Antiochus VIII Grypus

Successor of: Demetrius II Nicator

Relatives:

• Father: Demetrius II Nicator
• Mother: Cleopatra Thea
• First wife: Tryphaena (daughter of Ptolemy VIII Physcon) 
• Second wife: Cleopatra V Selene (daughter of Ptolemy VIII Physcon)
• Children:
• Seleucus VI Epiphanes Nicator
• Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus
• Demetrius III Eucaerus (or Philopator)
• Philip I Philadelphus
• Antiochus XII Dionysus
• Laodice VII Thea Philadelphus (married to Mithradates I Callinicus of Commagene)

• In 125, Demetrius II Nicator is defeated by a rebel named Alexander II Zabinas
• In the Seleucid Empire, there is a crisis of succession. Seleucus V attempts to become sole ruler, but is killed
• Queen Cleopatra Thea and Antiochus VIII decide to share the throne
• 124/123: Antiochus VIII marries to Tryphaena (daughter of PPtolemy VIII Physcon)
• 123: Alexander is defeated, captured, and executed
• 121: Antiochus forces Cleopatra Thea to commit suicide
• 114/113: revolt of Antiochus IX Cyzicenus, a son of Cleopatra Thea from her marriage with Antiochus VII Sidetes
• Antiochus VIII keeps the capitals and Cilicia, but is unable to prevent the Cilician pirates from becoming powerful; Antiochus IX occupies the southern part of Syria
• 112: stabilization
• The two Seleucid kings find allies in Ptolemaic Egypt:
• Antiochus VIII Grypus is joined by Ptolemy X Alexander
• Antiochus IX Sidetes is supported by the Ptolemaic king-in-exile Ptolemy IX Soter Lathyros
• 104: the Roman commander Marcus Antonius attacks the Cilician pirates
• 103: Antiochus VIII marries to Cleopatra V Selene (daughter of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Physcon)
• 96: Natural death; in order to put an end to the civil war, his wife marries Antiochus IX. However, a son of Antiochus VIII, Seleucus, continues his father's rule.

Sources:

• Appian of Alexandria, Syrian Wars, 68
• Diodorus of Sicily, Library of World History, 34/35.28, 34/25.40.1a
• Flavius Josephus, Jewish War, 1.65
• Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, 13.269ff, 325, 365