There is no doubt that Daniel 8 speaks about Alexander the Great and
Antiochus Epiphanes, but I also believe that the Holy Spirit parallels what happened in that event to how the rise of the anti-christ kingdom will come about.

Nation shall rise against nation

One shall be conquering and to conquer, winning the war.

Daniel 8:8
8.Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.

And shall reign over the kings of the earth.
There will be famine.
Disease and earthquakes.
There will be persecution of the saints.(Matthew 24)

Then the Lion, the Bear, the Leopard, and the beast with the ten horns rise from the sea. (Revelation 13)

The ten horns burn that great city that reigns over the kings of the earth with fire.
Revlelation 17