Biblical references
Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.
45 He will plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
Proposed correlation only; the setting "between the sea and the glorious holy mountain" does not match Tabae.
Biblical account
Layer: Biblical text
He plants the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he comes to his end, and no one helps him.
Historical overview
Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: End of Antiochus IV's reign (164 BC)
Antiochus went east in 166/165 to raise funds; after failing to plunder a sanctuary of Artemis in Elymaïs he died at Tabae in Persia, "smitten with madness, as some say" (Polybius 31.9). News reached Babylon in Kislimu 148 SE (BM 35603). 1 Macc 6 adds that he heard of the Jews' victories; 2 Macc 9 tells the story with legendary additions (Driver).[1, 2, 3, 4]
- Antiochus IV Epiphanes: Seleucid king[2]
Kingdoms: Seleucid 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.
164 BC
Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: month
How this range was derived
Earliest bound
- Synchronism: Death of Antiochus IV reported in Babylon, Kislimu 148 SE (164 BC) — independently dated between 1 Sep 164 BC and 20 Dec 164 BC (Babylonian king list, Seleucid era (Babylonian reckoning))[1, 2, 5]Assumption: As for the end of the Antiochus IV reign record: news reached Babylon in Kislimu 148 (≈ late Nov – Dec 164); the death itself preceded the report.
Latest bound
- Synchronism: Death of Antiochus IV reported in Babylon, Kislimu 148 SE (164 BC) — independently dated between 1 Sep 164 BC and 20 Dec 164 BC (Babylonian king list, Seleucid era (Babylonian reckoning))[1, 2, 5]Assumption: As for the end of the Antiochus IV reign record: news reached Babylon in Kislimu 148 (≈ late Nov – Dec 164); the death itself preceded the report.
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 – ?
- Rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus (25 Chislev 148 SE, 165/164 BC): 165 BC – 163 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.
Antiochus IV died at Tabae in Persia in 164 BC after a failed attempt to plunder a temple in Elymaïs.
A Greek historian, the Babylonian king list and 1 Maccabees agree.
Supporting
- Thwarted at the sanctuary of Artemis in Elymaïs; died at Tabae in Persia.[1]Strength: direct·31.9·Claim checked
- It was heard that Antiochus IV died.[2]Strength: direct·rev., year 148 Kislimu·Claim checked
- Failed to take Elymaïs, fell sick and died in the 149th year (Macedonian epoch).[3]Strength: direct·1 Macc 6:1–16·Claim checked
- Death in Persia; Josephus reports Polybius's explanation (the temple of Diana) and disputes it.[6]Strength: direct·Ant. 12.9.1·Claim checked
Context
- Places the failed temple robbery at Persepolis and the illness on the road from Ecbatana; he dies "in the mountains".[7]Strength: direct·2 Macc 9:1–3, 28·Claim checked
Research date 2026-10-13
Daniel 11:40–45 accurately describes the circumstances of Antiochus IV's last campaign and death.
Porphyry's reconstruction (via Jerome) is the only source for a fourth Egyptian campaign; Driver judges it suspect. Futurist interpreters avoid the problem by referring 11:36–45 to a future figure. Recorded as disputed.
Supporting
- Porphyry claims a fourth Egyptian campaign, a march east against Artaxias, a camp at "Apedno" between Tigris and Euphrates, and death at Tabae.[8]Strength: indirect·on 11:40–45 (Porphyry)·Claim checked
Challenging
- No hint of a final conquest of Egypt outside Jerome; Egypt was under Roman protection; Antiochus was in financial difficulty; he died in Persia, not between the sea and the holy mountain.[4]Strength: indirect·pp. 196–197; Introduction p. xc·Claim checked
- Death at Tabae in Persia.[1]Strength: direct·31.9·Claim checked
Research date 2026-10-13
Antiochus IV died before the Temple was rededicated.
2 Maccabees narrates his death (ch. 9) before the cleansing (10:1–8) and closes the section "such were the events of the end of Antiochus" (10:9); its letters of year 148 include one in which Antiochus V speaks of his father as dead (11:23). 1 Maccabees (6:1–16) and Josephus (Ant. 12.9.1) have him die in Persia after hearing that the Jews had pulled down the abomination. The Babylonian king list reports news of his death in Kislimu 148 SE (Babylonian reckoning) — the same month-name as the rededication (25 Chislev 148): if 1 Maccabees used the spring (Babylonian) epoch the two events fall within weeks of each other (Dec 164); on the autumn epoch the rededication (Dec 165) precedes the death by a year. 2 Maccabees' arrangement is often thought thematic, but that was not verified here. Unresolved.
Supporting
- Death narrated before the cleansing; Antiochus V's letter refers to his father having passed to the gods.[7]Strength: direct·2 Macc 9:1–29; 10:1–9; 11:23·Claim checked
Challenging
Context
- News of the death heard in Kislimu 148 SE (Babylonian reckoning).[2]Strength: direct·rev., year 148 Kislimu·Claim checked
Limitations of this classification: Depends on the unresolved Seleucid-era epoch of 1 Maccabees. Modern studies of 2 Macc 11's letters not read.
