to take away.  I'll give you the big picture and skip the nitty-gritty.  If you want to know all the details, the actual historical events are well documented and you can look them up in a history book or Wikipedia.  If you've got an ESV Study Bible, it's all there with nifty maps and genealogies and historical outlines. But before we get into that, remember the lesson from Chapter 10.  That was the first part of this vision.  The lesson from that first part is that there's more going on than what we can see.  Daniel was frustrated and discouraged by earthly circumstances and—as we'll see—things weren't going to get any better.  It's easy to lose hope.  But the angel explained to him that the battles he saw being fought by kings on earth corresponded to battles being fought in the heavenlies.  The point of knowing this isn't to burden us with some new responsibility—as if there's something we can do to win those battles in the heavenlies.  Just the opposite.  Those battles in the heavenlies are not our responsibility.  Apart maybe from praying, there's nothing we can do to assist the angels.  God has given us things to do and battles to wage in our sphere and he and his heavenly forces will do battle in their sphere.  And the point is that we should find hope in that.  The battle here may feel hopeless.  But knowing that God fights a battle in the heavenlies that somehow corresponds to the one we fight here and that the outcome in the heavenlies corresponds to the outcome here—that should inspire hope to stand firm, to keep the faith, and to fight the good fight. Knowing that, the vision now continues with a summary of historical events.  Let's start with verses 2-4. “And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.   There were more than four Persian kings following the time of Daniel.  This “three and a fourth” is a Hebrew way of talking about all the things.  We see it in Proverbs: “There are six things the Lord hates and a seventh is an abomination to him.”  The Lord hates more than seven things, but these seven are representative of all the things the Lord hates.  Just so with these four Persian kings.  The point is that the Persian empire will get bigger and bigger, richer and richer, more power and more powerful and eventually—and this is what happened historically—it will go up against Greece and be defeated.  Xerxes I invaded Greek territory.  He was defeated and that started a century of conflict that ended with the defeat of Persia by Alexander the Great.  And mighty Alexander, who like the beasts of earlier chapters rampaged and did what he willed—or so he thought—he fell almost as soon as he arose.  Alexander conquered the known world in fifteen years and suddenly died of a fever at the age of 32.  His generals fought over his empire and eventually divided it up four ways.  Two of those successor kingdoms would have a profound influence on the land of Judah: the Seleucid kingdom based in Syria—the King of the North—and the Ptolemaic kingdom based in Egypt—the King of the South.  That's the setup for the rest of the chapter, which rushes through about 160 years of the history that follows.  The Seleucid kings were Seleucus I-IV followed by Antiochus I-IV.  The Egyptian kings are easy: They were all named Ptolemy—Ptolemy I-VI.  (Actually there eventually thirteen Antiochuses and fifteen Ptolemies, the last being the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII.) Verses 5 to 20 move quickly through the first five Ptolemies, the first four Seleucuses, and the first three Antiochuses.  Fifteen verses sweep us through history from about 320BC to 175BC.  Here's the text: “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.   “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.   “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.   “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.   “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle.   If that makes as much sense as “Rhabarberbarbara”, that's okay.  If you know the history this maps right on to it, but if you don't, all you really need to know is that this describes about a century and a half of the kings of Egypt and Syria fighting with each other.  And that's important because of what's right between Egypt and Syria.  Picture a map in your head.  What's between Egypt and Syria?  That's right: Judah.  Judah sat on the crossroads of the ancient world and so it went back and forth between Egypt and Syria and eventually many of the Jews themselves got caught up in the politics and the intrigue.  Some of them thought that by siding with these pagan kings they were fulfilling God's purpose.  Again, when we see things happening in the world around us—the things we can see—it's easy to get caught up in them, it's easy to compromise our faith and our values and what's right.  But Daniel reminds us that there's more going on than what we can see with our eyes.  Things are never truly hopeless for God's people, because God is ultimately in control and because his angels fight for us.  We need to remember that as things get worse, and get worse they did for little Judah, caught in the middle of all this. Verse 20 describes the Syrian King, Seleucus IV Philopater.  He sent a “tax collector”, a man by the name of Heliodorus, to collect the money needed to pay tribute to Rome, which was now involved in the intrigue.  Heliodorus tried to plunder the temple in Jerusalem, but had a nightmare that put him off the idea.  Instead, Heliodorus poisoned the king, Seleucus IV.  That opened the door to the real terror.  Look at verses 21-35: In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.   “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.   The other kings were bad, but this new king who arises is truly contemptible.  The heir of Seleucus IV was imprisoned in Rome and Antiochus IV bought and manipulated his way to the throne in his place.  He took the name “Epiphanes” meaning “Manifest One”.  In short, he thought he was God.  And Antiochus Epiphanes did his best to turn Jerusalem into a pagan Greek city.  The passage here refers to him deposing the high priest, Onias III.  His action against the holy covenant refers to his making it illegal to live by torah, his manipulation of Jewish collaborators, and to his defilement of the altar in the temple.  But Antiochus Epiphanes pushed too hard.  It's not that the earlier Greek kings weren't bad or that they, too, hadn't imposed pagan culture on Judah, but none had ever made the effort that this king did.  For the most part, they'd left Judah alone, under the rule of the high priest, as long as he coughed up tribute money every year.  Under the earlier kings, most people didn't feel compelled to make a choice between the Lord and the pagan gods, but under Antiochus Epiphanes, that's just what happened.  No one could sit on the fence anymore.  No one could say that this didn't affect them.  And so the vision tells of the wise in the community standing up and encouraging the people—not all (there were many who collaborated with Antiochus), but still a good many of them—these wise ones encourage them to stand firm.  They prepared the faithful to pay with their lives for doing so.  Those days tested the faith of the people and, in the end, revealed who was seriously committed to the Lord and who was not.  Again, in all this we're reminded that God was at work in the days of Antiochus just like he had been in the exile back in Daniel's day. And this brings the vision up to what was the present day for the author of Daniel, about 167BC.  