ANTIOCHUS

antiochus, the name of thirteen kings of the seleucid dynasty in nearer asia. the most famous are antiochus iii. the great (223-187 b.c.) who sheltered hannibal and waged war with rome, and his son antiochus iv. epiphanes (176-164 b.c.) who tried to suppress judaism by persecution (see seleucid dynasty). the name was subsequently borne by the kings of commagene (69 b.c.-a.d. 72), whose house was affiliated to the seleucid. antiochus i. of commagene, who without sufficient reason has been identified with the seleucid antiochus xiii. asiaticus, made peace on advantageous terms with pompey in 64 b.c. subsequently he fought on pompey's side in the civil war, and later still repelled an attack on samosata by marcus antonius (mark antony.) he died before 31 b.c. and was succeeded by one mithradates i. this mithradates was succeeded by an