Fun way to play AS.

[Smelly Jelly]

Like many others here, i find the Seleukids interesting as a faction, with good roleplaying opportunities. (They have these extra titles like "overlord of Micra Asia or Mesopotamia or one other)
However i don't like their starting position. Immediate war from all sides, too large to properly oversee, a heap of rebellious provinces you don't want, AND: no Eleutheroi territory between you and your immediate enemies, which makes a cease-fire with them impossible.

So: rebellious provinces + no Eleutheroi barrier = eureka!

I disband all troops in all regions i do not want, turn off autobuild/recruit, disband some structures (you'll get so much money you can leave the wonders, but temples or other public order buildings MUST go, occasionally also sewers/healers. I like to leave economic buildings as well, MICs go, to give my Pahlavan & Baktrian heirs equal chances.).

In this particular case i chose to become a Karian/Southern Anatolian state. So i disbanded structures and troops, moved capital to Ipsos and let my empire crumble.

I conquered the two Ptolemaeian Anatolian settlements, and let the one closest to Antiocheia revolt as well. Side, i held on to. Now having an Eleutheroi barrier between me and Ptolies i could easily obtain a ceasefire. However war was soon declared as i progressed to take Halikarnassos, and later because of Ptolies fruitless attempts at taking "our friends" in Cyrene; whom i have nothing to do with.

You could do this in any way you want; if you want an empire, based on the banks of Tigris and Euphrates rivers - go ahead, let it all revolt and play YOUR game, historical or not ;) .