So far the vision has been relating the history that led up to this point as if it were a prophecy given by Daniel back in the Sixth Century.  With verse 36 the vision transitions.  Now it looks into the future.  But the style changes, too.  Everything becomes more grandiose, but more importantly, the description of how this crisis will reach its climax uses imagery and language from the Prophets, especially Isaiah 10, Ezekiel 38-39, and Psalms 2, 46, 48, and 76.  The Prophets spoke of the “End” and Daniel's vision describes the present crisis as another embodiment of that great “End”. This is the point where evangelical interpreters disagree with each other.  Some see the change in style, the language of the End, and the fact that Antiochus didn't exactly meet his death the way it's described here, some see all this as reason to think that the vision is now turning from the events of the Second Century to events much further in the future.  It's no longer talking about Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but about a future “Antichrist”.  Other evangelical scholars see nothing in the text that justifies that kind of change in subject and timeframe and believe this is still talking about events in the Second Century. Either way, there are difficult problems and anyone who says otherwise simply isn't being honest.  I'll say that Daniel 11:36-12:13 is the most difficult Bible text I've ever wrestled with and every time you think you've made progress untangling the ball of yarn, you discover that you've just turned one big knot into half a dozen smaller ones that are just as tenacious.  If you know me, you know I think it's best to let the text speak for itself even if that makes things difficult.  I can't see anything within the text itself that justifies projecting this part of Daniel into the far future.  The text itself is pretty clear that it's looking to the immediate future—to the three or three-and-a-half years to come, to the death of Antiochus, and to the vindication of the Jews who were faithful in that crisis.  I might be wrong, but either way you end up with some problems that are hard to resolve—I just prefer going the route that lets the biblical text speak most naturally for itself.  So, verses 36-45: “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.   Antiochus Epiphanes wasn't unique in making claims of divinity and the description here about his idolatry is grandiose, but there's nothing in the text that suggests at all that this is suddenly about some other king, let alone an Antichrist figure in the distant future.  I think what's going on here is that the vision captures how it felt for the faithful Jews to live under Antiochus, because he was the first of these rulers to deliberately undermine their laws, their faith, their worship and to defile their temple.  We do the same thing in our political discourse all the time, turning bad politicians into over-the-top monsters, and our politicians aren't half the monster that Antiochus was.  It goes on:   “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.   We don't really know how Antiochus Epiphanes died.  The Greek historian Polybius and the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees give varying accounts of his being driven mad after an attempt to plunder a temple in Persia.  He seems to have died not long after.  1 and 2 Maccabees suggest that there was an element of divine wrath in his affliction and death.  The description here, again, seems grandiose and we know nothing of him pitching his tents between the sea and Mt. Zion.  Whatever we make of the specifics, what the author saw in the Prophets—and I think, too, that he was an astute observer of how the hubris of these Greek kings and their internal intrigues worked out in history—the author understood these things and could say with certainty that the wicked Antiochus Epiphanes would get his divine comeuppance. Whether this vision was actual prophecy or whether it was the author's attempt to exhort the faithful in Judah by working out a sort of pseudo-prophecy based on the visions of Daniel and the writings of Israel's prophets, the Spirit stands behind the text.  I've been wrestling with the difficulties here for months.  Is it prophecy?  Is it pseudo-prophecy?  Was it written in the Sixth Century or the Second?  Did the people who received it think it was written by Daniel hundreds of years before or did they know it was written by one of their own who was suffering under Antiochus just as they were?  These are hard questions and there's no easy solution.  But what I do know and what I keep coming back to is that the Holy Spirit stands behind these words and we know that, because Jesus drew on them as scripture and so did the writers of the New Testament.  I expect I'll get into this idea more next week, Lord willing, but I think Jesus' use of Daniel points us in the right direction, because Jesus used this last vision of Daniel to point to the future vindication and resurrection of his people.  In doing that I think Jesus was doing with Daniel what Daniel had done with the earlier prophets.  As I said a few minutes ago, the Prophets often pointed forward to the “End”—the End with a capital “E”—and it was usually associated with whatever historical events of judgement and vindication they were prophesying.  And those prophecies were fulfilled in history, those times of judgement and vindication came as they had said, but always that great End was still out there, always pointing to a time when there would be a great and final day, at the end of history, on which the wicked will be judged and the faithful will be vindicated and I think that's what's going on in this final vision of Daniel.  Through the judgement of the wicked and vindication of the just in his own day, the author of Daniel points even more emphatically than the prophets of old had, towards that final Day of the Lord.  And this, then, is what Jesus picks up from Daniel and makes his own.  In his death and resurrection, in his ascension and his judgement of faithless Jerusalem and the temple, Jesus is saying that that great eschatological End with a capital “E” is finally here.  The end of history has begun.  And in that he's much like the old Prophets and he's much like Daniel.  There's still time to go.  There are still things to be done on both earth and in the heavenlies before every last enemy has been put under his feet.  And in the meantime God's people—even now empowered by the gospel and the Spirit—God's people, like they always have, need this encouragement to stand firm, to keep the faith, and to fight he good fight—even if it means our death.  Our acclamation as we come to the Lord's Table gives us just this kind of exhortation and if you aren't accustomed to thinking of it that way, try to think of it that way from now on: Christ has died.  Christ has risen.  Christ will come again.  Jesus has fulfilled what the Prophets spoke.  He has inaugurated the End.  And now we live in that in between time—between the beginning of the End and the end of the End.  And that, Brothers and Sisters, is good news.  It is the exhortation we need to stand firm, to keep the faith, and to fight the good fight knowing that our Lord sits enthroned in the heavenlies and has already won the battle and decisively turned the tide of this war. Let's pray: Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the many and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

