The younger son of Antiochus
II
& his sister Laodice
whose ambitions brought the Seleucid dynasty close to extinction.
His brother, Seleucus II,
made him governor of Asia Minor during his war with Egypt (246-241
BCE). But instead of helping him, Hierax was encouraged by his
mother to use his brother's misfortunes to seize the Seleucid throne for
himself. With the aid of the Celts of Galatia he defeated his brother at
Ancyra (236
BCE) but was himself driven into exile by
Attalus I of
Pergamum (229
BCE). Failing in
subsequent attempts to unseat his brother in Syria, he was exiled to
Thrace where he was held in custody for two years, escaping only to be killed
by his former allies, the Galatians.
References:
Justin, Epitome 27.2-3
Other resources on
line: