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Syrian War (192-188)
Syrian War: conflict between Rome and the Seleucid empire (192-188).
Course of events
Antiochus III the Great
War became inevitable after Titus Quinctius Flamininus had abandoned Greece and had created a power vacuum that the Seleucid king Antiochus III the Great had to fill
196: Thrace added to the Seleucid Empire; crown prince Seleucus is governor
194: Eumenes II Soter of Pergamon refuses an alliance with Antiochus III the Great, and instead provokes the Syrian War, in which he is supported by Rome.
192, spring: Aetolian League requests help from the Seleucid empire
Outbreak of war; Antiochus' adviser Hannibal advises an invasion of Italy
To offer Antiochus landing sites, Aetolian troops attack Demetrias (successfully) and Chalcis (without success); an attack on Sparta is initially successfully - the Aetolians are welcomed by the tyrant, Nabis - but they lose their gains and Sparta joins the Achaean League
192, autumn: Seleucid landings at Demetrias; Antiochus conquers Euboea and parts of Thessaly; the Achaean League declares war
The Aetolians abandon Antiochus, who returns to Asia
Winter: Rhodes and Pergamon side with Rome; the Roman navy is victorious at Cape Corycus (near Ephesus); Eumenes helps the Romans cross the Hellespont
190: The Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Scipio concludes an armistice with the Aetolians.
Antiochus' son Seleucus besieges Rome's ally Pergamon, captures the Roman commander Lucius Cornelius Scipio
Hannibal defeated by the Rhodians in a naval battle off Side
190, Autumn: Antiochus and Seleucus are defeated by Rome and the Pergamenes in the battle of Magnesia
189: Roman commander Fulvius Nobilior conquers Aetolia
Seleucus made co-ruler
188: Peace of Apamea; Seleucid empire has to abandon all land north of the Taurus (it is added to Pergamon), pay an indemnity of 15,000 talents, and give up his elephants and ships
3 July 187: death of Antiochus III; Seleucus becomes king and tries to restore the Seleucid Empire by diplomatic means
