Meaning & use
Seleucus
Last updated
Meaning
proper nounproper
A Macedonian general of Alexander the Great who founded the Seleucid Empire in the Near East.
Grammar: Capitalize; no article when referring to the person, but the empire is 'the Seleucid Empire'.
Seleucus was one of Alexander the Great's most trusted generals.
After Alexander's death, Seleucus founded the Seleucid Empire, which stretched from Anatolia to India.
The city of Antioch was named by Seleucus in honor of his father.
Common combinations
- Seleucus I Nicator
- Seleucus I Nicator is often simply called Seleucus.
- Seleucid Empire
- The Seleucid Empire was one of the largest successor states to Alexander's empire.
- Seleucus's general
- Seleucus's general founded the city.
- King Seleucus
- King Seleucus ruled over a vast territory.
Word family
- Seleucid adjective
- Relating to Seleucus or his dynasty or empire.
- Seleucia proper noun
- Name of several cities founded by Seleucus, especially Seleucia on the Tigris.
Commonly confused: Seleucus or Seleucia?
Seleucus vs Seleucia
Seleucia is a city, while Seleucus is the person who founded it.
Practice
Who was Seleucus?
Choose one answer.
Seleucus was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great and later established the Seleucid Empire. He was not a philosopher, Roman emperor, or Egyptian pharaoh.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Seleucus”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.