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king of Persia
[reigned 359 - 338 BCE]
poisoned

[ruled 336-323 BCE]

330

Antigonus I
Monophthalmus
(b.  382 BCE)

Perdiccas
[regent 323 - 320 BCE]

(b. ca. 355 BCE)

governor
of Thrace
[323 BCE]

king
[305 - 282 BCE]

(b.  358 BCE)

governor
of Babylon
[321 BCE]

king
[305 - 281 BCE]

king
[294 - 288 BCE]

Ptolemy II
 Philadelphus
(b. 308 BCE)

co-ruler
[290 - 282 BCE]

king
[282 -246 BCE]

Antigonus II
Gonatas

(b.  319 BCE)

king
[276 - 239 BCE]

270

Antiochus II
Theos

(b. 324 BCE)

king
[261 - 246 BCE]

246

Antiochus
Hierax

(b. 263 BCE)

Seleucus II
Callinicus

(b.  265 BCE)

king
[246 - 225 BCE]

Ptolemy III
 Euergetes
(b. ca. 280 BCE)

king
[246 - 221 BCE]

240

king
[239 - 229 BCE]

king
[227 - 220 BCE]

king
[238-197 BCE]

224

(b. 238 BCE)

king
[221 - 179 BCE]

Ptolemy IV
 Philopator

(b. ca. 280 BCE)

king
[221 - 205 BCE]

Antiochus III
"the Great"

(b. 242 BCE)

king
[223 - 187 BCE]

208

206

Ptolemy V
 Epiphanes
(b. ca. 210 BCE)

king
[205 - 180 BCE]

194

190

Seleucus IV
Philopator

(b.  217 BCE)

king
[187 - 175 BCE]

Ptolemy VI
 Philometor

(b. ca. 186 BCE)

king
[180 - 145 BCE]

Antiochus IV
Epiphanes

(b. ca. 215 BCE)

king
[175 - 164 BCE]

Antiochus V
Eupator

Demetrius I
Soter

(b. ca. 187 BCE)

king
[162 - 150 BCE]

Ptolemy VIII
 Physcon

(b. ca. 182 BCE)

co-ruler
[170 - 164 BCE]

ruler
[145 - 116 BCE]

Antiochus VII
Sidetes

(b. ca. 159 BCE)

ruled
[139 - 129 BCE]

Johanan
Hyrcanus

high priest
[134 BCE]

king
[129 - 104 BCE]

kingdom
divided
between

Antiochus VIII
Grypus
[125 - 96 BCE]

&

Antiochus IX
Cyzenicus
[116 - 95 BCE]

Cleopatra III
(b. ca 155 BCE)

co-ruler
[127 - 115 BCE]

senior ruler
[115-101 BCE]

Alexander
Jannai

king
[103-76 BCE]

Ptolemy X
 Alexander
(b. ca. 140 BCE)

co-ruler
[107-101 BCE]

ruler
[101 - 88 BCE]

Ptolemy IX
 Lathyrus

co-ruler
[117-107 BCE]

ruler
[88 - 80 BCE]

Cleopatra
Selene

regent
[83 - 69 BCE]

(b. ca. 112 BCE)

ruler
[80 - 51 BCE]

Salome
Alexandra

regent
[76 - 67 BCE]

Pompey

first triumvirate
[60 -48 BCE]

Hyrcanus II

high priest
[63 - 40 BCE]

Cleopatra VII
Thea Philopator

(b. 69 BCE)

co-ruler
[51 - 47 BCE]

senior ruler
[47- 30 BCE]

Roman civil war

(b. 82 BCE)

2nd  triumvirate
[43 -38 BCE]

Herod
"the Great"

king
[39 - 04 BCE]

NOTE

This space/timeline  is a schematic diagram of the tenure of major protagonists in the power struggles that shaped the history of Hellenism in the eastern Mediterranean basin during the last 3 centuries BCE.  It begins with the election of Philip II as leader [hegemon] of the league of Greek city states and ends with the death of Cleopatra VII in Egypt.  While this has classically been dubbed the "Hellenistic era" due to the spread of Greek culture, most of the ruling families of the era were actually Macedonians rather than natives of Hellas [Greece].

Both the personnel & the territory they controlled have been simplified to facilitate graphic representation. This chart depicts the terms of nominal regents rather than co-rulers & challengers who influenced or even determined their actions.  The regions identify the general location of rulers' power bases, rather than their native land or the borders of territory they controlled in any given year. Non-Macedonians from beyond the regions listed are introduced here only if they occupied territory on the eastern Mediterranean rim. The relative influence of each ruler is approximated by the intensity of the color within a given dynasty. Female regents are represented by the color of their family of birth rather than marriage. 

The limits of graphic representation have made it necessary to ignore other territory controlled by Macedonian regimes [e.g, Babylon & Macedonia proper] as well as fluctuations that had no lasting effect upon the balance of power in the region [e.g., temporary conquests or retreats, exiles, internal revolts, rival claimants].   All non-Macedonian rulers -- other than native dynasties such as the Hasmoneans & Herodians -- are represented in shades of gray.

For an annotated time-line of the Hellenistic world from 357 - 30 BCE see:

Peter H. Stearns, ed. The Encyclopedia of World History.  Sixth edition (Boston/New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2001), pp. 69-85.

Other resources on line:

• Justin's Epitome of Pompey's Philippic History - J. S. Watson's 1853 translation of M. Junianus Justinus' 3rd c. condensation of Trogus Pompeius' massive 1st c. Latin history of the Hellenistic world  (Corpus Scriptorum Latinorum).

• Hellenistic Monarchs down to the Roman Empire -- comprehensive overview in Kelley L. Ross'  Historical Background to Greek Philosophy (Proceedings the Friesian School).

• Alexander's Successors: the Diadochi - Jona  Lendering's detailed account of half a century of warfare between Alexander's generals. (Livius: Articles in Ancient History).

• Ptolemies - Jona  Lendering's illustrated overview of the Ptolemaic dynasty. (Livius: Articles in Ancient History).

• The House of Ptolemy - e-edition of E. R. Bevan's 1927 classic historical study (archived on Bill Thayer's Lacus Curtius).

• Hellenistic Civilization - sweeping overview of political events & their cultural consequences in Frank Smitha's World History.

[ IHO Index ] [ Map ] [ House of Ptolemy ] [ House of Seleucus ] [ House of Caesar ] [ House of Herod ] 
[ Hasmonean Dynasty ] [ Antiochus Epiphanes ] [ Maccabean Revolt ] [ Hasmonean Regime ] [ Search ]