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Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Military

Battle of Magnesia: Rome defeats Antiochus III (190 BC)

Researched — not human reviewedRevision 1Last reviewed: not reviewed

No review items are open for this dossier. Classifications remain machine-proposed unless marked as approved by the owner.

Biblical references

Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.

Daniel 11:18Reference
18 After this he will turn his face to the islands, and will take many, but a prince will cause the reproach offered by him to cease. Yes, moreover, he will cause his reproach to turn on him.

Proposed correlation only.

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

The king of the north turns to the coastlands and takes many, but a commander puts an end to his insolence.

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Roman–Seleucid War (192–188 BC)

Antiochus III crossed into Greece, was defeated at Thermopylae (191) and then at Magnesia near Smyrna by Lucius Scipio (190); by the subsequent treaty he gave up Asia Minor west of the Taurus (Driver after Livy; Jerome).[1, 2, 3]

Kingdoms: Seleucid empire, Rome (Republic and Empire)

Date and chronology derivation

Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.

190 BC

Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: year

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. Synchronism: Battle of Magnesia, autumn 190 BC — independently dated 190 BC (Driver after Livy)[1, 3]Assumption: Livy not read directly; Appian's fetched section does not state the year.

Latest bound

  1. Synchronism: Battle of Magnesia, autumn 190 BC — independently dated 190 BC (Driver after Livy)[1, 3]Assumption: Livy not read directly; Appian's fetched section does not state the year.

View on the timeline →

What else was happening? (model-independent)

  • Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
  • The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
  • The thirty-day decree and Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6:4–23): 539 BC – ?
  • Darius appoints 120 satraps and three chief officials (Dan 6:1–3, 28): 539 BC – ?
  • The accusers punished; Darius's decree honouring the God of Daniel (Dan 6:24–27): 539 BC – ?
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
  • Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23): 537 BC – ?
  • Jerusalem guarded under Hanani and Hananiah; the registry of the first returnees found (Neh 7:1–5): 446 BC – ?
  • Jerusalem repopulated: one in ten by lot (Neh 11): 446 BC – ?
  • The priestly and Levitical registers to the days of Jaddua (Neh 12:1–26): 446 BC – ?
  • The first "burden" of Zechariah 9–11 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
  • The second "burden" of Zechariah 12–14 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
  • The institution of Purim; Mordecai second to the king (Esth 9:20–10:3): 474 BC – ?

Claims, evidence and classifications

Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.

Antiochus III was defeated by the Romans at Magnesia (190 BC) and forced to give up Asia Minor west of the Taurus.

Strongly supportedMachine-proposedExternal evidence

Livy (read directly) and Jerome/Porphyry agree, with Appian's battle narrative as context. Livy's casualty figures are his own.

Supporting

  • Decisive battle in autumn 190 at Magnesia; Antiochus's army defeated by Lucius Cornelius Scipio (Livy 37.39–44); renounced claims west of the Taurus.[1]Strength: indirect·pp. 175–176 (on 11:18)·Claim checked
  • Vanquished by Lucius Scipio with Africanus and confined beyond the Taurus.[2]Strength: indirect·on 11:17–19·Claim checked
  • Antiochus encamped near Magnesia at Sipylus; his army was routed by the consul Lucius Cornelius Scipio; up to 50,000 foot and 3,000 horse said to have been killed.[4]Strength: direct·Livy 37.38–44·Claim checked

Context

  • Battle narrative: the phalanx "broke into disorderly flight".[3]Strength: contextual·Syr. 34–35·Claim checked

Research date 2026-10-13

Evidence by type

The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.

Archaeological evidence

None recorded for this event.

Scientific findings

None recorded for this event.

Ancient documents

Modern news and announcements

None recorded for this event.

Reference works and summaries

Related passages and events

None recorded.

Prophetic relationships

No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.

Synchronisms with external chronology

  • Battle of Magnesia, autumn 190 BC

    Documentary correlation · direct · evidence strength: moderate · independent date: 190 BC (Driver after Livy)

    Driver dates the battle to the autumn of 190 BC.[1, 3]

    Assumptions: Livy not read directly; Appian's fetched section does not state the year.

Unanswered questions and research gaps

  • Treaty of Apamea (Polybius 21.42) not read directly.

Research process

2 logged searches
DateQueryWhereUseful
2026-10-13Appian Syr. 31–35 (Livius)web fetch1
2026-10-13Driver on 11:18local text1

Sources

  1. 1.
    Driver, S. R.. The Book of Daniel (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). Cambridge University Press. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text (Google scan).Verification log
  2. 2.
    Jerome, Archer, Gleason L. (trans.). Jerome, Commentary on Daniel (trans. Gleason L. Archer, 1958) — chapter 11. tertullian.org (transcribed by Roger Pearse). www.tertullian.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
  3. 3.
    Appian, White, Horace (trans., 1899). Appian, Syrian Wars 31–35 — Livius.org. Livius.org. www.livius.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
  4. 4.
    Livy, McDevitte, William A. (trans.). Livy, History of Rome 37.38–44 and 45.12 (trans. W. A. McDevitte). Project Gutenberg #44318. www.gutenberg.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log