ole of Alexander's empire, with the exception of
Egypt, southern Syria, Cyprus, and part of Phoenicia, fell under the
sceptre of Seleucus.

That monarch, who had not beheld his native land since he first joined
the expedition of Alexander, now crossed the Hellespont to take
possession of Macedonia. Ptolemy Ceraunus, who after the battle of
Corupedion had thrown himself on the mercy of Seleucus, and had been
received with forgiveness and favour, accompanied him on this journey.
The murder of Agathocles had not been committed by Ptolemy merely to
oblige Arsinoe. He had even then designs upon the supreme power, which
he now completed by another crime. As Seleucus stopped to sacrifice at
a celebrated altar near Lysimachia in Thrace, Ptolemy treacherously
assassinated him by stabbing him in the back (280). After this base
and cowardly act, Ptolemy Ceraunus, who gave himself out as the avenger
of Lysimachus, was, by one of those movements wholly inexplicable to
our modern notions, saluted king by the army; but the Asiatic dominions
of Seleucus fell to his son Antiochus, surnamed Soter. The crime of
Ptolemy, however, was speedily overtaken by a just punishment. In the
very same year his kingdom of Macedonia and Thrace was invaded by an
immense host of Celts, and Ptolemy fell at the head of the forces which
he led against them. A second invasion of the same barbarians
compelled the Greeks to raise a force for their defence, which was
intrusted to the command of the Athenian Callippus (B.C. 279). On this
occasion the Celts attracted by the report of treasures which were now
perhaps little more than an empty name, penetrated as far southwards as
Delphi, with the view of plundering the temple. The god, it is said,
vindicated his sanctuary on this occasion in the same supernatural
manner as when it was attacked by the Persians: it is at all events
certain that the Celts were repulsed with great loss, including that of
their leader Brennus. Nevertheless some of their tribes succeeded in
establishing themselves near the Danube; others settled on the
sea-coast of Thrace whilst a third portion passed over into Asia, and
gave their name to the country called Galatia.

After the death of Ptolemy Ceraunus, Macedonia fell for some time into
a state of anarchy and confusion, and the crown was disputed by several
pretenders. At length, in 278, Antigonus Gonatas, son of Demetrius
Poliorcetes, succeeded in establishing himself on t