--- product_id: 1706041 title: "The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire" price: "3243.14 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1706041-the-land-of-the-elephant-kings-space-territory-and-ideology store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire **Price:** 3243.14 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire - **How much does it cost?** 3243.14 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1706041-the-land-of-the-elephant-kings-space-territory-and-ideology) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Seleucid Empire (311-64 BCE) was unlike anything the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern worlds had seen. Stretching from present-day Bulgaria to Tajikistan--the bulk of Alexander the Great's Asian conquests--the kingdom encompassed a territory of remarkable ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity; yet it did not include Macedonia, the ancestral homeland of the dynasty. The Land of the Elephant Kings investigates how the Seleucid kings, ruling over lands to which they had no historic claim, attempted to transform this territory into a coherent and meaningful space. Based on recent archaeological evidence and ancient primary sources, Paul J. Kosmin's multidisciplinary approach treats the Seleucid Empire not as a mosaic of regions but as a land unified in imperial ideology and articulated by spatial practices. Kosmin uncovers how Seleucid geographers and ethnographers worked to naturalize the kingdom's borders with India and Central Asia in ways that shaped Roman and later medieval understandings of "the East." In the West, Seleucid rulers turned their backs on Macedonia, shifting their sense of homeland to Syria. By mapping the Seleucid kings' travels and studying the cities they founded--an ambitious colonial policy that has influenced the Near East to this day--Kosmin shows how the empire's territorial identity was constructed on the ground. In the empire's final century, with enemies pressing harder and central power disintegrating, we see that the very modes by which Seleucid territory had been formed determined the way in which it fell apart. Review: An extraordinary account of the Seleucid realm - Philip Kosmin's descriptions of the lands of the house of Seleucus are a very different approach than a normal historic narrative. Similar to W. W. Taren's Greeks in Bactria and India, Kosmin shows the bones beneath the narrative. The reason for this approach by both authors is the same: all we have for sources for this part of Hellenistic history are shattered fragments. The best nominative narrative remains Bevan's House of Seleucus. There are other interesting approaches, including Kuhrt and Sherwin-White, From Samarkand to Sardis and John Granger's numerous works. But Kosmin's account is very good and adds significantly to our understandings of the Hellenistic age. Using collections of underutilized primary sources, epigraphic, cuneiform, archeological, and source statements found in the fragments of later authors, the author draws an image of the Seleucid elite's understanding of themselves and their kingdom. By interposing contemporary statements with major events, Kosmin teases significant nuanced interpretations of Seleucid motivations and actions. His point is that if we had the lost histories of the Seleucid kingdom and the Hellenistic age, this is what we would find. This book is not an introduction to the Seleucid realm or its history. It is an extraordinary elucidation of what the Seleucids thought about themselves and how they wanted their world to see them. Review: Amazing book with some theroies. - It's not just chronological history the book tries to explain the ideology that served as a background force to the Seleucid Empire—a great book. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #4,715,303 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #91 in Syria History #2,979 in Ancient Civilizations | | Customer Reviews | 4.1 out of 5 stars 47 Reviews | ## Images ![The Land of the Elephant Kings: Space, Territory, and Ideology in the Seleucid Empire - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81hgCOLrE4L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An extraordinary account of the Seleucid realm *by J***E on July 7, 2014* Philip Kosmin's descriptions of the lands of the house of Seleucus are a very different approach than a normal historic narrative. Similar to W. W. Taren's Greeks in Bactria and India, Kosmin shows the bones beneath the narrative. The reason for this approach by both authors is the same: all we have for sources for this part of Hellenistic history are shattered fragments. The best nominative narrative remains Bevan's House of Seleucus. There are other interesting approaches, including Kuhrt and Sherwin-White, From Samarkand to Sardis and John Granger's numerous works. But Kosmin's account is very good and adds significantly to our understandings of the Hellenistic age. Using collections of underutilized primary sources, epigraphic, cuneiform, archeological, and source statements found in the fragments of later authors, the author draws an image of the Seleucid elite's understanding of themselves and their kingdom. By interposing contemporary statements with major events, Kosmin teases significant nuanced interpretations of Seleucid motivations and actions. His point is that if we had the lost histories of the Seleucid kingdom and the Hellenistic age, this is what we would find. This book is not an introduction to the Seleucid realm or its history. It is an extraordinary elucidation of what the Seleucids thought about themselves and how they wanted their world to see them. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing book with some theroies. *by C***N on March 6, 2023* It's not just chronological history the book tries to explain the ideology that served as a background force to the Seleucid Empire—a great book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ good *by R***T on August 7, 2022* Good --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1706041-the-land-of-the-elephant-kings-space-territory-and-ideology](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1706041-the-land-of-the-elephant-kings-space-territory-and-ideology) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-09-02*