Daniel 8A Ram and the Goat

Antiochus IV was the 8th king of the Seleucid dynasty and he ruled as king from 175 to 164 BC (1 Macc 1:10; 6; 16). He conducted military campaigns in all those directions. Here in Daniel 8, the vision begins to focus on future Israel and the Jews. In fact, much of this vision is future to Daniel, but the second half of the chapter is still yet future from our perspective. Antiochus was especially vengeful against the Jews whom he persecuted brutally (Constable) and Whitcomb notes he was one of Israel's worst persecutors ever.