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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Seleucid Empire

Coin of Seleucos I, likely depicting a posthumous portrait of Alexander the Great. Source: I, PHGCOM/ CC BY-SA 3.0

After Alexander- The Rise and Fall of the Seleucids (Video)

The demise of the Seleucid Empire unfolds as a consequence of the intricate power struggles following Alexander the Great's death. After Alexander's demise in 323 BC, his vast empire, extending from...
Urfa Castle, Şanlıurfa, Turkey (Bernard Gagnon/  CC BY-SA 3.0)

From Urfa To Edessa To Şanlıurfa: Spanning 10,000 Years Of History

During the Hellenistic Period from 312 BC to 63 BC, the Seleucid Empire was a major superpower and at its apex encompassed Anatolia, Persia, the Levant, (now modern Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan...
Lives And Losses Of Laodicea, Crown Of Phrygia

Lives And Losses Of Laodicea, Crown Of Phrygia

In the west central part of ancient Phrygia in Anatolia, Turkey, the ruins of Laodicea crown the hill between the narrow valleys of the Asopus and Caprus rivers, converging into the Lycus river...
A bird’s eye view of the Seleucid Hellenistic fortress burnt to the ground by Jewish freedom fighters nearly 2,000 years ago!

Evidence of Hannukah Story Found in Razed Hellenistic Fortress

In the Shephelah region or the Judean foothills of south-central Israel, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a Seleucid Hellenistic fortress that was burned by Hasmonean (Judean) conquerors...
The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom forged its own Greek identity, far from Greece. Source: Ksenia Tassel / Adobe Stock.

The Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom: Alexander The Great’s Easternmost Legacy

Alexander the Great was one of the finest and most successful military leaders the world has ever seen. In the 4th century BC he carved out one of the largest empires in history, stretching from...
A view of the excavations of the main quadrangle of the Uzundara fortress in 2021.   Source: Institute of Archaeology RAS

First Excavations at 2,300-Year-Old Bactria Kingdom Fortress Completed

In the Boysun region of southeastern Uzbekistan, a joint Russian-Uzbek archaeological expedition recently achieved an historic first . They have just finished their initial round of excavations at an...
Chandragupta Maurya (founder of the Mauryan Empire) and his spiritual leader Bhadrabahu moved to Shravanabelagola, where they continued their spiritual practices related to Jainism. Chandragupta’s footsteps have been engraved in this spectacular viewpoint rock hilltop.

Chandragupta Maurya: Storied Founder of the All-India Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta Maurya was an ancient Indian ruler who lived during the 4th century BC. He was the founder of the Mauryan Empire and was the first person to have brought the majority of the Indian...
The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state that fought in the Syrian Wars to retain their empire. 	Source: Kings and Generals / YouTube.

The Rise and Demise of the Seleucid Empire

The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state that existed between the 4th and 1st centuries BC. It was established by Seleucus I Nicator (meaning ‘victor’ or ‘conqueror’), one of the diadochi, or...