Babylonian King List of the Hellenistic Period

The Babylonian King List of the Hellenistic Period which is also known as King List 6/King List VI is one of the most useful documents for reconstructing the timelines after the death of the entirety of the Hellenistic period of Greek dominance. Designated BM 35603 = Sp. III 113 at The British Museum.

the Translation

The following is an idiomatic reconstruction of other scholarly efforts which uses full modern names for your convenience. For a more direct translation see:???)

Obverse side

1. [...] Alexander the Great [...]

2. Philip Arridaeus, the brother of Alexander the Great, […].

3. For [an indeterminate number of] years [due to source document condition] there was no king in the country. Antigonus I Monophthalmus ,

4. general-in-chief of the army, ruled the land.

5. Alexander IV, son of Alexander the Great: 6 years?.

6. Year 7, which is year 1: Seleucus (I Nicator was) king.

7. He reigned for twenty-five years.

8. Year 31: In the sixth month: Seleucus I, the king, was killed in the land of the Hanaeans.

9. Year 32 (280-279 BC): Antiochus I Soter, son of Seleucus, was king. He reigned twenty years.

10. Year 51: In the second month, on the sixteenth day, Antiochus I Sotor, the great king, died.

11. Year 52 (260-259 BC): Antiochus II Theos, son of Antiocus I was king. He reigned 15 years.

12. Year 66: In the fifth month, It was heard in Babylon

13. as follows: "Antiochus II, the son of Antiochus I, the great king, has died."

14. Year 67 (245-244): Seleucus II Callinicus, the son of Antiochus II was king. He reigned 20 years.

15. (This line becomes unreadable)

[NB: In the section between the two sides, we would expect to see mention of the death of Seleucus II Callinicus and the accession of Seleucus III Keraunos.]

Reverse side

1. Year 87 (225-224 BC): Seleucus III Keraunos was king. He reigned 3 years.

2. Year 90 (222-221 BC): Antiochus III the Great, the king, ascended the throne.

3. He reigned for 35 years.

4. From the 102nd year (210-209 BC) until the 119th year (193-192) Antiochus III the king

5. and Antiochus IV, his son, were both kings!

6. Year 125, in the third month: It was heard in Babylon:

7. as follows: "On the twenty-fifth day Antiochus III, the king, was killed in Elam."

8. The same year: Seleucus IV Philopator, his son, ascended the throne. He reigned for twelve years.

9. Year 137, In the sixth month, the tenth day: Seleucus IV, the king, died...

10. The same month: Antiochus IV Epiphanes, his son, ascended the throne. He reigned for eleven years.

11. The same year, in the eighth month: Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Antiochus, his son, was also made co-regent.

12. Year 142, in the fifth month: At the command of the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Antiochus, the co-regent and his son, was killed.

13. Year 143 (169-168): Antiochus IV was made sole king.

14. Year 148, in the nineth month: It was heard that Antiochus IV Epiphanes that the king died.

15. (This line becomes unreadable)

Upper Edge

1. (This line becomes unreadable)

2. (This line becomes unreadable)

3. (This line becomes unreadable)

Left Edge

1. Year [?] Demetrius II Nicator, son of king Demetrius I Soter, was king.

2. (This line becomes unreadable - a possible reference to one of the Arsaces).