Editing Seleucid Empire (section)

===Roman power, Parthia and Judea===
{{Further|Seleucid–Parthian Wars|Maccabean Revolt}}
[[File:Seleucid prince Massimo Inv1049.jpg|thumb|upright|The ''[[Hellenistic Prince]],'' a bronze statue originally thought to be a [[Seleucid empire|Seleucid]], or [[Attalus II]] of [[Kingdom of Pergamon|Pergamon]], now considered a portrait of a Roman general, made by a Greek artist working in Rome in the 2nd century BC.]]
The reign of his son and successor [[Seleucus IV Philopator]] (187–175 BC) was largely spent in attempts to pay the large indemnity, and Seleucus was ultimately assassinated by his minister [[Heliodorus (minister)|Heliodorus]].

Seleucus' younger brother, [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes]], now seized the throne. He attempted to restore Seleucid power and prestige with a successful war against the old enemy, [[Ptolemaic Egypt]], which met with initial success as the Seleucids defeated and drove the Egyptian army back to [[Alexandria]] itself. As the king planned on how to conclude the war, he was informed that Roman commissioners, led by the [[Proconsul]] [[Gaius Popillius Laenas]], were near and requesting a meeting with the Seleucid king. Antiochus agreed, but when they met and Antiochus held out his hand in friendship, Popilius placed in his hand the tablets on which was written the decree of the senate and told him to read it. The decree demanded that he should abort his attack on Alexandria and immediately stop waging the war on Ptolemy. When the king said that he would call his friends into council and consider what he ought to do, Popilius drew a circle in the sand around the king's feet with the stick he was carrying and said, "Before you step out of that circle give me a reply to lay before the senate." For a few moments he hesitated, astounded at such a peremptory order, and at last replied, "I will do what the senate thinks right." He then chose to withdraw rather than set the empire to war with Rome again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Livy's History of Rome |url=http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy45.html |website=mu.edu}}</ref>

On his return journey, according to [[Josephus]], he made an expedition to [[Judea]], took [[Jerusalem]] by force, slew a great many who had favored [[Ptolemaic Egypt|Ptolemy]], sent his soldiers to plunder them without mercy. He also spoiled the [[Second temple|temple]], and interrupted the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation, for three years and six months.<ref>Flavius Josephus, ''[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Jews/Book_I#Chapter_1 The War of the Jews 1.1§2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213031816/https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Jews/Book_I#Chapter_1 |date=13 February 2021 }}''</ref>

The latter part of his reign saw a further disintegration of the Empire despite his best efforts. Weakened economically, militarily and by loss of prestige, the Empire became vulnerable to rebels in the eastern areas of the empire, who began to further undermine the empire while the Parthians moved into the power vacuum to take over the old Persian lands. Antiochus' aggressive Hellenizing (or de-Judaizing) activities provoked a full scale armed rebellion in [[Judea]]—the [[Maccabean Revolt]].<ref>[[Hanukkah|Chanukah]], Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud</ref> Efforts to deal with both the Parthians and the Jews as well as retain control of the provinces at the same time proved beyond the weakened empire's power. Antiochus orchestrated a military campaign, capturing [[Artaxias I]], King of Armenia, and reoccupying Armenia.{{sfn|Debevoise|1938|p=20}} His offensive ventured as far as Persepolis, but he was forced from the city by the populace.{{sfn|Debevoise|1938|pp=20–21}} On his return home, Antiochus died in [[Isfahan]] in 164 BC.{{sfn|Debevoise|1938|p=21}}