Antiochus IV (Antiochus Epiphanes)āntĪˈəkəs ēpĭfˈənēz, d. 163
B.C., king of Syria (175 B.C.–163 B.C.), son of Antiochus III
and successor of his brother Seleucus IV. His nephew (later
Demetrius I) was held as a hostage in Rome, although still
claiming the throne. Antiochus is best known for his attempt to
Hellenize Judaea and extirpate Judaism—a policy that instigated
the rebellion of the Maccabees. Antiochus invaded Egypt, which
was torn by strife between Ptolemy VI and his brother (later
Ptolemy VIII), and would probably have conquered that region if
the Romans had not intervened in his siege of Alexandria (168).
Antiochus was briefly succeeded by his son, Antiochus V, a boy
king who was overthrown by Demetrius I. The Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University
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