weight 15,88gr. | silver Ø 26mm.
obv. Diademed head of Demetrios II right within fillet border
rev. Tyche seated left on backless throne supported by tritoness,
holding sceptre and cornucopia, BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY to right,
ΦΙΛΑΔΕ – ΛΦΟΥ ΝΙΚΑΤΟΡΟΣ to left, monogram in exergue.
Demetrius II Nikator was the eldest son of Demetrios I Soter, brother of Antiochos VII Sidetes and his mother could have been Laodice V. But after the death of Demetrius I, it was Alexander I Balas who claimed to be the son of Antiochis IV and thus ascended the throne as king. In 147 BC, Demetrios II (soon to be styled Nikator, that is "the Victorious"), landed in Cilicia to claim his throne. The father in-law, Ptolemiaos VI Philometer, rushed to help Alexander, but, for some unknown reason, the latter tried to assassinate him in the city of Ptolemais. Ptolemaios VI simply changed sides, while Antiochia on the Orontes, the capital city, revolted and offered the crown to Ptolemaios, who was wise enough to decline it, but persuded the citizens to support Demetrios II.
The final battle was fought in 145 BC in Syria, on the Oinoparas river. Alexander was defeated and fled. Ptolemaios VI was seriously wounded and died soon after. The end was close also for the former king. Alexander sought refuge to a Nabataean prince, who murdered him and sent his head to Ptolemaios VI Philometor, who had been mortally wounded in the engagement. Demetrios II Nikator ruled the Seleukid Empire for two periods (145-140 and 129-125 BC), separated by a number of years of captivity in Hyrcania in Parthia. In 145 BC general Diodotus Tryphon conquered Antiochia and had his protégé Antiochos VI Dionysos, the infant son of Alexander Balas, proclaimed king. In 139 BC, Parthian activity forced Demetrius to take action. He marched against Mithradates I, king of Parthia and was initially successful, but was defeated in the Iranian mountains and taken prisoner the following year.
cf. BMC 18 | SC.1984.1 | HGC 9, 967 (R2) |
cf. Sear 7053 | SNG.Spaer 1752 RR
Minor traces of oxidation. Very rare.
vf
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