What happened to Mesopotamia after Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire?

Following the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander the Great, Mesopotamia entered a period of foreign rule characterized by the influence of Hellenistic culture and shifting political control.12

After Alexander’s death in 323 BCE, his empire was divided among his successors, the Diadochoi. Mesopotamia became a central theater for their conflicts, suffering from the movement and pillaging of armies. By 321 BCE, Seleucus I Nicator emerged as the ruler of the region, eventually establishing the Seleucid Empire. He founded major cities such as Seleucia, which replaced Babylon as the primary administrative and commercial center.1

Seleucid rule introduced Hellenization, bringing Greek language, administration, and colonists to the region, though native religious and governmental practices largely persisted. This era of Seleucid control lasted until 141 BCE, when the Parthians conquered the territory, marking the beginning of a new phase of foreign dominance that continued until the Sasanian period.12