Biography Demetrius I Soter

1 biography

1.1 confinement , escape
1.2 reign king
1.3 downfall , death

biography
early confinement , escape

demetrius sent rome hostage during reign of father seleucus iv philopator , mother laodice iv. when father murdered finance minister heliodorus in 175 bc., uncle antiochus iv epiphanes killed usurper, usurped throne himself. when antiochus iv died in 163 bc, 9-year-old son antiochus v eupator made king lysias. demetrius 22 years old (thus born in 185 bc). requested roman senate restore syrian throne him, rejected, since romans believed syria should ruled boy rather man. 2 years later, antiochus v weakened because rome sent emissary sink ships , hamstring elephants violation of peace of apamea, storing weaponry. demetrius escaped confinement , welcomed on syrian throne in 161 bc. killed antiochus v , lysias.

reign king

coin 162-150 ac.

demetrius infamous in jewish history victory on maccabees, killing judas maccabaeus in nisan, 160 bc. demetrius acquired surname of soter, or savior, babylonians, whom delivered tyranny of median satrap, timarchus. timarchus, had distinguished himself defending media against emergent parthians, seems have treated demetrius accession excuse declare himself independent king , extend realm babylonia. forces were, however, not enough legal seleucid king: demetrius defeated , killed timarchus in 160 bc, , dethroned ariarathes, king of cappadocia. seleucid empire temporarily united again. demetrius may have married sister laodice v, whom had 3 sons: demetrius ii nicator, antiochus vii sidetes , antigonus.

downfall , death

demetrius downfall may attributed heracleides, surviving brother of defeated rebel timarchus, championed cause of alexander balas, boy claimed natural son of antiochus iv epiphanes. heracleides convinced roman senate support young pretender against demetrius i.

the jews had role in down fall of demetrius i. alexander balas came mercenary army, landed , occupied ptolemais, , reigned rival king of seleucids in 152 bc. appointed jonathan maccabaeus, brother , successor of judas maccabaeus, high priest of judea, in order make jews allies. jonathan, born of priestly family not zadok, high priestly stock, took title in tishri, 152 bc. when demetrius heard of it, wrote letter granting more privileges jonathan (1 macc. 10:25-45). jews did not believe in him, because of past persecutions of jews. joined balas, defeated , killed demetrius in 150 bc.