239 BCE saw the death of someone who has been in the background of our Seleucid story for what feels like forever. As such, we should give him a proper sendoff. Say goodbye to Antigonus II... Sources for this episode: Bennett, J. E., Li, G., Foreman, K., Best, N., Kontis, V., Pearson, C., Hambly, P. and Ezzati, M. (2015), The future of life expectancy and life expectancy inequalities in England and Wales: Bayesian spatiotemporal forecasting. Lancet 386: 163-170. Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur. Bevan, E. R. (1914), A History of Egypt under the Ptolemaic Dynasty. London: Methuen & Co., Ltd. Harju, O. (2018), Male Heirs, Bastard King, Catholic England and Other Alternatives: A Counterfactual History Analysis of Henry VIII's Three Sons. Bachelor's thesis submitted to the University of Oulu. Keynes 2005 (reference to be updated) Volkmann, H., Encyclopedia Britannica (2024), Antigonus II Gonatas (online) (Accessed 27/02/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antigonus II Gonatas (online) (Accessed 27/02/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Demetrius II Aetolicus (online) (Accessed 27/02/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), List of monarchs in Britain by length of reign (online) (Accessed 27/02/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Philip V of Macedon (online) (Accessed 27/02/2024).

In this episode we're going pre Jesus, we're going to the second century BCE, we're going to a Hellenistic king at his peak at the peak of the Hellenistic Period. We're on a journey to find the O.G. template for THE ANTICHRIST!You know, the one who comes at the end for the final battle with Jesus. We are going to take a comedic look at the atrocities carried out in Jerusalem by the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This one individual had his hand in inspiring the Book of Daniel, First and Second Maccabees, Hanukkah, Hellenising the holy city, ultimately paving the way for Christ and ironically setting himself up as the blueprint for THE ANTICHRIST!Our story will feature guest appearances from Donald Trump, Jon Stewart, Alexander the Great, Macedon, Seleucus I Nicator, the Middle East, Roman Empire, Roman Republic, Rome, Romans, Seleucus IV Philopator, Demetrius, Mithradates, Zeus,  Egypt, Jason, Menalaus, Ptolemy VIII, Gaius Popillius Laenas, Alexandria, Josephus, Judean People's Front, Diodorus, foreskin restoration device, Israelites, Bible, Little Horn, King of the North, Cersei, Antigonus, Lysimachus, Iran, Syria and Nanaya. Sauceshttps://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/antiochus-epiphanes-the-bibles-most-notoriously-forgotten-villain/https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/miscellanea/trivia/no-man.htmlhttps://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/10/126012/donald-trump-quotes-about-celebrities-insultsTags#SketchComedy #Sketch #Comedy #Sketch Comedy #Atheist #Science #History #Atheism #ConspiracyTheory #Sceptical #Scepticism #Mythology #Religion #Devil #Satan #Skeptic #Debunk #HeavyMetal #RomanEmpire #Rome #AncientRome #Romans #RomanEmperor 

