Editing Seleucus I Nicator (section)

==Youth and family==
Seleucus was the son of [[Antiochus (father of Seleucus I Nicator)|Antiochus]]. Historian [[Junianus Justinus]] claims that Antiochus was one of [[Philip II of Macedon]]'s generals, but no such general is mentioned in any other sources, and nothing is known of his supposed career under Philip. It is possible that Antiochus was a member of an [[Upper Macedonia|upper Macedonian]] noble family. Seleucus' mother was supposedly called [[Laodice of Macedonia|Laodice]], but nothing else is known of her. Later, Seleucus named a number of cities after his parents.<ref name="G2">Grainger 1990, p. 2</ref> Seleucus was born in [[Europus (Macedonia)|Europus]], located in the northern part of [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]]. Just a year before his birth (if the year 358 BC is accepted as the most likely date), the [[Paeonians]] invaded the region. Philip defeated the invaders and only a few years later utterly subdued them under Macedonian rule.<ref name="G4">Grainger 1990, pp. 4–5</ref> Seleucus' year of birth is unclear. Justin claims he was 77 years old during the [[battle of Corupedium]], which would place his year of birth at 358 BC. [[Appian]] tells us Seleucus was 73 years old during the battle, which means 354 BC would be the year of birth. [[Eusebius of Caesarea]], however, mentions the age of 75, and thus the year 356 BC, making Seleucus the same age as [[Alexander the Great]]. This is most likely propaganda on Seleucus' part to make him seem comparable to Alexander.<ref name="G1">Grainger 1990, p. 1</ref>

As a teenager, Seleucus was chosen to serve as the king's [[Page (occupation)|page]] (''pais''). It was customary for all male offspring of noble families to first serve in this position and later as officers in the king's army.<ref name="G2">Grainger 1990, p. 2</ref>

Seleucus, like his later rivals [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]] and [[Demetrius I of Macedon|Demetrius]], was reportedly a very powerful man.  Appian wrote of an incident in which a wild bull that was about to be sacrificed by Alexander broke free of its bounds, and Seleucus managed to recapture the animal by grabbing and holding unto its horns with his bare hands.<ref name=":1" />  This was apparently the reason for the bull horns in the coins he later minted.

A number of legends, similar to those told of Alexander the Great, were told of Seleucus. It was said Antiochus told his son before he left to battle the Persians with Alexander that his real father was actually the god [[Apollo]]. The god had left a ring with a picture of an [[anchor]] as a gift to Laodice. Seleucus had a birthmark shaped like an anchor. It was told that Seleucus' sons and grandsons also had similar birthmarks. The story is similar to the one told about Alexander. Most likely the story is propaganda invented to present Seleucus as the natural successor of Alexander.<ref name="G2" />

[[John Malalas]] tells us Seleucus had a sister called [[Didymeia (sister of Seleucus I Nicator)|Didymeia]], who had sons called Nicanor and Nicomedes. It is most likely the sons are fictitious. Didymeia might refer to the oracle of Apollo in [[Didyma]] near [[Miletus]]. It has also been suggested that [[Ptolemy (son of Seleucus)]] was actually the uncle of Seleucus.<ref name="G3">Grainger 1990, p. 3</ref>