Diving into Daniel: Antiochus III Fades Away
Daniel 11:17-19 - The amazing details of this prophecy should serve to strengthen the believer’s understanding of the power of God.
“He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side. Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.”
Daniel 11:17-19 NASB1995
As with all powerful kings and leaders who are constantly battling for supremacy in this world, Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid Empire eventually meets his defeat. First, he attempts to bring a proposal of peace to the Ptolemaic Empire and secretly gain control of it because he is probably concerned about the growing power of the Roman Republic. He offers his young daughter to the southern boy King Ptolemy V Epiphanes with the hopes that she will “ruin” the peace by siding with her father. However, she supports her new husband against Antiochus III! Here’s Precept Austin with the details:
He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom - Antiochus III the Great sought to gain full possession of Egypt during the years 198-195BC.
A proposal of peace which he will put into effect - Apparently Antiochus III felt the growing threat of Rome and sought to initiate peace with Egypt by offering his daughter Cleopatra I Syra to Ptolemy V in 192BC. Antiochus III clearly hoped that Cleopatra would remain loyal to her father and be a staunch advocate for Syria which would then give Antiochus III control over Egypt. However, Cleopatra consistently sided with her husband, the boy king Ptolemy V Epiphanes against her father.
Daughter of women - This refers to Antiochus' daughter, Cleopatra, because at that time she was still a child and therefore under the care of her mother and a nurse. Ryrie adds that she was a "daughter of women" "since she was still so young as to be under the control of her mother"
To ruin it - This is a difficult phrase to interpret. Walvoord writes that "The expression corrupting her (Da 11:17KJV) may mean “to ruin the land,” that is, Antiochus the Great purposed by this betrothal of his young daughter to the seven-year old Ptolemy to ruin his former opponent and present ally. As Young states, “In this stratagem, however, Antiochus fails, because Cleopatra constantly sides with her husband over against her father.” (Daniel 11 - World History From Darius To The Time Of The End)
Note: This is the first of several queens and regents named Cleopatra; looking at history, some of the descendants married heirs of the Seleucid Empire and then back again to heirs the Ptolemaic Empire (lots of royal incest in those days). The famous Cleopatra that is Hollywood legend, thanks to the overwrought 1963 epic “Cleopatra” with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, was Cleopatra VII, the last queen of an independent Hellenistic Egypt before the Roman Republic (soon to become Empire) took over. Rex Harrison played the doomed Julius Caesar in that potboiler, which nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox studios.
Antiochus III then shrugs off this setback because of two children and turns to the coastlands of the Mediterranean and is initially successful at capturing many areas and islands. However, this aggression gets the attention of the growing Roman Republic and the Roman-Seleucid War is fought from 192-188 B.C. More from Precept Austin:
He will turn his face to the coastlands - Antiochus III subdued most of the coastal areas and islands of the Mediterranean. Although he experienced some initial successes (capture many), this move proved to be a serious mistake for this was also a region in which the growing power of Rome was beginning to "flex its muscles".
But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him - The Roman commander, Lucius Cornelius Scipio (Asiaticus), was sent against Antiochus III forcing him to withdraw and take refuge in Antioch in Asia Minor, which resulted in his disgrace.
S. R. Miller explains these events...
In 191BC the Romans, fighting with their Greek allies, routed the Syrians at Thermopylae and forced them to withdraw from Greece and flee to Asia Minor. Then 30,000 Roman troops pursued Antiochus into Asia and defeated his much larger army of 70,000 at the Battle of Magnesia near Smyrna (Turkey) in 190BC. In 188BC the Romans forced Antiochus to sign the Treaty of Apamea. Polybius reported that the Syrian king was ordered to surrender territory, much of his military force, twenty hostages (one of whom was Antiochus IV), and pay a heavy indemnity to Rome. (Miller, S. R. - Daniel - New American Commentary, 18)
John Walvoord comments that...
Antiochus the Great begins to suffer reverses, however, as indicated in verse 18, where “prince for his own behalf refers to the Roman consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, who, as Young expresses it, “brought about the defeat of Antiochus.” The reference to “the reproach offered by him,” refers to Antiochus’ scornful treatment of the Roman ambassadors at a meeting in Lysimachia (Thrace), when he said contemptuously, “Asia did not concern them, the Romans, and he was not subject to their orders.” (A commentary on the Holy Scriptures) (Daniel 11 - World History From Darius To The Time Of The End)
So the Romans prevail in this war, which included the legendary Carthaginian warrior Hannibal as an ally of the Seleucid Empire (more elephants in battle!). Details of the most important battle, the Battle of Magnesia in present-day Türkiye (Turkey) are found at the links above. The Roman commander was Lucius Cornelius Scipio (Asiaticus), who was allied with the king of Pergamon, Eumenes II. The Romans were treated with contempt by Antiochus III, but the defeat changed his tune. Antiochus III was forced to sign a treaty that was quite costly to his empire. Here’s a map that is in the public domain and found on Wikipedia (from a resource more than 100 years old) showing the reduction of the Seleucid Empire after the battle and the treaty:
Here’s the story from Precept Austin on the fate of Antiochus III the Great:
Time: 187BC
He will stumble and fall and be found no more - Apparently Antiochus III was in need of funds to pay the tribute demanded by the Romans and so he sought to rob the temple at Elymais only to be murdered (in 187BC) by those guarding the sanctuary of Jupiter (Zeus).
The tribute payment to Rome was one of the conditions of the Treaty of Apamea (following his defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Magnesia)...
For the future, he keeps no elephants and pay for the cost of the present war, incurred on his account, 500 Euboic talents down and 2500 more when the Senate ratifies the treaty; and 12,000 more during twelve years, each yearly installment to be delivered in Rome. He shall also surrender to us all prisoners and deserters, and to Eumenes whatever remains of the possessions he acquired by his agreement with Attalus, the father of Eumenes. If Antiochus accepts these conditions without guile we will grant him peace and friendship subject to the Senate's ratification. (Treaty of Apamea)
Walvoord records that...
Antiochus the Great, who could have gone down in history as one of the great conquerors of the ancient world if he had been content to leave Greece alone, instead fulfilled the prophecy of verse 19 in that he had to return to his own land, defeated and broken. He was killed trying to plunder a temple in Elam. (Daniel 11 - World History From Darius To The Time Of The End)
This prophecy is extraordinary in the fine details that are being foretold to Daniel by the heavenly messenger! A challenge to believers is to accept God’s word and the timeframe that Daniel was written or you end will up going down the bunny trail of the naysayers, which leads to more and more skepticism (a great tool of the enemy).
Antiochus III is killed trying to raid a temple to pay the costs of his defeat. He is succeeded by his son Seleucus IV Philopator. My next devotional will briefly see this king’s influence over the Beautiful Land, before he is succeeded by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (the “nice” guy we met in Daniel 8). That next devotional will cover Daniel 11:20-22.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - The enemy has a tool that he likes to use to introduce doubt into the believer’s mind. This tool (skepticism) comes from paying too much attention to the critics and not enough attention to the Word of God. Help me to be able to overcome these tools and stand in awe of Your power and might over the affairs of the humans You created. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Precept Austin was accessed on 5/31/2025 to review commentary for Daniel 11:17-19.