Demetrius

DEMETRIUS. - Three kings of Syria of the Seleucid dynasty (v.).

DEMETRIUS I, SOTER

Son of Seleucus IV; he reigned from 162 to 150 B.C. (Seleucid era: 151-162).

A hostage of the Romans from 175, in place of his uncle Antiochus IV, he fled at the age of twenty-three, favored also by Polybius, with 16 men as escort, reached Tripoli in Syria, seized Antioch and had Antiochus V, his cousin, then on the throne, killed together with his guardian Lysias (162). He subjugated Babylonia, receiving the title of Σωτήρ ("savior") for the victory over the rebel satrap Timarchus.

He interfered with success, at least temporary, in Cappadocia. In Judea he supported the Hellenizers, imposing by arms the high priesthood of Alcimus. He sent Bacchides, then Nicanor and then again Bacchides against Judas Maccabeus who, after having defeated and killed Nicanor, ended heroically, and against Jonathan, who succeeded his brother Judas. When D. saw himself threatened by the usurper Alexander Balas, he sought the support of the Jews, granting to Jonathan, who was the effective leader after the death of Alcimus and the withdrawal of Bacchides, the right to enlist armed men and to free the hostages held by the Syrians. Jonathan availed himself of the concessions, but adhered to Balas, who offered him the high priesthood, the purple and the diadem, rightly considering insincere the subsequent offers made by D. The latter died fighting valiantly against Alexander Balas (150). Cf. I Mach. 9, 9-10, 50; II Mach. 14-15.

DEMETRIUS II, NICATOR

Son of the preceding. He owes his title ("victor") to the victory won over the usurper Alexander Balas. He reigned from 146 to 138 and from 130 to 125 B.C. (Seleucid era: 166-175; 182-187), in the interval having remained a prisoner of the Parthians.

In 146 he confirmed Jonathan in his dignity of high priest and exempted the Jews from tribute (I Macc. 11, 10-37), although Jonathan had been loyal to Balas and had fought against Apollonius, general of D. (I Macc. 10, 77-87). During the revolt of Tryphon, D. was supported by the Jews, who in Antioch saved him from the rioting crowd (I Macc. 11, 44-51). But D. failed to keep the promises he had made, and Jonathan went over to supporting Antiochus VI and Tryphon; he fought against the generals of D. (I Macc. 11, 52-74; 12, 24-34). But, after Jonathan had been betrayed and killed by Tryphon, Simon, the last of the Maccabean brothers, again supported D., who granted Judea the fullest autonomy (142). Cf. I Macc. 13, 34-43; 14, 38 f. In 138, D. fell prisoner of the Parthians (I Macc. 14, 1-3), while his brother Antiochus VII drove out Tryphon and seized the throne. In 130 the latter died fighting against the Parthians, and D. took up the throne again. He ended up murdered (125) while trying to embark at Tyre, to escape the usurper Alexander Zabinas.

DEMETRIUS III, EUCAERUS

One of the five sons of Antiochus VIII Grypus (d. 96 B.C.); he reigned over part of Syria with Damascus as his capital (c. 95-86). In 88 B.C., summoned by the Pharisees, he intervened against Alexander Jannaeus. But the same Jews who had rushed to help D., a pagan, abandoned him and joined Alexander in the mountains where he had taken refuge; D., considering himself deceived, returned to Damascus.

Francesco Spadafora