Plotting Antiochus’s Death

Abstract

According to Dan 11:45, the king of the north, recognizably Antiochus IV, dies in the area of Judea, bringing an end to his kingdom. The book of Daniel thus provides a unique, although historically inaccurate, perspective on the downfall of the Seleucid Empire. In this article I show that this account uses two Danielic kings—Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar—as models for Antiochus’s actions and thus exposes a literary pattern used to portray the king’s end. I argue that doing so, Dan 11 is more interested in reflecting on kingship in Judea in the post-Seleucid period than conveying historical information. Finally, I explore the implications of this reading on our understanding of Daniel’s historical settings.