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Philip I Philadelphus

Philip I Philadelphus ("the man who loves his brother"): name of a Seleucid king, ruled from 95 to 84/83.

Successor of: Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator

Relatives

Main deeds

After 114/113, the Seleucid dynasty was divided into two branches, a northern one and a southern one.
- The leaders of the south were Antiochus IX Cyzicenus
- The leaders of the northern branch were Antiochus VIII Grypus
97/96: The Egyptian king-in-exile Ptolemy IX Soter Lathyros makes Demetrius III Eucaerus and his (presumed twin) brother Philip I Philadelphus rulers in Damascus; they are successful in their war against Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator.
Summer 96: death of Antiochus VIII Grypus; he is succeeded by Seleucus VI
Early 95: Seleucus defeats and kills Antiochus IX Cyzicenus, who is succeeded by his son Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator.
In the deep south, Demetrius and Philip seem to have expanded their power: from now on, coins are minted for Philip, who seems to ahve resided in Beroea (modern Aleppo)
Summer 94: Antiochus X defeats Seleucus VI. Leadership of the northern branch is transferred to Seleucus' brother Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus
93: Antiochus XI in Antioch; his reign, however, comes to an end, and Antiochus X takes over power in both Antioch and the north; Demetrius III and Philip I remain in the south
Demetrius intervenes in the Hasmonaean kingdom, against king Alexander Jannaeus.
c.89: Parthian invasion; end of the reign of Antiochus X, who is defeated by the Parthian leader Mithridates Sinaces and his ally Aziz the Arab
Demetrius breaks off his war against Alexander Jannaeus and captures Antioch
Demetrius and his twin brother Philip start to quarrel; Demetrius besieges Aleppo; Philip invites the Parthian king Mithradates III to help him
88/87: Demetrius is captured by the Parthians and dies in captivity.
Philip now seizes the northern part and is recognized in Antioch
He does not control Damascus, where Antiochus XII Dionysus (a brother of Demetrius and Philip) becomes king.
83/82: Antiochus Dionysus is defeated and killed by the Nabataean Arabs; Damascus is seized by Ptolemy of Chalcis
c.75: Death of Philip
His successor is Antiochus XIII Asiaticus, who goes to Rome to ask for help; in the meantime, Tigranes II the Great of Armenia adds the remains of the Seleucid Empire to his realm

Succeeded by: Tigranes II the Great of Armenia

Sources

Appian of Alexandria, Syrian Wars, 48
Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, 13.369-371, 384-389

Literature

O. Hoover, "A Late Hellenistic Lead Coinage from Gaza", in: Israel Numismatic Research 1 (2006), pp. 25-35
O. Hoover, "Revised Chronology for the Late Seleucids at Antioch (121/0-64 BC)" in: Historia 65/3 (2007) 280-301