Seleucus Ceraunus, inheriting the remains of his father’s kingdom, and thinking to recover the rest, raised a great army against the governor of Pergamus, now King thereof, but died in the third year of his reign.  His brother and successor, Antiochus Magnus, carrying on the war, took from the King of Pergamus almost all the lesser Asia, recovering also the Provinces of Media, Persia and Babylonia, from the governors who had revolted:  and in the fifth year of his reign invading Coelosyria, he with little opposition possest himself of a good part thereof; and the next year returning to invade the rest of Coelosyria and Phoenicia, beat the army of Ptolemy Philopator near Berytus; he then invaded Palestine and the neighbouring parts of Arabia, and the third year returned with an army of 78000:  but Ptolemy coming out of Egypt with an army of 75000, fought and routed him at Raphia near Gaza, between Palestine and Egypt; and recovered all Phoenicia and Coelosyria, Ann.  Nabonass. 532.  Being puffed up with this victory, and living in all manner of luxury, the Egyptians revolted, and had wars with him, but were overcome; and in the broils sixty thousand Egyptian Jews were slain.  All which is thus described by Daniel:  [4] But his sons [Seleucus Ceraunus, and Antiochus Magnus, the sons of Callinicus] shall be stirred up, and shall gather a great army; and he [Antiochus Magnus] shall come effectually and overflow, and pass thro’ and return, and [again the next year] be stirred up [marching even] to his fortress, [the frontier towns of Egypt;] and the King of the South_ shall be moved with choler, and come forth_ [the third year] and fight with him, even with the King of the North_; and he_ [the King of the North] shall lead forth a great multitude, but the multitude shall be given into his hand.  And the multitude being taken away, his heart shall be lifted up, and he shall cast down many ten thousands; but he shall not be strengthned by it:  for the king of the North_ shall return_, &c.

About twelve years after the battle between Philopator and Antiochus, Philopator died; and left his kingdom to his young son Ptolemy Epiphanes, a child of five years old.  Thereupon Antiochus Magnus confederated with Philip king of Macedon, that they should each invade the dominions of Epiphanes which lay next to them.  Hence arose a various war between Antiochus and Epiphanes, each of them seizing Phoenicia and Coelosyria by turns; whereby those countries were much afflicted by both parties.  First Antiochus seized them; then one Scopas being sent with the army of Egypt, recovered them from Antiochus: