Who was Seleucus Nicator ?

Seleucus Nicator was the the most important and powerful general of Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander, Seleucus Nicator founded the Seleucid Dynasty and started the Seleucid Empire.

He was born in 358 B.C.

Seleucus Nicator had consolidated his authority over the Asiatic dominion of his master which he acquired by the Treaty of 321 B.C. Seleucus marched towards India in order to recover the lost territory of his master.

While Chandragupta Maurya was consolidating his authority over his newly conquered dominion, he also fought against Seleucus Nikator, the former general of Alexander the Great. Seleucus Nicator was defeated and a peace treaty was made. Modern authorities hold that the date of Seleucid war with Chandragupta was 305 B.C.

Seleucus Nicator was more interested in war against Antigonus in the west.

By the Treaty of the 305 B.C., Chandragupta got control of many of the territories. Chandraguta presented Seleucus Nicator with 500 war elephants. The high contracting parties ratified the peace by “a matrimonial alliance.”

The 500 war elephants which Seleucus received from Chandragupta played an important part in his victory against Antigonus.

Magasthenes who came to the court of Chandragupta, as the ambassador of Seleucus showed no arrogance to the Indian king. In ‘Indika’, he is full of respect and reverence of Chandragupta.

Seleucus Nicator died in 281 B.C.