Editing Diodotus Tryphon (section)

===Generalship and regency===
Diodotus was originally from {{ill|Casiana|el|Κασιανά Συρίας}}, a dependent town of the city of [[Apamea, Syria|Apamea]].<ref>Strabo 16.2.10</ref> He served as a general for [[Alexander Balas]], during the civil war which the latter fought with [[Demetrius II Nicator]]. In 145 BC, when Alexander's father-in-law [[Ptolemy VI|Ptolemy VI of Egypt]] switched his support to Demetrius II and invaded Syria, Diodotus and a man called Hierax were in command of the city of [[Antioch]].<ref>Diodorus 33.3.</ref> They surrendered Antioch to Ptolemy and declared him king of the Seleucid Empire. Ptolemy, unwilling to rule both the Egyptian and Seleucid realms directly, declined the title in favour of Demetrius II.<ref>1 Maccabees 11. 13; Josephus AJ 13.113–15.</ref><ref name="auto">{{harvnb|Chrubasik|2016|pp=133–4}}</ref>

;Revolt against Demetrius II
[[File:Antiochos VI.jpg|thumb|150px|Coin struck by Diodotus in the name of Antiochus VI]]
As Demetrius II secured himself on the throne, he began to eliminate former associates of Alexander Balas.<ref>[[Diodorus]] ''Bibliotheca'' 33.4.2</ref> Diodotus (Trypho) is introduced in the [[First Book of Maccabees]] as "a certain Trypho [who] had formerly been one of Alexander’s supporters", who sees and seizes an opportunity when "he saw that all the troops were grumbling against Demetrius [II]".<ref>{{bibleverse|1|Maccabees|11:39|NRSV}}: [[New Revised Standard Version]]</ref> He probably considered himself to be in danger, and he fled to an Arab ruler called Zabdiel or Imalkue, who had been entrusted with the care of Alexander Balas's young son. Diodotus, with Arab support, declared Alexander's son the new king, as Antiochus VI Dionysus. The new king was less than five years old and Diodotus held all actual power as his regent.<ref>1 Maccabees 11.39-40; Josephus ''AJ'' 13.131, 144</ref><ref name="auto"/>

Diodotus and Antiochus were initially ignored by Demetrius who had to consolidate his power and was also faced with financial troubles.<ref>Diodorus ''Bibliotheca'' 33.4.2–3; I Maccabees 11.45–50; Josephus ''AJ'' 13.137–41</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Chrubasik|2016|pp=135–6}}</ref> Utilising the discontent against the ruling regime Diodotus gathered a large army at his headquarters in [[Qinnasrin|Chalcis ad Belum]]. Eventually, Demetrius marched against them but he was defeated in battle, after which Diodotus gained control of [[Apamea, Syria|Apamea]] and Antioch.<ref>Diodoros ''Bibliotheca'' 33.4a; 1 Maccabees 11.55-56; Josephus ''AJ'' 13.144</ref> Numismatic evidence indicates that Apamea was taken in early 144 and Antioch in late 144 or early 143.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Houghton |first1=Arthur |title=The Revolt of Tryphon and the Accession of Antiochos VI at Apamea |journal=[[Schweizerische Numismatische Rundschau]] |date=1992 |volume=71 |pages=119–141}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Chrubasik|2016|pp=136–7}}</ref>

Diodotus, in the name of the boy-king Antiochus VI, controlled most of Inland Syria, including Antioch, Apamea, Larisa and Chalcis. Demetrius on the other hand based himself in [[Seleucia Pieria]] and retained control of many of the Syrian and Phoenician coastal cities and [[Cilicia]].<ref>Livy ''Periochae'' 52; Josephus AJ 13.145</ref> Mesopotamia continued to recognise Demetrius as well and an invasion of the region by Diodotus in mid-144 seems to have been a failure.<ref>''[[Astronomical Diaries]]'' III 143 A flake 20–1</ref> Territories further east, such as [[Susa]] and [[Elymais]] were conquered by the [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]], who eventually took control of Mesopotamia as well in mid-141 BC.<ref>{{harvnb|Chrubasik|2016|p=137 n. 50 & 51}}</ref>

;Intervention in Judaea
At the same time Diodotus made diplomatic overtures to the Jews under [[Jonathan Apphus]] in order to have them join with him against Demetrius, giving him honours and appointing his brother [[Simon Thassi]] as general. Jonathan accepted these overtures. Josephus justifies this by claiming that Demetrius had persecuted the Jews and that the memory of Alexander Balas encouraged them to support his son Antiochus VI.<ref>I Maccabees 11.57-59; Josephus ''AJ'' 13.145-148</ref> The situation did not last, however. The Jewish sources claim that the boldness of the Jonathan's attacks on Demetrius' supporters led Diodotus to fear his power and begin to plot against him. In 142 BC, Diodotus dispatched troops who lured Jonathan to Ptolemais with a small guard and captured him. Although Simon Thassi paid the money that Diodotus had demanded as a ransom for his brother, Diodotus had him executed anyway and attempted to attack [[Jerusalem]]. Heavy snowfall forced him to abandon the siege and return to Syria.<ref>I Maccabees 13.12–24; Josephus ''AJ'' 13.203–18.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Chrubasik|2016|pp=137–8}}</ref> Simon quickly became a close ally of Demetrius II, who granted extensive freedoms to him - later seen as the moment when the [[Hasmonean]] Jewish state achieved full independence.<ref>I Maccabees 13.35-49</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Chrubasik|2016|pp=139–140}}</ref>

In the same year an army of Tryphon's routed a pro-Demetrius force under Sarpedon between Ptolemais and Tyre, but as they were marching along the coast in pursuit, a great tidal wave wiped out the army, according to [[Athenaeus]].<ref>Athenaeus 8.333</ref>