Antiochus's father was
Seleucus I Nicator and his mother was
Apama, daughter of
Spitamenes, being one of the princesses whom
Alexander the Great had given as wives to his generals in 324 BC. The Seleucids fictitiously claimed that Apama was the daughter of
Darius III, in order to legitimise themselves as the inheritors of both the Achaemenids and Alexander, and therefore the rightful lords of western and central Asia. In 294 BC, prior to the death of his father Seleucus I, Antiochus married his stepmother,
Stratonice, daughter of
Demetrius Poliorcetes. The ancient sources report that his elderly father reportedly instigated the marriage after discovering that his son was in danger of dying of
lovesickness. Stratonice bore five children to Antiochus: Seleucus (later executed for rebellion), Laodice,
Apama II,
Stratonice II and
Antiochus II Theos, who succeeded his father as king. The
Ruin of Esagila Chronicle, dated between 302 and 281 BC, mentions that a crown prince, most likely Antiochus, decided to rebuild the ruined
Babylonian temple
Esagila, and made a sacrifice in preparation. However, while there, he stumbled on the rubble and fell. He then ordered his troops to destroy the last of the remains. On the assassination of his father in 281 BC, the task of holding together the empire was a formidable one. A revolt in
Syria broke out almost immediately. Antiochus was soon compelled to make peace with his father's murderer,
Ptolemy Ceraunus, apparently abandoning
Macedonia and
Thrace. In
Anatolia he was unable to reduce
Bithynia or the Persian dynasties that ruled in
Cappadocia. His eldest son Seleucus had ruled in the east as viceroy from c. 275 BC until 268/267 BC; Antiochus put his son to death in the latter year on the charge of rebellion. Around 262 BC Antiochus tried to break the growing power of
Pergamum by force of arms, but suffered defeat near
Sardis and died soon afterwards.
City of Ai-Khanoum . Obverse shows Antiochus I wearing a diadem. Reverse shows nude
Apollo seated on omphalos, holding bow and arrows. Greek legend reads: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY,
Basileōs Antiochou – "(Of) King Antiochus". Recent analysis strongly suggests that the Greek city of
Ai-Khanoum, located in
Takhar Province, northern
Afghanistan, at the confluence of the
Panj River and the
Kokcha River and at the doorstep of the
Indian subcontinent, was founded c. 280 BC by Antiochus I.
Relations with India Antiochus I maintained friendly diplomatic relations with
Bindusara, ruler of the
Maurya Empire of India.
Deimachos of Plateia was the ambassador of Antiochus at the court of Bindusara. The 3rd century Greek writer
Athenaeus, in his
Deipnosophistae, mentions an incident that he learned from
Hegesander's writings: Bindusara requested Antiochus to send him sweet
wine, dried
figs and a
sophist. Antiochus replied that he would send the wine and the figs, but the Greek laws forbade him to sell a sophist. Antiochus is likely the Greek king mentioned in the
Edicts of Ashoka, as one of the recipients of the Indian Emperor
Ashoka's
Buddhist proselytism: mint.
Macedonian shield with Seleucid anchor in central boss. Reverse with
Elephant walking right.
Greek legend reads: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY,
Basileōs Antiochou – "(Of) King Antiochus".|303x303px Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of
herbal medicine, for men and animals, in the territories of the Hellenic kings: Alternatively, the Greek king mentioned in the Edict of Ashoka could also be Antiochus's son and successor,
Antiochus II Theos, although the proximity of Antiochus I with the East may makes him a better candidate. ==Neoclassical art==