Twenty years of chaos in the Ptolemaic kingdom come to an end during the reign of Ptolemy V Epiphanes (204-180). His marriage to the Seleucid princess Cleopatra I Syra confirmed the loss of Coele Syria to Antiochus III, yet she proved to be a good match and helped secure the future of the dynasty. Haronnophoris and the Great Revolt are finally put down in 186, but the Alexandrian government is forced to give concessions to the Egyptians, as the Ptolemies must now come to terms with their new status as a second-class power in the Mediterranean. We also delve into the history of the Rosetta Stone, the Hellenistic period's most famous document, and its role in the decipherment of Ancient Egyptian. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2024/03/10/095-ptolemaic-egypt-the-two-lands-restored/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/095-ptolemaic-egypt-the-two-lands-restored-transcript.pdf) Ptolemy V Family Tree: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2024/03/reign-of-ptolemy-v.pdf) Autocrat Podcast: Website (http://www.autocratpodcast.wordpress.com/) Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/30Muilr1O66yA4UDcj76SW?si=c6648d9db9b3446c) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Patreon (https://patreon.com/TheHellenisticAgePodcast) Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Antiochus Hierax has behaved himself up until this point in our narrative, but it won't stay that way for long. To the government in Sardis, Antiochus III 'the Hawk' has arisen in Anatolia to claim the throne from his brother. But who are this faction of the Seleucid dynasty he's working with? Sources for this episode: Bevan, E. R. (1902), The House of Seleucus (Vol. I). London: Edward Arthur (eBook). D'Agostini, M. (2023), Laodice (2), Seleucid queen, wife of Antiochus (2) II, c. 285– unknown. Oxford Classical Dictionary (online) (Accessed 11/01/2024). Grainger, J. D. (2014), The Rise of the Seleukid Empire (323- 223 BCE), Seleukos I to Seleukos III. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Books Ltd. (eBook). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Achaeus (son of Seleucus I Nicator) (online) (Accessed 11/01/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Alexander (grandson of Seleucus I Nicator) (online) (Accessed 11/01/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Andromachus (son of Achaeus) (online) (Accessed 11/01/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Antiochus III the Great (online) (Accessed 11/01/2024). Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucus III Ceraunus (online) (Accessed 11/01/2024).

Chag Sameach! Danny and Derek are joined by independent scholar Joseph Scales to talk about the history of Hanukkah. They discuss the rivalry between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires that preceded the conflict; the Maccabean/Hasmonean revolt and the family's ascension to power within Judea; the Judean expansion; and much more.Originally published November 27, 2021 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.americanprestigepod.com/subscribe

Holofernes, the ruthless Seleucid general, has besieged the Judean town of Besulia to crush the rebellious citizenry. With no food or water, the townspeople grow more despondent with each passing day. But Yehudis, the daughter of Yochanan the Kohein Godol, has a plan to rid the world of Holofernes and save the town.

The rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem on November 21, 164bce (25 Kislev 3597) stands as a pivotal moment in Jewish history, marking both a spiritual and military triumph. This event, deeply entwined with the Maccabean Revolt, led to the establishment of Hanukkah, a festival celebrating Jewish resilience and faith. The Maccabean Revolt (167-160bce) was a Jewish uprising against the Seleucid Empire and the Hellenistic influence on Jewish life. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king, imposed strict bans on Jewish religious practices, leading to widespread discontent. The revolt was ignited when a rural Jewish priest, Mattathias, and his five sons, including Judah Maccabee, refused to worship Greek gods. This act of defiance sparked a widespread rebellion. Under the leadership of Judah Maccabee, the Jewish insurgents waged a guerrilla war against the Seleucids. By 164bce, they had achieved significant victories, culminating in the recapture of Jerusalem and the Temple. The Temple, desecrated by the Seleucids who had converted it into a shrine to Zeus, was in dire need of spiritual cleansing and rededication to restore its sanctity as the heart of Jewish worship. The rededication of the Temple was a profound moment of renewal for the Jewish people. According to the Talmud, when Judah Maccabee and his followers sought to relight the Temple's Menorah, they found only a small flask of oil, enough for one day. Miraculously, this oil burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare more oil. This miracle underscored not just a military victory but a spiritual resurgence, symbolizing the enduring light of Jewish faith against overwhelming odds. In commemoration of this miracle and the rededication of the Temple, the festival of Hanukkah was established. Hanukkah, meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, is celebrated for eight days in honor of the miraculous eight days the Menorah burned. It is a time of joy and gratitude, observed by lighting the menorah, reciting prayers, and reflecting on the themes of freedom and resilience. The rededication of the Temple and the events leading up to it are more than historical events; they are embodiments of the enduring spirit of a people striving to preserve their identity and faith against formidable challenges. The story of the Maccabean Revolt and the miracle of Hanukkah continue to inspire, symbolizing hope, courage, and the triumph of light over darkness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/plausibly-live/message

The crisis in Egypt enabled Antiochus III to launch another invasion south into Ptolemaic territory, kickstarting the Fifth Syrian War (202-195) that finally delivered Coele Syria into Seleucid hands after almost a century of conflict. Antiochus' ambition to claim the territories of Seleucus I leads him to campaign in Europe, placing him on a collision course with the Roman Republic. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2023/10/15/091-the-fifth-syrian-war/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/091-the-fifth-syrian-war-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Patreon (https://patreon.com/TheHellenisticAgePodcast) Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

This week, I thought we'd try a mathematical way to assess how stable the Seleucid dynasty has been so far. To do so, we're going to compare average reign length and longest reign length with other dynasties from history. Prepare for some well known names- including a cameo from the Sun King himself, Louis XIV of France... Sources for this episode: 1) The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (2022), Constantine VIII (online) [Accessed 02/08/2023]. 2) Goldsworth, A. (2016), Pax Romana: War, Peace and Conquest in the Roman World. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson. 3) Hussey, J. M., Encyclopedia Britannica (2023), Basil II (online) [Accessed 02/08/2023]. 4) Jones, D. (2013); The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England. London: William Collins (eBook accessed 03/08/2023). 5) Littlewood, I. (2002), The Rough Guide Chronicle: France. London: Penguin Group Ltd. 6) Norwich, J. J. (2013), A Short History of Byzantium. London: Penguin Books Ltd. 7) Van Loo, B. (translated by Forest-Flier, N.) (2019, translated 2021), The Burgundians, A Vanished Empire- A History of 1111 Years and One Day. Head of Zeus Ltd. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Constantine VIII (online) [Accessed 02/08/2023]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Elizabeth II (online) [Accessed 02/08/2023). 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), House of Valois-Burgundy (online) [Accessed 03/08/2023]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), List of longest-reigning monarchs (online) [Accessed 03/08/2023].

