L’oriente seleucidico da Antioco I ai primi anni di Antioco III in Pompeo Trogo/Giustino

The aim of the paper is to investigate the place of the Seleucids in the work of Pompeius Trogus/Justinus (from Antiochus I to the first part of the reign of Antiochus III). Despite the importance attached to the birth and growth of dynasty with Seleucus I, his successors seem to be underestimated. Pompeius Trogus in his world history adopts the concept of translatio imperii and applies the notion of imperium Macedonicum mainly to the Macedonian kingdom. After its fall, these words occur for the Seleucids in a Eastern perspective, especially when it is underlined their struggle against the Parthians in the II Century BC. With this schema in mind, the author inserts the first Seleucid dynasts in the wider context of Hellenistic history. In Pompeius Trogus’ view Seleucids and other kingdoms have to face with the Celts, who become the protagonists of the period (maybe one could suggest as source Timagenes of Alexandreia, particularly interested in these tribes in his Peri basildon). Be as it be, one may agree with the scholarship and recognize that Pompeius Trogus borrowed his narrative mainly from Philarchus in books XXIV-XXIX (as one could discern from some moralistic hints against the Seleucids), whereas books XXX-XXXV depend on Polybius. Furthermore, the comparison between the Prologi and Justinus’ Epitoma let us discover some differences from the original text and some relevant omissions. It is amazing, e.g., the absence in the Epitoma of any description of Antiochos III’ anabasis in the East, which had some importance in the Historiae Philippicae. In this case the cut could be explained with the methodological hints of Justinus (who focuses his narrative only on the struggle between Antiochus and Rome, a topic more interesting to his audience).