The Fall of the Seleukid Empire 187–75 BC

The concluding part of John D Grainger's history of the Seleukids traces the tumultuous last century of their empire. In this period it was riven by dynastic disputes, secessions and rebellions, the religiously-inspired insurrection of the Jewish Maccabees, civil war and external invasion from Egypt in the West and the Parthians in the East. By the 80s BC, the empire was disintegrating, internally fractured and squeezed by the converging expansionist powers of Rome and Parthia. This is a fittingly, dramatic and colourful conclusion to John Grainger's masterful account of this once-mighty empire. AUTHOR: John Grainger, a former teacher and now full-time historian is the author of numerous books on both classical and twentieth-century history. He has a particular interest in the history of the Near and Middle East and Constantinople in particular. His many previous books (more than twenty-five withPen & Sword alone) include: The Straits from Troy to Constantinople and The Forty Sieges of Constantinople.

About the Author :
John Grainger, a former teacher and now full-time historian is the author of numerous books on both classical and twentieth-century history. He has a particular interest in the history of the Near and Middle East and Constantinople in particular. His many previous books (more than twenty-five withPen & Sword alone) include: The Straits from Troy to Constantinople and The Forty Sieges of Constantinople.

Review :
"[I]t's a good read, it filled a gap in my knowledge regarding the Seleucids... It also gave me some insight into several topics I had never considered."-- "JJ's Wargames" "For large parts of this period there are very limited sources. Events in Judea are covered by the not terribly reliable work of Josephus and the books of Maccabees. The prolonged civil war that followed from the disastrous defeat in the east in 131-129 is terribly poorly documents, and much of its course can only be followed using coin evidence. Grainger does a good job of producing a convincing narrative using the limited sources."-- "History of War" "The greater the empire, the more various the reasons for its dissolution. In the concluding volume of his trilogy on the Seleukid Empire, John D Grainger lists the reasons for the decline of Seleukid power in the years after 150 BC... In Grainger's account, the fall of the Seleukid's is as enlightening as the rise."-- "Minerva Magazine" "This is the last of three volumes (already presented in VaeVictis) devoted to the history of the Hellenistic dynasty founded by Seleucus. The conclusion focuses on the legacy of the Seleucids and their contribution to history."-- "Vae Victis" "To get the best from The Fall Of The Seleukids it would be worthwhile making sure you've absorbed the first two volumes. Nonetheless you can enjoy and learn from this book alone. Like the fall of any other empire or the folly of human behavior - the story is compelling."-- "UNRV"