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Message:: [QUOTE="Pavlos, post: 7776447, member: 96635"]The Seleukid Empire was in turmoil, Antiochos VIII his uncle Antiochos VII died fighting the Parthians. His father Demetrios II Nikator, who was captured by the Parthians, was released. He claimed the throne but was soon killed by the pretender Alexander II Zabinas. His mother, Cleopatra Thea, a powerful Seleukid queen, having married three Seleukid kings bearing children from all of them, made a civil war inevitable. First, she assassinated her oldest son Seleukos V in 125 BC, the rightful heir of the throne, as she was afraid he would find out that she was involved in the death of his father Demetrios II Nikator. <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Syria_in_124_BC.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> Territory of the Seleukid Empire somewhere around this period (124 BC), heavy loss of ground to the Parthians. Antiochos VIII then was the next heir and ruled with her mother Cleopatra Thea, killing the pretender Alexander Zabinas somewhere in 123 BC. Next, in 121 BC her mother wanted to assassinate him with poisoned wine, being suspicious, the king let her mother drink the wine first, and she died... Happy family. Antiochos VIII now is the sole ruler of the Seleukid Empire. However this is not the end, but just the beginning. A half-brother of Antiochos VIII, called Antiochos IX, who was the son of Antiochos VII with Cleopatra Thea, was sent by her mother to Kyzikos. After his mother died he ofcourse also saw himself as the rightful heir. In 114/3 BC he started heading back to Syria, and drove his brother Antiochos VIII out of the 'capital' Antioch. Antiochos VIII was compelled to seek refuge in the Pamphylian city of Aspendos. Antiochos IX reigned independently in the fall of the same year until the summer of 112 BC, where Antiochos VIII returned and deposed him again.Antiochos VIII ruled for another 2 years, losing it once more to his brother in the year 110/109 BC. He immediately returned the same year and held Antioch until he was assassinated by the general Herakleon in 97/6 BC.In this third reign, Antiochos VIII struck these coins in Antioch, most likely for military needs:[ATTACH=full]1333864[/ATTACH]Antiochos VIII Epiphanes (Grypos) (121/0-97/6 B.C.) AR Tetradrachm. 3rd reign at Antioch, ca. 109-96 B.C.Obverse: Diademed head of Antiochos VIII to right.Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANTIOXOY - EΠIΦANOYΣ Zeus seated left, holding Nike in his right hand and scepter in his left; to left, monogram of PE above A; below throne, monogram; all within laurel wreath.Reference: SC 2309.2d.16.07g; 27mm After his death his place at Antioch was again taken up by Antiochos IX, who reigned there for only a year, until circa 96/95 B.C.In that 1 year, Antiochos IX struck these coins at Antioch:[ATTACH=full]1333866[/ATTACH]Antiochos IX Eusebes Philopator (Kyzikenos), 114/3-95 BC. AR Tetradrachm. 3rd reign at Antioch, ca. 96-95 B.C.Obverse: Diademed head of Antiochos IX to right.Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANTIOXOY - ΦΙΛΟΠATOPOΣ Zeus seated left, holding Nike in his right hand and long scepter in his left; to outer left and below throne, monograms; all within laurel wreath.Reference: SC 2369.1a.16.17g; 28mm He was then killed by his nephew, the son of Antiochos VIII, who wanted to avenge his father. This is also only just the beginning, a whole civil war starts after this, involving all of Antiochos IX and Antiochos VIII their sons: Antiochos X, Antiochos XI, Antiochos XII, Demetrios III, Seleukos VI and Philip I. I am glad to have these two new tetradrachms, there seems some kind of new hoard is discovered as they are flooding the market together with Philip I and Antiochos X tetradrachms. Please share your relevant coins![/QUOTE]

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