Demetrius II Nicator, King of Syria

165 BCE - 125 BCE

• Name	Demetrius II Nicator
  Birth	165 BCE  [1]
  History	From 145 BCE to 138 BCE
  Say 151 BCE - Demetrios fled to Crete after the death of his father, his mother and his older brother, when Alexander Balas usurped the Seleucid throne. About 147 BCE - Demetrius returned to Syria with a force of Cretan mercenaries led by a man called Lasthenes, while Alexander Balas was occupied with a revolt in Cilicia. In 145 BC Ptolemy VI Philometor, king of Egypt, ostensibly in support of Alexander Balas, but he switched his support to Demetrius. Ptolemy sealed the alliance by divorcing his daughter Cleopatra Thea from Alexander and remarrying her to Demetrius. Shortly after, Antioch surrendered to the Egyptian forces and offered the kingship to Ptolemy VI. However, he insisted Demetrius would become king, believing that Rome would not tolerate the unification of Egypt and Syria. Ptolemy pledged to serve as "a tutor in goodness and a guide" to Demetrius II. He probably intended for Demetrius to serve as a puppet ruler. [1, 2] 145 BCE - He was crowned the King of Syria. [1, 2] July/August 138 BCE - He lost the throne and was a captured by the Parthians and held in Hyrcania in Parthia. His brother Antiochus VII ruled the Seleucid Empire in the interim between his two reigns. [2] 130 BCE - Antiochus Sidetes felt secure enough to march against Parthia, and scored massive initial successes. Now Phraates II made what he thought was a powerful move: he released Demetrius, hoping that the two brothers would start a civil war. However, Sidetes was defeated soon after his brother's release and never met him. Phraates II sent people to pursue Demetrius, but he managed to safely return home to Syria and regained his throne and his queen as well. [2] 129 BCE - He gained the throne again and ruled until his death. [2]
  Death	125 BCE  [1]
  He was assassinated in Tyre in 125 BC at the orders of his wife Cleopatra Thea. [3]
  Siblings	1 brother
  + 1. Demetrius II Nicator, King of Syria,   b. 165 BCE   d. 125 BCE ▻ Cleopatra Thea;   Rhodogunde, Parthian Princess + 2. Antiochus VII Sidetes,   b. Abt 164 BCE   d. 160 BCE ▻ Cleopatra Thea
  Patriarch & Matriarch	Seleucius   (7 x Great Grandfather)  Laodice V  (Mother)
  Person ID, Branch	I9487	Roy Line, Boudreau Line
  Last Modified	13 Jul 2021

  
  

  Father	Demetrius I Soter, King of the Seleucid Empire,   b. 186 BCE   d. 150 BCE
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Laodice V
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F6632	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 1	Cleopatra Thea,   b. Abt 164 BCE   d. 121 BCE  Other Partners: Alexander Bales, King of Syria  m. Abt 150 BCE;   Antiochus VII Sidetes  m. yes, date unknow
  Marriage	Abt 145 BCE  [1, 3]
  Children	2 sons and 1 daughter
  1. Seleucus V Philometor  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] +   2. Antiochus VIII Philometer, King of Syria,   b. 143 BCE   d. 96 BCE  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] ▻ Cleopatra Tryphæna;   Cleopatra V >   3. Laodice  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] ▻ Phraates II of Partha  m. yes date unknow
  Family ID	F6628	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Jul 2021

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 2	Rhodogunde, Parthian Princess
  Marriage	yes, date unknown  [1, 2]
  Children	They had children, but these remained with their mother after Demetrius returned from captivity.  [2]
  Family ID	F6631	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Jul 2021

  
  

• Pedigree

  ← Click to display 1Demetrius II Nicator, King of Syria(165 BCE – 125 BCE) 2Demetrius I Soter, King of the Seleucid Empire(186 BCE – 150 BCE) 4Seleucus IV Philopator, Basileus of the Seleucid Empire 8Antiochus III Megas, Basileus of the Seleucid Empire(242 BCE – 187 BCE) 16Seleucus II Callinius, King of Syria(265 BCE – 226 BCE) 17Laodice II 9Laodice III 18Mithradates II, King of Pontus(Abt 260 BCE – 220 BCE) 19Laodice II(260 BCE – ) 5Laodice IV, Queen of the Seleucid Empire(223 BCE – Abt 162 BCE) 10Antiochus III Megas, Basileus of the Seleucid Empire(242 BCE – 187 BCE) 20Seleucus II Callinius, King of Syria(265 BCE – 226 BCE) 21Laodice II 11Laodice III 22Mithradates II, King of Pontus(Abt 260 BCE – 220 BCE) 23Laodice II(260 BCE – ) 3Laodice V 6 12 24 25 13 26 27 7 14 28 29 15 30 31

  
  

• Photos

  Coin of Demetrius II Nicator

  
  

• Sources 🟢 Primary Evidence 🟡 Secondary Evidence 🟠 Tertiary Evidence 🔴 Unreliable Evidence

  [S60] Stuart, Roderick W., Royalty for Commoners, The Complete Known Lineage of John of Gaunt, Son of Edward III, King of England, and Queen Philippa Fourth Edition, (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2002). [S304] Wikipedia, Demetrius II Nicator. [S304] Wikipedia, Cleopatra Thea.