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
- Thwarted at the sanctuary of Artemis in Elymaïs; died at Tabae in Persia.[1]Bears on: supporting — “Antiochus IV died at Tabae in Persia in 164 BC after a failed attempt …”
- It was heard that Antiochus IV died.[2]Bears on: supporting — “Antiochus IV died at Tabae in Persia in 164 BC after a failed attempt …”
- Failed to take Elymaïs, fell sick and died in the 149th year (Macedonian epoch).[3]Bears on: supporting — “Antiochus IV died at Tabae in Persia in 164 BC after a failed attempt …”
- Porphyry claims a fourth Egyptian campaign, a march east against Artaxias, a camp at "Apedno" between Tigris and Euphrates, and death at Tabae.[8]Bears on: supporting — “Daniel 11:40–45 accurately describes the circumstances of Antiochus IV…”
- Death at Tabae in Persia.[1]Bears on: challenging — “Daniel 11:40–45 accurately describes the circumstances of Antiochus IV…”
- Death narrated before the cleansing; Antiochus V's letter refers to his father having passed to the gods.[7]Bears on: supporting — “Antiochus IV died before the Temple was rededicated.”
- In Persia he hears that the Jews had pulled down the abomination, falls sick and dies.[3]Bears on: challenging — “Antiochus IV died before the Temple was rededicated.”
- He dies in Persia after hearing of the Jews' success.[6]Bears on: challenging — “Antiochus IV died before the Temple was rededicated.”
- News of the death heard in Kislimu 148 SE (Babylonian reckoning).[2]Bears on: context — “Antiochus IV died before the Temple was rededicated.”
- Places the failed temple robbery at Persepolis and the illness on the road from Ecbatana; he dies "in the mountains".[7]Bears on: context — “Antiochus IV died at Tabae in Persia in 164 BC after a failed attempt …”
- Death in Persia; Josephus reports Polybius's explanation (the temple of Diana) and disputes it.[6]Bears on: supporting — “Antiochus IV died at Tabae in Persia in 164 BC after a failed attempt …”
Modern news and announcements
None recorded for this event.
Reference works and summaries
- No hint of a final conquest of Egypt outside Jerome; Egypt was under Roman protection; Antiochus was in financial difficulty; he died in Persia, not between the sea and the holy mountain.[4]Bears on: challenging — “Daniel 11:40–45 accurately describes the circumstances of Antiochus IV…”
Historical disputes and competing reconstructions
Disputed claims: Daniel 11:40–45 accurately describes the circumstances of Antiochus IV's last campaign and death.Antiochus IV died before the Temple was rededicated.
Death after the rededication
1 Maccabees 6:7 (he hears that the abomination has been pulled down); Josephus, Ant. 12.9.1
Death before the rededication
2 Maccabees 9–10 (narrative order; read directly); 2 Macc 11:23 (Antiochus V's letter)
The death (ch. 9) precedes the cleansing (10:1–8); a letter of year 148 refers to the late king. Not modelled as a constraint because the sources disagree (claim under review).[4, 7]
Related passages and events
None recorded.
Prophetic relationships
No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.
Synchronisms with external chronology
Death of Antiochus IV reported in Babylon, Kislimu 148 SE (164 BC)
Documentary correlation · direct · evidence strength: strong · independent date: 164 BC (Babylonian king list, Seleucid era (Babylonian reckoning))
The king list records that the death was heard in Kislimu of SE 148 (Nov–Dec 164 BC); Polybius places it at Tabae.[1, 2]
Unanswered questions and research gaps
- Appian Syr. 66 (death of Antiochus) not read.
- Modern studies of the 2 Maccabees letters not read.
Research process
3 logged searches
| Date | Query | Where | Useful |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 | Polybius 31.9 (LacusCurtius) | web fetch | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | BM 35603 (Livius) | web fetch | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | WEB 1 Maccabees 6 | local text | 1 |
Sources
- 1.Polybius, Paton, W. R. (trans.). Polybius, Histories 31.9 (Loeb VI, 1927) — LacusCurtius. LacusCurtius (Bill Thayer). penelope.uchicago.eduClaim checkedAncient primary textBook 31; the page does not name the translator (Loeb Polybius is Paton's) and says it has not been proofread.Verification log
- 2.van der Spek, R. J. (trans.). Babylonian King List of the Hellenistic Period (BM 35603) — Livius.org, Seleucus IV entries. Livius.org. www.livius.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textSame page as the earlier record; re-read for the Antiochus III and Seleucus IV entries. The editor marks the translation as needing revision.Verification log
- 3.World English Bible. World English Bible — Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (1 Maccabees; 2 Esdras). eBible.org (eng-web USFM). ebible.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textWEB footnotes giving "circa B.C." dates are editorial and were not used as chronological evidence.Verification log
- 4.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
- 5.Parker, Richard A., Dubberstein, Waldo H.. Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24). University of Chicago Press (Oriental Institute). archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text of the Oriental Institute PDF; OCR has digit errors (e.g. "589" for 539) checked against context. The 1956 revised edition was not consulted.Verification log
- 6.Josephus, Whiston, William (trans.). Josephus, Antiquities 12.3.3 and 12.9.1 (trans. W. Whiston). Project Gutenberg #2848. www.gutenberg.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
- 7.World English Bible contributors. World English Bible — Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (2 Maccabees 3, 6, 7, 9–11). eBible.org (eng-web USFM). ebible.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log
- 8.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