II. The Kingdom of Syria.
The kingdom of Syria had twenty-seven kings; which makes it evident, that their reigns were often very short: and indeed several of these princes waded to the throne through the blood of their predecessors.
They are usually called the Seleucidæ, from Seleucus, who reigned the first in Syria. History reckons up six kings of this name, and thirteen who are called by that of Antiochus; but they are all distinguished by different surnames. Others of them assumed different names, and the last, Antiochus XIII., was surnamed Epiphanes, Asiaticus, and Commagenus. In his reign Pompey reduced Syria into a Roman province, after it had been governed by kings for the space of two hundred and fifty years, according to Eusebius.
The kings of Syria, the transactions of whose reigns are contained in the fourth and fifth volumes, are eight in number.
A.M. 3704.
Seleucus Nicator. He reigned twenty years.
3724.
Antiochus Soter, nineteen.
3743.
Antiochus Theos, fifteen.
3758.
Seleucus Callinicus, twenty.
3778.
Seleucus Ceraunus, three.
3781.
Antiochus the Great, thirty-six.
3817.
Seleucus Philopator, twelve.
3829.
Antiochus Epiphanes, brother of Seleucus Philopator, eleven.