The revised Roman Empire will encompass a very large tract of land that once housed fifty-four provinces.1 There are now (as of the year 2007) over twenty complete countries within the original territory of the ancient Roman Empire, and about twenty more countries if one counts areas where only portions of countries are included.2 All of these countries surround the Mediterranean Sea and span three continents, which includes most of Europe, a western portion of Asia, and a northern portion of Africa. Now what would have to take place that would shuffle national boundaries around to such a degree that nearly forty countries become ten? An easy answer would be war-and a very large one at that. Keep in mind that this has to happen before the Antichrist will rise to power.

Once the ten kingdoms are in place, the Antichrist is identified by both the prophet Daniel and the apostle John as being one of the kings of one of these nations. Daniel in particular was given three visions that speak of which area the Antichrist will rise to power from, and each vision narrows down his location with more precision.

First, the Antichrist is mentioned as being one of the kings of the ten kingdoms of the revised Roman Empire (ten toes of beast in Daniel 2; ten horns of beast in Daniel 7:23-24; ten horns of beast in Revelation 12:3; 13:1-4; 17:8-17). In Daniel's second vision, the Antichrist is said to arise out of the area that was once part of the ancient Grecian Empire (Daniel 8:8-9, 8:21-23). This region overlaps the eastern portion of the ancient Roman Empire; it is symbolized by the metals of the image in Daniel 2, the four beasts of Daniel 7, and the he-goat of Daniel 8:5-26. In Daniel's third vision, it was shown that the Grecian Empire would be divided into four parts following the death of Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:8-9, 8:21-23, 11:4), and then Daniel saw which of these four parts the Antichrist would arise from. The quadrant he will come from will be the Syrian quadrant. This can be determined from the fact that he will be in the nation directly north of Egypt (the Antichrist is mentioned as being the king to the north of Egypt-Daniel 11:36-46), which completely rules out a number of countries different theorists have speculated through the years, such as the Vatican, Germany, England, and the United States. This area today is the location of modern Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran.

Daniel 7:23-24* (bold emphasis added)
Thus he said the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

*The Antichrist is depicted as arising out of one of the ten kings of the revised Roman Empire.

Daniel 8:21-23* (bold emphasis and bracketed comments added)
The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king (Alexander the Great). Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences [the Antichrist], shall stand up. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

*Clearly the Antichrist is mentioned as coming from one of the four quadrants of the ancient Grecian Empire.

Daniel 11:36-46* (bold emphasis and bracketed comments added)
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [Egypt, shown below] push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east [China] and out of the north [the former Soviet Union] shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.