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Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Political, Military

Popillius Laenas orders Antiochus IV out of Egypt at Eleusis (168 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 11:29–30Reference
29 “He will return at the appointed time and come into the south; but it won’t be in the latter time as it was in the former. 30 For ships of Kittim will come against him. Therefore he will be grieved, and will return, and have indignation against the holy covenant, and will take action. He will even return, and have regard to those who forsake the holy covenant.

Proposed correlation only.

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

He returns to the south, but the latter time is not as the former, for ships of Kittim come against him; he is grieved and returns in indignation against the holy covenant.

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Sixth Syrian War (170–168 BC)

Antiochus IV invaded Egypt in 170/169 and again in 168. Near Alexandria, at Eleusis, the Roman envoy Popillius Laenas handed him the Senate's decree, drew a circle round him and demanded an answer before he stepped out; Antiochus agreed to withdraw (Polybius 29.27). Driver: Kittim (Cyprus/western coastlands) here stands for the Roman envoys.[1, 2]

Kingdoms: Seleucid empire, Ptolemaic kingdom (Egypt), 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.

168 BC

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

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. Synchronism: Popillius Laenas at Eleusis, 168 BC — independently dated 168 BC (Driver's dating of Polybius and Livy)[1, 2]Assumption: Livy 45.12 not read directly.

Latest bound

  1. Synchronism: Popillius Laenas at Eleusis, 168 BC — independently dated 168 BC (Driver's dating of Polybius and Livy)[1, 2]Assumption: Livy 45.12 not read directly.

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 – ?
  • Desecration of the Temple: the "abomination of desolation" (15 Chislev 145 SE, 168/167 BC): 168 BC – 166 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 – ?
  • Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reign): 175 BC – 164 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.

The Roman envoy Popillius Laenas compelled Antiochus IV to withdraw from Egypt by drawing a circle round him.

Strongly supportedMachine-proposedExternal evidence

Polybius (a contemporary) and Livy (read directly; Livy draws on Polybius for eastern affairs, so the two are not fully independent) agree on the circle and the withdrawal; Jerome's version agrees in substance. Jerome calls the envoy "Marcus"; Driver gives "C. Popillius"; Livy here names only "Popilius" (several Popilii appear in books 44–45).

Supporting

  • Popilius drew a circle round Antiochus; after brief hesitation he said he would do all the Romans demanded.[1]Strength: direct·29.27.5–6·Claim checked
  • Laenas drew a circle in the sand around Antiochus, who withdrew.[3]Strength: indirect·on 11:29–30·Claim checked
  • The Roman envoys met Antiochus at Eleusine, four miles from Alexandria; Popilius drew a line round him with a wand; he replied he would do as the senate directed.[4]Strength: direct·Livy 45.12·Claim checked

Context

  • Eleusis, four miles from Alexandria; Livy 45.12.[2]Strength: indirect·p. 181·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

  • Popillius Laenas at Eleusis, 168 BC

    Documentary correlation · direct · evidence strength: moderate · independent date: 168 BC (Driver's dating of Polybius and Livy)

    The meeting at Eleusis near Alexandria followed Rome's victory over Perseus (Pydna) in 168 BC (Driver).[1, 2]

    Assumptions: Livy 45.12 not read directly.

Unanswered questions and research gaps

    Research process

    2 logged searches
    DateQueryWhereUseful
    2026-10-13Polybius 29.27 (LacusCurtius)web fetch1
    2026-10-13Driver on 11:29–30local text1

    Sources

    1. 1.
      Polybius, Paton, W. R. (trans.). Polybius, Histories 29.27 (Loeb VI, 1927) — LacusCurtius. LacusCurtius (Bill Thayer). penelope.uchicago.eduClaim checkedAncient primary textBook 29; the page does not name the translator (Loeb Polybius is Paton's) and says it has not been proofread.Verification log
    2. 2.
      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
    3. 3.
      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
    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