In a lead-in to our discussion of the 9/11 attacks, Jason tells you the ancient history of Afghanistan.Read the essay here: https://historywiththeszilagyis.org/hwts198 Find us on Twitter:The Network: @BQNPodcastsThe Show: @HistorySzilagyi.Chrissie: @TheGoddessLivia. Jason: @JasonDarkElf.Send topic suggestions via Twitter or on our Facebook page History with the Szilagyis. History with the Szilagyis is supported by our patrons:Susan Capuzzi-De ClerckLaura DullKris HillJoin these wonderful supporters by visiting patreon.com/historywiththeszilagyis.The BQN Podcast Collective is brought to you by our listeners. Special thanks to these patrons on Patreon whose generous contributions help to produce this podcast and the many others on our network! Jason AndersonVera BibleSusan Capuzzi-De ClerckTim CooperChrissie De Clerck-SzilagyiLars Di ScenzaThad HaitMatt HarkerPeter HongJim McMahonJoe MignoneGreg MolumbyMahendran RadhakrishnanTom Van ScotterDavid WillettCarl WondersAnonymousDavidYou can join this illustrious list by becoming a patron here: https://www.patreon.com/BQN

"Holy Julitta was of noble birth. She was widowed young, and left with a newborn child, Cyricus. She lived in Iconium, a city of Lycaonia, and was a very devout Christian. She had her son baptised immediately after his birth and, when he was three years old, instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray insofar as a child of that age is capable of learning. When Diocletian launched a persecution of Christians, much innocent blood was shed in the city of Iconium. Julitta took her son and hid from the wrath of the pagans in the town of Seleucid, but things were no better there. Julitta was arrested as a Christian and brought to trial. Seeing Julitta so courageously proclaim her faith in the Lord Jesus, the judge, to distress her and make her waver, took the child in his arms and began to kiss it. But Cyricus shouted: 'I am a Christian; let me go to my mother!', and he began to scratch the judge, turning his face away from him. The judge was furious, threw the child to the ground and kicked it, and the child rolled down the stone steps and gave his holy and innocent soul to God. Seeing how Cyricus suffered before her, Julitta was filled with joy and gave thanks to God that her son had been counted worthy of the wreath of martyrdom. After harsh torture, Julitta was beheaded, in the year 304. The relics of Ss Cyricus and Julitta have wonderworking power to this day. A part of the relics of these saints is to be found in Ochrid, in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, the Healer." (Prologue. In the Prologue, the name of Cyricus is spelled "Cerycus." It is changed here for consistency with other sources.)

"Holy Julitta was of noble birth. She was widowed young, and left with a newborn child, Cyricus. She lived in Iconium, a city of Lycaonia, and was a very devout Christian. She had her son baptised immediately after his birth and, when he was three years old, instructed him in the Faith and taught him to pray insofar as a child of that age is capable of learning. When Diocletian launched a persecution of Christians, much innocent blood was shed in the city of Iconium. Julitta took her son and hid from the wrath of the pagans in the town of Seleucid, but things were no better there. Julitta was arrested as a Christian and brought to trial. Seeing Julitta so courageously proclaim her faith in the Lord Jesus, the judge, to distress her and make her waver, took the child in his arms and began to kiss it. But Cyricus shouted: 'I am a Christian; let me go to my mother!', and he began to scratch the judge, turning his face away from him. The judge was furious, threw the child to the ground and kicked it, and the child rolled down the stone steps and gave his holy and innocent soul to God. Seeing how Cyricus suffered before her, Julitta was filled with joy and gave thanks to God that her son had been counted worthy of the wreath of martyrdom. After harsh torture, Julitta was beheaded, in the year 304. The relics of Ss Cyricus and Julitta have wonderworking power to this day. A part of the relics of these saints is to be found in Ochrid, in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, the Healer." (Prologue. In the Prologue, the name of Cyricus is spelled "Cerycus." It is changed here for consistency with other sources.)

It's time for another mini-series! This time, we're going to look ahead to some scattered stories from Greek history in the centuries and millennia after the fall of the Hellenistic kingdoms. Today, we're jumping forward to the 1860s CE to witness how a Danish prince was chosen to be King of the Hellenes as Georgios I. His family ruled over Greek- with some intermissions- until Konstantinos II was deposed in 1973... Sources for this episode: 1) Chisholm, H. (1911), 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica (A-M). 2) The Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica (2023), George I (online) [Accessed 18/06/2023]. 3) Herrin, J. (2008), Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire. London: Penguin Books Ltd. 4) Norwich, J. J. (2013), A Short History of Byzantium. London: The Penguin Group. 5) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Constantine I of Greece (online) [Accessed 20/06/2023]. 6) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Frederick VIII of Denmark (online) [Accessed 20/06/2023]. 7) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), George I of Greece (online) [Accessed 18/06 and 20/06/2023]. 8) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Greek royal family (online) [Accessed 18/06/2023]. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale (online) [Accessed 20/06/2023]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Seleucid empire (online) [Accessed 20/06/2023].

