Antiochus IX Cyzicenus

Relatives:

• Father: Antiochus VII Sidetes
• Mother: Cleopatra Thea
• Wives: Cleopatra IV; Cleopatra V Selene (both daughters of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Physcon)
• Children: Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator

• After the death of Demetrius II Nicator (125), queen Cleopatra Thea ensured that Demetrius' son Antiochus VIII Grypus became king; after a period of joint rule, Antiochus killed his mother, and became sole ruler of the Seleucid Empire
• From another marriage, with Antiochus VII Sidetes, Cleopatra had another son: Antiochus IX Cyzicenus, who spent his youth in Cyzicus
• In 115, he obtains an army when he marries Cleopatra IV, who has just learned that her husband Ptolemy IX Soter has divorced her.
• In 114/113, he revolts against his brother, the lawful king. 
• Antiochus IX occupies the southern part of Syria; Antiochus VIII keeps the capitals and Cilicia
• 112: After a defeat, Cleopatra IV is captured by Antiochus VIII and killed.
• The two Seleucid rulers find allies in Ptolemaic Egypt:
• Antiochus VIII Grypus is joined by Ptolemy X Alexander
• Antiochus IX Sidetes is supported by Ptolemy IX Soter Lathyros
• Antiochus IX and Ptolemy IX Soter support the Samarians against the Hasmonaean king John Hyrcanus of Judaea
• Rome intervenes for the Jews, and against the Samarians and Antiochus IX
• 103: Antiochus VIII marries to Cleopatra V Selene (daughter of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Physcon)
• 96: Natural death of Antiochus VIII; his wife marries Antiochus IX, who is now within reach of reuniting the Seleucid Empire
• However, the son of Antiochus VIII, Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator, continues the rule of his father
• Early 95: In this struggle, Antiochus IX is defeated and killed
• Late 95: a son of Antiochus IX, Antiochus X Eusebes, defeats Seleucus

Sources:

• Appian of Alexandria, Syrian Wars, 68
• Diodorus of Sicily, Library of World History, 34/35.1
• Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, 13.270ff, 277ff, 325, 366ff