Syria's communities and civilizations – history, sites and heritage
Hellenistic Greeks and Seleucids
السلوقيون (اليونانيون الهلنستيون)
Civilizations and historical peopleshistorical
After Alexander, the Macedonian general Seleucus I founded the Seleucid kingdom in 312 BC, with Antioch as capital from 240 BC. In today's Syria the Seleucids founded or refounded Apamea, Dura-Europos and Nikephorion (Raqqa). This is a historical dynasty and settler population.
Seleucus I established Apamea as a polis named after his wife Apama; it became one of the four cities of the Syrian tetrapolis. Dura on the Euphrates was rebuilt as a Seleucid military colony around 300 BC, and Nikephorion at Raqqa was later enlarged by Seleucus II as Kallinikos.
Sources and details
The kingdom was a centre of Hellenistic culture where Greek customs and language were privileged; Dura's remains show a fusion of Greek and Semitic culture.
Losses to Rome and Parthia reduced the kingdom to a Syrian rump by 100 BC; Tigranes of Armenia took Syria in 83 BC and Pompey made it a Roman province in 63 BC.
Sites connected with this community 5
- Dura-EuroposDeir ez-Zor · Archaeological sites
Dura-Europos, Seleucid military colony c. 300 BC.
- Temple of Zeus MegistosDeir ez-Zor · Archaeological sites
Temple of Zeus Megistos at Dura, with Hellenistic phase in the atlas data.
- ApameaHama · Archaeological sites
Apamea, Seleucid polis of the Syrian tetrapolis.
- Ras Ibn HaniLatakia · Archaeological sites
Ras Ibn Hani, reoccupied in the Hellenistic period.
- NikephorionRaqqa · Archaeological sites
Nikephorion/Kallinikos, the Hellenistic city at Raqqa.
These categories describe history, language and faith – not exclusive identities. Many Syrians belong to several, and some names refer to civilizations of the past.