Nancy grew up in Savannah, Georgia, and like most people, was active in the church. But after having kids, she moved into the Jewish neighborhood of Savannah, wanting what she saw there for her family. That started her down a path of questioning and curiosity that ultimately led her to convert. We talk about her journey, what she studied to become a certified Jew, and how her before-and-after lives compare. This episode kicks off an informal mini-series exploring conversion to Judaism. We'll hear a few personal stories, and a rabbinical perspective. This could be an endless series, because of course, every experience is unique. As many converts as there are in the world, that's how many reasons and paths there are to conversion.  Synagogue: the Jewish house of worship and learning. Also called a "shul" or temple.JEA: The Jewish Educational Alliance, is Savannah's version of a JCC (Jewish Community Center). JCCs originated in Baltimore in 1854 and are community and event centers, often with gyms and child care, open to membership from anyone. Proselytize: to recruit or attempt to convert someone to a faith. Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights, recognizable to many by the 9-branched menorah, takes place anywhere from October to December, on the 25 of the Jewish month of Kislev (Judaism uses a lunar calendar). Not actually a religious holiday, it commemorates the victory of the Maccabee (meaning: hammer) tribe over the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes.Zaydie: Yiddish for grandpa, also spelled “zaydeh” or “zaydee.”Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: known as the High Holy Days, they are separated by ten days, collectively known as The Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year,” but is not the calendar new year; it's the anniversary of Creation. Tradition says that on Rosh Hashanah the Book of Life is opened, and on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) it is sealed. During the Days of Awe, you're meant to apologize for, own up to, and forgive hurtful behavior from the previous year to be sealed in the Book of Life for a good year to come.   Mickve: a ritual bath, required in conversion, but also used in many rituals to signify cleansing, purification and a new start. Also spelled "mikveh," it is generally considered to be the origin of baptism.Beit Din: meaning “house of judgment,” it is a rabbinic court, and in some historical periods and communities, was also the civil court. In conversion, it's a panel representing the community the convert wishes to join. A note about Savannah's Jewish community: In 1733, a small group of mostly Portuguese Jews arrived in the 5-month-old colony of Georgia. In 1790, Georgia, now a state, granted a charter forming Congregation Mickve Israel, the third in the entire U.S. Historical records mentioning the congregation include an exchange with President George Washington after his election. The congregation still gathers in the neo-Gothic sanctuary off Monterey Square, consecrated on April 11, 1878. Congregation Shearith Israel in New York was founded in 1654, and the first Jews inSupport the showLike the show? Support it! Or don't, that's cool too. Just glad you're here! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2196108/supporters/new

After the promising start given by Mithridates, the new king Phraates is tasked with consolidating the empire. Between rowdy nomads in the east and Seleucid death throes in the west, will he succeed in completing his father's vision? You can find all the images on our website! https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/35-phraates-ii/  

Joined by Gil Kidron from A Podcast of Biblical Proportions, we continue with the incredible story of Judah Maccabee "The Hammer" and the early years of the Maccabean Revolt. Initially, a small rebel band, driven by religious zeal, bringing civil war to Judea. But with Judah assuming its leadership early on and transforming them into a fierce guerrilla force. Unleashing devastating ambushes within the Judean wild-lands to win a series of astounding battle victories over the Seleucid armies through 166 - 164 BC. Unexpected successes, greatly expanding the size of the rebellion, but also its ambitions.   If you would like to support my work directly, you can kindly do so here: patreon.com/warlordsofhistory  Check out A Podcast of Biblical Proportions: podcastofbiblicalproportions.com

Well, Iran is out of Seleucid control with new forces filling the vacuum and we'll follow the kingdom of Persis. Join us to find out if Wadfradad is the right name, some fun numismatics, and can we stop the rise of Parthia?   You can find all the images on our website! https://soyouthinkyoucanrulepersia.wordpress.com/2023/04/23/33-wadfradad-i/

We discuss how Seleucus managed to win the "funeral games" after the death of Alexander the Great, and found the biggest empire of his time: the Seleucid dynasty.

Hannibal Barca (247-183/182 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest military strategists and tacticians in history. He is most famous for leading an army across the Alps into Italy during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), where he won a series of spectacular victories against the Roman Republic. Hannibal was born in Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia) to a prominent Barcid family, and was trained in military strategy and tactics by his father, Hamilcar Barca. He fought in several battles alongside his father in the First Punic War (264-241 BC) against Rome. After the First Punic War, Hannibal became the commander of the Carthaginian forces in Spain. In 218 BC, he famously led his army, including elephants, across the Alps to invade Italy. He won several major victories against the Romans, including the Battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae. However, he was unable to take Rome itself and eventually had to return to Africa to defend Carthage against a Roman invasion. Hannibal continued to lead Carthaginian forces against Rome for several years, but he was eventually defeated by the Roman general Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC. After the war, he went into exile and lived in various places around the Mediterranean, including the court of the Seleucid king Antiochus III in Syria. He eventually took his own life in 183/182 BC to avoid being captured by the Romans who were seeking his extradition. Show notes at https://thedigressionpodcast.com/99 Sound Off! With a comment or a question at https://thedigressionpodcast.com/soundoff Like the show? Leave a 5-star rating and review: https://thedigressionpodcast.com/review Help us keep the engine running at https://thedigressionpodcast.com/donate Or just share our podcast with a friend! It's the best way to grow the show!! “MaxKoMusic – Dark Ages” is under a Creative Commons (cc-by) license. Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: http://bit.ly/maxkomusic-dark-ages

Gil Kidron and I discuss how a small rural priest called Mattathias started an insurgency against Judea's overlords, the mighty Seleucid kingdom, heir to the empire of Alexander the Great. His descendants became rulers of the tiny region. They are known to history as the Maccabeans. In this period, we see the emergence of two political or social groups. First, the Sadducees, or Tsadokites. Second, the Pharisees. 

Laodicea is one of the most ancient cities in the Lycus valley. Archeological evidence can accurately prove that people lived in the city more than a thousand years before the writing of Revelation. Historical records show previous names of the city as Rhoas and then Diospolis (which means City of Zeus). The name Laodicea did not come into use until the 3rd century BC when Seleucid king Antiochus II renamed the city after his wife Laodice. The provenance of Laodicea—its origins, importance, and history—helped it to remain a free city even when it was annexed into the Roman Empire in 133 BC. As a free city, Laodicea enjoyed electing its magistrates, running its government, and minting its own coins apart from Roman control. These luxuries help us understand why the city refused Roman funds to help rebuild after a devastating earthquake occurred in AD 60-61. Laodicea did not want to be in Rome's debt, preferring to remain as free and independent as possible. 

Happy Hanukkah. On today's show I tackle the story of a Jewish revolt against the Seleucid empire and how that revolt pitted assimilation against tradition and identity. My guest is Ari Lamm, the founder of SoulShop studios and the chief Rabbi of the Re-Education podcast. Questions? Comments? Email eli@nebulouspodcasts.com Timestamps:  00:38 Monologue 21:30 Interview with Ari Lamm

The anchor was the most recognizable image associated with the Seleucids, who used it as their dynastic seal to symbolize their royal authority. Its origins are interwoven into the stories of the dynasty's founder, Seleucus I Nicator, as omens and prophecies associated the anchor with his imperial destiny. These stories might have been tied to the now-lost Seleucus Romance, but the anchor continued to be used by later monarchies, a testament to the lasting appeal of Seleucid kingship in the Near East and Central Asia. Episode Notes: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2022/11/05/bonus-anchors-aweigh-the-seleucid-anchor-and-imperial-iconography/) Episode Transcript: (https://hellenisticagepodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/bonus-anchors-aweigh-the-seleucid-anchor-and-imperial-iconography-transcript.pdf) Social Media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/HellenisticPod) Facebook (www.facebook.com/hellenisticagepodcast/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hellenistic_age_podcast/) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/hellenisticagepodcast) Show Merchandise: Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/HellenisticAgePod) Redbubble (https://www.redbubble.com/people/HellenisticPod/shop?asc=u) Donations: Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/hellenisticagepodcast) Amazon Book Wish List (https://tinyurl.com/vfw6ask)

Synopsis: Joseph and Hyrcanus of the Tobiad clan served as tax farmers in Coele Syria for nearly half a century, weathering the transition from Ptolemaic and Seleucid control along with the constant maelstrom of Jerusalem politics. “Hyrcanus determined not to return to Jerusalem any more, […] The post Episode S6 – Castle of the Slave first appeared on THE ANCIENT WORLD.