cheenc03a.pdf

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SELEUCIDB
the Syrian throne ; AI_EXANDER (q.w, Z) made himself
out to be a son of Antiochur Epiphaner.
Alexander Bala appsarcd at an oppoclune moment, ar Demeuius
had completely ali~nared hi3 S U ~ ~ Cby C his ~ ~ ryranny and
exce5ses ('5, u.c.), whilst a, Be rame ilme he had gwen way to
love of drink the hereditary viceof hir hours(Po1yb. 51 19). I"
addition to tbh, an .trempr to resure the inland of Cyprus by
t-shcry had indeed fniled, but hd earned the Syrian monarchy
the hostility of Prolemy Philometor (Polyb. 33 5). Thc lesult
wu that, though apnrry at R~rn~(~~~hnpr rhar of the Sc~pror)
was favour=bly inchncd to Demetrlur thc Ro-n Senate, upon
groundr of policy ."d alro upon Aore rordld grounds, war
xnduced to recogni;e the impostor Alexindez (Polyb. 83 zs), who
wsa also ~upporred byAtfnlvr Ariaratbe3 and Ptolcmy Philomelor
Consequently, m rjj mc., Alexander appearcd with an
.., . -,. .-
11-l. in P...i.
Both Demetrius and Alexander made bids for the
favour of the Jewr, who were now under Jonathan
(I Macc.101f.). The king recalled his garrisons from
all the towns except Jerusalem and Beth-zur, and gave
Jonathan power to raise an army and to liberate the
hostages. The various taxer and royal claimaupon the
Jews were also remitted (see the instructive list given in
JOS. Ant. xiii. Z2f).' The impostor, however, was
more successful in appealing to Jonathan's personal
ambition, nominating him high-priest, and rending him
the insignia of royalty, with the title of 'king's friend'
ICD FRIEND). The decisive battle wa foueht in ~ r o
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B.c., and Demetriur fighting heroically war slain
(Justin, 35 r. Polyb. 3 j, Jos. Ant. riii. 2,). In spite
of the fraementarv " and obscure character of the record.
we may well doubt whether this Demetriur was not one
of the most gifted of the Seleucid dynasty (0. Gutschmid,
Ira", 43).
Demetrius 11.. Nicator (145.139 and 129-1z5 B.C.).
the elder of the two sons of Demetrius I., had been sent
12.DemetriusII~ by his father for protection to
Cnidus when Alexander invaded
(first reign :
Syria (Justin, 351). and remained
145.139 B,C,,,
there for some years in exile until he
became aware that the usurper had forfeited the goodwill
of his subjects by his negligence of state affairs and his
self-indulgence (I.ivy, @it. 50). In 147 B.C. he landed
un the Cilhcian coast with a farce of Cretan mercenaries
(I Macc. 106,). Ptolemy VI. Philometor had given
his daughter Cleopatra Thea ('one of the most
impudent women produced by the Ptolemy line, which
had no lack of such characterr,' Holm, Grk. Hiit
.4417j 1t1 ro wrngC t, .~I,~x,~t~.l~r, ,~ncl at \rat elme 10 hm
es%\,tan,c. but ,~f