Most attempt to pin Daniel’s prophecies to events during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
This gets confusing, because more than one "Antiochus" is involved. The events of Daniel 1:10-15 were during the reign of Antiochus III (Magnus), not Antiochus IV (Epiphanes). Antiochus III twice invaded Egypt, losing the first time, but later defeating Ptolemy V (Epiphanes) and regaining control of Judea around 198 BC (*). He then made the mistake of attacking Pergamum, an ally of Rome, in 192 BC. Roman General Scipius did what Roman Generals did best: defeated Antiochus III in Pergamum in 191 BC, followed his retreat to Asia Minor where he defeated him again at Magnesia in 190 BC, extracted a massive tribute, took away his fleet, and took his younger son Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) as hostage.
Needing gold to pay off the Romans, Antiochus III took it from temples throughout his realm (not just in Jerusalem). He was killed during one of these temple raids in 187 BC. He was succeeded by his older son, Seleucus IV (Philopater).
This was the one "soon destroyed, though not in conflict or battle" (Daniel 11:20). In 175 BC Seleucus IV was assassinated by his own minister, who briefly took over the throne.
Antiochus IV returned from Rome, deposed that minister, and took the throne for himself--also in 175 BC. Daniel describes the reign of Antiochus IV beginning at verse 21. He is the one who looted the temple in Jerusalem on his way back from his first invasion of Egypt in 170 BC (1 Maccabbees 16-28). He invaded Egypt again, suffered his own humiliation at the hands of Rome (Daniel 11:30), and sacked Jerusalem again on his way back (168 BC)--this was the time of the desecration of the temple (Daniel 11:31) and forced Hellenization, though some Jews resisted and remained faithful (Daniel 11:32-39). After that, Daniel departs from known history--verses 40 and on seem to be a wishful account of Antiochus' demise, echoing the fate of Gog in Ezekiel chapters 38-39. His actual death in Persia (164 BC) was anti-climatic, his power faded after assaults on multiple fronts (including the Maccabbean revolt and attacks from the Parthians).
That was, for practical purposes, the end of Seleucid power. Roman influence and power were becoming dominant, especially after the defeat of Carthage in the third Punic war (146 BC).
Sources:
Asimov's Guide to the Bible, single volume edition published by Avenel, New York, 1981, ISBN 0-517-34582-X
Jewish Encyclopedia, article about Antiochus IV Epiphanes
New American Bible, Revised Edition, US Conferenec of Catholic Bishops, footnotes to books of Daniel and 1 Maccabbees
(*) Three different calendars are involved: Seleucid (Greek), Hebrew and Julian (Roman). The different ways each reckon years sometimes causes one-year variances when comparing dates between different calendars.
