TRYPHON (Τρύφων, Trypho). - Usurper of the Seleucid throne (141-138 B.C.). While in 1 Maccabees this name is preferred, 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 office at the time of Alexander Balas ([v.] Diodorus, XXXIII, 3; Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Jud., XIII, 131).
He took advantage of the discontent of Demetrius II's soldiers to seize power, presenting to the people the son of Alexander Balas, who was living with the Arab Emalchuel (1 Macc. 11, 38-40). At the beginning of the struggle against Demetrius, T. turned to Jonathan (v.), asking him for recognition and support, offering him numerous concessions for Judea and appointing Simon strategus of Palestine (ibid. 11, 54-59). He occupied (145 B.C.) Antioch and the regions to the west and south, while Demetrius still controlled the northern and eastern provinces. Around 141 T., who aspired to replace the boy Antiochus VI directly, assuming the title of king, seized Jonathan by a stratagem (ibid. 12, 39-48) in Ptolemais; then, shortly afterwards, he marched against Simon, blackmailing him with the promise of the prisoner's release; but, having obtained the money, he killed Jonathan (ibid. 13, 12-30).
Then T. proclaimed himself king (ibid. 13, 31 ff.; Appian, Syriaca, 68; Diodorus, XXXIII, 17; Justin, XXXVI, 1; Flavius Josephus, Antiq. Jud., XIII, 187, 218). But, opposed by Demetrius II and then by the latter's brother Antiochus VII Sidetes, T. in 138 B.C. 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 group of pirates (Strabo, XIV, 5, 2).
Angelo Penna