Antiochus X Eusebes

Successor of: Antiochus IX Cyzicenus

Relatives

• Father: Antiochus IX Cyzicenus
• Wife: Cleopatra V Selene
• Children: Antiochus XIII Asiaticus, Seleucus Cybiosactes

Main deeds

• Since 114/113, two sons of queen Cleopatra Thea had been quarreling, and their rivalry had become connected with a similar struggle in Ptolemaic Egypt:
  • Antiochus VIII Grypus, son of Demetrius II Nicator and Cleopatra Thea, was joined by Ptolemy X Alexander; they controled the northern half of the empire
  • Antiochus IX Cyzicenus, son of Antiochus VII Sidetes and Cleopatra Thea, was supported by the Ptolemaic king-in-exile Ptolemy IX Soter Lathyros; they controled the southern part of the empire
• 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 IX
• In 96, it seemed that this conflict could come to an end when Antiochus VIII died and his wife Cleopatra V Selene married to Antiochus IX Cyzicenus. It seemed that the southern branch of the Seleucid dynasty would win the rivalry.
• Summer 96: A son of Antiochus VIII, Seleucus VI Epiphanes, continued his father's rule and overcame Antiochus IX.
• Again, this might have been the opportunity for a reunion of the Seleucid Empire, now under the northern branch of the dynasty, but instead, a son of Antiochus IX kept his father's territories. This Antiochus X Eusebes Philopator married his stepmother, Cleopatra Selene
• Summer 94: Antiochus X defeats Seleucus at Mopsuestia in Cilicia; Seleucus is burned alive
• The Seleucids are able to miss this third opportunity to achieve peace as well. The northern branch finds a new leader in Antiochus XI Epiphanes Philadelphus,
• 93: Antiochus XI occupies Antioch, and is repelled, defeated and killed by Antiochus X Eusebes. He takes over the northern part, but does not control the deep south, where Demetrius and Philip continue to rule
• c.89: War against the Parthians, end of the reign of Antiochu, who is defeated by Mithridates Sinaces and Aziz the Arab
• Civil war between Demetrius and Philip

Sources

• Appian of Alexandria, Syrian Wars, 48-49, 69-70, Mithridatic Wars, 105-106, Civil Wars, 5.10
• Cassius Dio, Roman History, 37.7a
• Diodorus of Sicily, Library of World History, 40.1
• Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, 13.367ff

Literature

• O. Hoover, "Revised Chronology for the Late Seleucids at Antioch (121/0-64 BC)" in: Historia 65/3 (2007) 280-301