Zeuxis (general)
Encyclopedia
Zeuxis was a general in the service of the Seleucid
king Antiochus III the Great
at the end of the 3rd century BC. He served in Mesopotamia against the rebel Molon, was a general at the Battle of Magnesia
and after that defeat went to Rome to negotiate a peace.
BC in the war with Molon
, satrap
of Media
, whom he prevented from crossing the Tigris
. Being placed under the command of Xenoetas
, he was left by the latter in charge of the camp, when he made his ill-fated attempt to overpower Molon. But he retired on the approach of Molon, and this time did not oppose Molon's crossing of the Tigris. When Antiochus himself marched against Molon, Zeuxis advised him to cross the Tigris in opposition to Hermeias
proposal that the army march down the near side of the river - according to Polybios, despite his fear of Hermeias's power. He was in command of the left wing in the battle that ensued. He also took a prominent part in the siege of Seleucia on the Tigris
.
It is perhaps this same Zeuxis whom we find satrap of Lydia
under Antiochus the Great. In the winter of 201-200 BC
Philip V of Macedon
ia , when at war with Attalus
, applied to Zeuxis for corn provisions, which he supplied.
In the decisive battle of Magnesia
with the Romans
in 190 BC
, Zeuxis was one of the commanders of the center, and after the defeat of Antiochus was one of the ambassadors sent to Scipio Asiaticus
and Scipio Africanus
to sue for peace, on which mission he proceeded to Rome
. However, by then , the Seleucid position in Anatolia
had been so undermined by the campaign of Vulso
that he and his fellow ambassador, Antipatros, had little choice other than accept the border on the Taurus
.
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
king Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great Seleucid Greek king who became the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. Antiochus was an ambitious ruler who ruled over Greater Syria and western Asia towards the end of the 3rd century BC...
at the end of the 3rd century BC. He served in Mesopotamia against the rebel Molon, was a general at the Battle of Magnesia
Battle of Magnesia
The Battle of Magnesia was fought in 190 BC near Magnesia ad Sipylum, on the plains of Lydia , between the Romans, led by the consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio and his brother, the famed general Scipio Africanus, with their ally Eumenes II of Pergamum against the army of Antiochus III the Great of the...
and after that defeat went to Rome to negotiate a peace.
Career
He was engaged in 221221
Year 221 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gratus and Vitellius...
BC in the war with Molon
Molon
Molon or Molo was a general and satrap of the Seleucid king Antiochus the Great . He held the satrapy of Media at the accession of that monarch ; in addition to which, Antiochus conferred upon him and his brother Alexander the government of all the upper provinces of his empire...
, satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
of Media
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
, whom he prevented from crossing the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
. Being placed under the command of Xenoetas
Xenoetas
Xenoetas was an Achaean in the service of the Seleucid king Antiochus the Great; he was despatched by his chief minister Hermeias in command of an army against the rebel satrap of Media, Molon, in 221 BC. This unusual distinction seems greatly to have elated him...
, he was left by the latter in charge of the camp, when he made his ill-fated attempt to overpower Molon. But he retired on the approach of Molon, and this time did not oppose Molon's crossing of the Tigris. When Antiochus himself marched against Molon, Zeuxis advised him to cross the Tigris in opposition to Hermeias
Hermeias
Hermeias was a Carian by birth, who had raised himself to be the favourite and chief minister of Seleucus III Ceraunus , and was left at the head of affairs in Syria by that monarch when he set out on the expedition across the Taurus Mountains, in the course of which Seleucus met with his death,...
proposal that the army march down the near side of the river - according to Polybios, despite his fear of Hermeias's power. He was in command of the left wing in the battle that ensued. He also took a prominent part in the siege of Seleucia on the Tigris
Seleucia on the Tigris
Seleucia , also known as Seleucia on the Tigris, was one of the great cities of the world during Hellenistic and Roman times. It stood in Mesopotamia, on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the smaller town of Ctesiphon, in present day Babil Governorate, Iraq.-Seleucid empire:Seleucia,...
.
It is perhaps this same Zeuxis whom we find satrap of Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
under Antiochus the Great. In the winter of 201-200 BC
200 BC
Year 200 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Maximus and Cotta...
Philip V of Macedon
Philip V of Macedon
Philip V was King of Macedon from 221 BC to 179 BC. Philip's reign was principally marked by an unsuccessful struggle with the emerging power of Rome. Philip was attractive and charismatic as a young man...
ia , when at war with Attalus
Attalus I
Attalus I , surnamed Soter ruled Pergamon, an Ionian Greek polis , first as dynast, later as king, from 241 BC to 197 BC. He was the second cousin and the adoptive son of Eumenes I, whom he succeeded, and was the first of the Attalid dynasty to assume the title of king in 238 BC...
, applied to Zeuxis for corn provisions, which he supplied.
In the decisive battle of Magnesia
Battle of Magnesia
The Battle of Magnesia was fought in 190 BC near Magnesia ad Sipylum, on the plains of Lydia , between the Romans, led by the consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio and his brother, the famed general Scipio Africanus, with their ally Eumenes II of Pergamum against the army of Antiochus III the Great of the...
with the Romans
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
in 190 BC
190 BC
Year 190 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asiaticus and Laelius...
, Zeuxis was one of the commanders of the center, and after the defeat of Antiochus was one of the ambassadors sent to Scipio Asiaticus
Scipio Asiaticus
Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus was a Roman general and statesman. He was the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio and the older brother of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus...
and Scipio Africanus
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus , also known as Scipio Africanus and Scipio the Elder, was a general in the Second Punic War and statesman of the Roman Republic...
to sue for peace, on which mission he proceeded to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. However, by then , the Seleucid position in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
had been so undermined by the campaign of Vulso
Gnaeus Manlius Vulso
Gnaeus Manlius Vulso was a Roman consul for the year 189 BC, together with Marcus Fulvius Nobilior. He led a victorius campaign against the Galatian Gauls of Asia Minor in 189 BC during the Galatian War. He may have been awarded a triumph in 187BCE...
that he and his fellow ambassador, Antipatros, had little choice other than accept the border on the Taurus
Taurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...
.