TRIPHON (Τρύφων, Trypho). - Usurper of the Seleucid throne (141-138 BC). While 1 Maccabees prefers this name, classical authors call him Diodotus (Appian, Syriaca, 68; Strabo, XIV, 5, 2). Born in Cassiane near Apamea on the Orontes (Strabo, XVI, 2, 10), T. held a high position at the time of Alexander Balas ([v.] Diodorus, XXXIII, 3; Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Iud., XIII, 131).
Taking advantage of the discontent among the soldiers of Demetrius II, he seized power, presenting to the people the son of Alexander Balas, who was living with the Arab Emathuel (1 Macc. 11, 38-40). At the beginning of the struggle against Demetrius, T. turned to Jonathan ([v.]), seeking his recognition and support, offering him numerous concessions for Judea and appointing Simon strategos of Palestine (ibid. 11, 54-59). In 145 BC, he occupied Antioch and the regions to the west and south, while Demetrius still controlled the northern and eastern provinces. Around 141 BC, T., who aspired to replace the young Antiochus VI directly by assuming the royal title, took Jonathan prisoner by a stratagem in Ptolemais (ibid. 12, 39-48); shortly afterward, he marched against Simon, blackmailing him with the promise of Jonathan’s release; but after obtaining the money, he put Jonathan to death (ibid. 13, 12-30).
Thereupon T. proclaimed himself king (ibid. 13, 31 sg.; Appian, Syriaca, 68; Diodorus, XXXIII, 17; Justin, XXXVI, 1; Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Iud., XIII, 187, 218). Opposed by Demetrius II and later by his brother Antiochus VII Sidetes, in 138 BC T. was defeated at Dora (1 Macc. 15, 25) and then at Orthosia (ibid. 15, 37) between Tripoli and the Nahr el-Kebir. T. ended his life as the leader of a band of pirates (Strabo, XIV, 5, 2).