Molon
Encyclopedia
Molon or Molo was a general and satrap of the Seleucid
king Antiochus the Great
(223–187 BC). He held the satrap
y of Media
at the accession of that monarch
(223 BC); in addition to which, Antiochus conferred upon him and his brother Alexander
the government of all the upper provinces of his empire. But their hatred to Hermeias
, the chief minister of Antiochus, soon led them both to revolt: the two generals at first sent against them by the king were unable to oppose their progress, and Molon found himself at the head of a large army, and master of the whole country to the east of the Tigris
.
He was, however, foiled in his attempts to pass that river by Zeuxis
. However, Xenoetas
, the general of Antiochus, who was now sent against him with a large force, having ventured to cross it in his turn, was surprised by Molon, and his whole army cut to pieces. The rebel satrap now crossed the Tigris
, and made himself master of the city of Seleucia on the Tigris
together with the whole of Babylonia
and Mesopotamia
.
The formidable character of the insurrection had persuaded, at length, Antiochus to march in person against the rebels.
After wintering at Nisibis
, he crossed the Tigris, 220 BC, and advanced southwards against Molon, who marched from Babylon
to meet him. A pitched battle ensued, in which the desertion of the left wing of the rebel army at once decided the victory in favour of the king. Molon himself put an end to his own life, to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy: but his body was crucified by order of Antiochus, or rather of his minister Hermeias.
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 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...
(223–187 BC). He held the 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....
y of Media
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
at the accession of that monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
(223 BC); in addition to which, Antiochus conferred upon him and his brother Alexander
Alexander (satrap)
Alexander was brother of Molon. On the accession of the Seleucid king Antiochus III, afterwards called the Great, in 223 BC, he entrusted Alexander with the government of the satrapy of Persis and Molon received Media...
the government of all the upper provinces of his empire. But their hatred 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,...
, the chief minister of Antiochus, soon led them both to revolt: the two generals at first sent against them by the king were unable to oppose their progress, and Molon found himself at the head of a large army, and master of the whole country to the east of 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:...
.
He was, however, foiled in his attempts to pass that river by Zeuxis
Zeuxis (general)
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.- Career :He was engaged in 221 BC in...
. However, 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...
, the general of Antiochus, who was now sent against him with a large force, having ventured to cross it in his turn, was surprised by Molon, and his whole army cut to pieces. The rebel satrap now crossed 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:...
, and made himself master of the city 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,...
together with the whole of Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
and Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
.
The formidable character of the insurrection had persuaded, at length, Antiochus to march in person against the rebels.
After wintering at Nisibis
Nisibis
Nusaybin Nisêbîn) is a city in Mardin Province, Turkey, populated mainly by Kurds. Earlier Arameans, Arabs, and Armenians lived in the city. The population of the city is 83,832 as of 2009.-Ancient Period:...
, he crossed the Tigris, 220 BC, and advanced southwards against Molon, who marched from Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
to meet him. A pitched battle ensued, in which the desertion of the left wing of the rebel army at once decided the victory in favour of the king. Molon himself put an end to his own life, to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy: but his body was crucified by order of Antiochus, or rather of his minister Hermeias.