Démétrios Ier Sôter

See also: Démétrios

Démétrios Ier Sôter (in Greek old Δημήτριος Σώτερ/ Dêmếtrios Sốter , “the Saver”) is a king of Syria of the family of the Séleucides.

He is the son of Séleucos IV Philopator . Still young person his/her father sends it as hostage to Rome where it probably remains of -176/-175 with -162, that is to say close to about fifteen years, because with the assassination of his/her father by Héliodore it is his/her uncle Antiochos IV Épiphane , itself former hostage, who seizes the throne (-175). To be held distant from Syria is probably a means for Démétrios of guaranteeing its safety vis-a-vis his/her uncle. In -162 it returns to Syria and makes assassinate Antiochos V Eupator , the son of Antiochos IV, a child of ten years which has just succeeded his/her father.

Its reign knows only one true brilliant deed with its intervention with Babylon which it delivers of two local tyrants, Timarque and Héraclide, and which is worth to him on behalf of the Babylonians his nickname of Sôter. the remainder of its reign is dominated by its fight against the Macchabées from which it really does not manage to come to end. That illustrates the considerable loss of power of the kingdom whereas Antiochos III, a half century rained early, guerroyait until in India. A usurper, Alexandre Ier Balled, with the support of the Egypt, seizes the capacity by détrônant Démétrios which is killed (-150) after a 12 years reign.

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