was involved in the development of trigonometry and the astrolabe, the earliest known star chart. He was also a geographer and mathematician. Hipparchus spent the latter part of his life in Rhodes.

175 BCE: ANTIOCHUS IV EPHIPANES

–ascends to the Seleucid throne. Original name: Mithridates.

Greek–Syrian Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, successor to the Egyptian Ptolemies (who, in turn, are successors to Alexander the Great).His adversaries called him “The Mad One.”

(b. 215 BCE; d. 164 BCE)

168 BCE: “LINE IN THE SAND” / ANTIOCHUS

The Seleucid army from the east had invaded Roman Protectorate Egypt.

The Roman ambassador (Gaius Popillus Laenas) in Egypt confronts Seleucid King Antiochus IV and demands that Antiochus commit to withdraw from Egypt. The ambassador draws a circle in the sand around Antiochus. The Roman ambassador demands that Antiochus—prior to crossing the circle line in the sand—commit to withdrawing all his forces from Egypt, implying that Antiochus’s breach of the circle in the absence of a commitment to withdraw, would provoke war with Rome. Antiochus hesitates, but then capitulates and commits to withdraw from Egypt. The Roman ambassador shakes his hand and Antiochus exits