Editing Demetrius III Eucaerus (section)

===Manner of succession===

According to Josephus, Tryphaena's brother [[Ptolemy IX Lathyros|Ptolemy IX]] of Egypt installed Demetrius III in Damascus following the death of Antiochus XI Epiphanes in 93 BC; this statement cannot be correct as the date given by Josephus contradicts the numismatic evidence from Damascus.{{sfn|Atkinson|2016a|p=10}} Despite the chronological error, several arguments justify the theory of a collaboration between Ptolemy IX and Demetrius III;{{sfn|Dąbrowa|2011|p=177}} according to Ehling, the assumption of the epithet Philometor (mother loving) was meant to highlight Demetrius III's relation to his uncle Ptolemy IX.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=240}} Two main reconstructions of Demetrius III's rise to power exist:
* '''Demetrius III started his reign in Damascus''': the numismatist Oliver Hoover viewed the ascendance of Demetrius III in the context of the war of sceptres, a military conflict between Ptolemy IX and his mother [[Cleopatra III of Egypt|Cleopatra III]], who was allied with [[Alexander Jannaeus]] of [[Hasmonean dynasty|Judaea]]. This war took place in [[Coele-Syria]] and ended in 101 BC; Ptolemy IX was defeated and retreated to [[Cyprus]]. However, Hoover noted that Josephus synchronised the retreat of Ptolemy IX with the death of Antiochus VIII in 97/96 BC; such a synchronisation is perceived as imprecise by many scholars, but Hoover suggested that Josephus consciously associated the two events. According to Hoover, Josephus's account regarding Ptolemy IX's installation of Demetrius III in Damascus indicates that the Egyptian monarch did not evacuate Syria after the conclusion of his war with Cleopatra III, or that he perhaps invaded a second time to help Demetrius III following the death of his father. Ptolemy IX probably hoped to use his nephew as an agent in the region; if Demetrius III was installed by his uncle in Damascus in 216 SE (97/96 BC), then Josephus's synchronisation between Ptolemy IX's departure and the death of Antiochus VIII is correct.{{sfn|Hoover|2006|p=28}}
[[File:Demetrios III of syria.jpg|thumb|280px|Coin of Demetrius III from Seleucia Pieria]]
[[File:Demetrius III akairos.jpg|thumb|280px|Damascene coin of Demetrius III. Atargatis depicted on the reverse.]]

* '''Demetrius III took Antioch before Damascus''': Ehling proposed a different reconstruction of events; he contested the dating of Antiochus VIII's death to 96 BC based on Demetrius III's earliest dated coins and argued in favour of 215 SE (98/97 BC) for the former's death and the latter's succession.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=232}} Ehling's argument agrees with the view of the numismatist Arthur Houghton,{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=231}} who noted that the volume of coins minted by Seleucus VI, the immediate successor of Antiochus VIII, before his takeover of Antioch in 95 BC, surpassed any other mint known from the late Seleucid period.{{sfn|Houghton|1989|pp= 97, 98}} This led Houghton to suggest 98 or 97 BC instead of 96 BC for the death of Antiochus VIII as one year was not enough for Seleucus VI to produce his coins.{{sfn|Houghton|1989|p= 98}} Hoover rejected the new dating, noting that it was not rare for a king to double his production in a single year during military campaigns, which was the case for Seleucus VI, who was preparing for war against his uncle Antiochus IX.{{sfn|Hoover|2007|p= 286}} The academic consensus prefers 96 BC for the death of Antiochus VIII.{{sfn|Houghton|1989|p= 97}}

:Ehling's construction of Demetrius III's early reign has Demetrius III declaring himself king immediately after the death of his father{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=234}} with the help of Ptolemy IX, who, in the view of Ehling, probably supported his nephew with money, troops and ships.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=239}} Demetrius III landed in Seleucia Pieria, whose inhabitants were known for being Ptolemaic sympathisers, and was crowned king.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=240}}{{sfn|Kosmin|2014|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=9UWdAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA133 133]}} Demetrius III next took Antioch and spent a few weeks in the city before the arrival of Antiochus IX.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=234}} Demetrius III then marched on Damascus and made it his capital in 97 BC.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=240}} Ehling's argument is based on coins bearing the epithets Philometor Euergetes, which were attributed by some numismatists to Antioch,{{sfn|Ehling|2008|pp=233}} but are likely Cilician.{{#tag:ref|The coins Ehling agreed to their Antiochene origin are: a coin with the number 390 in the CSE (Coins of the Seleucid Empire in the Collection of Arthur Houghton) and the number 434 in the SMA (The Seleucid Mint of Antioch){{snd}}plus a bronze coin coded CSE 391.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|pp=233}} The numismatists Houghton, Catherine Lorber and Hoover attributed CSE 390 (SMA 434) to [[Tarsus, Mersin|Tarsus]],{{sfn|Houghton|Lorber|Hoover|2008|p=587}} and CSE 391 to Seleucia Pieria; the latter probably had the epithet Callinicus inscribed but some letters are missing due to damage.{{sfn|Houghton|Lorber|Hoover|2008|p=589}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Houghton|Lorber|Hoover|2008|pp=587, 589}} Since all the Damascene coins of Demetrius, which ceased production when the monarch lost his throne, carried dates from 216 SE (97/96 BC) to 225 SE (88/87 BC), and the coins bearing the epithets Philometor Euregetes from Antioch bear no dates, then it is logical, in the view of Ehling, to assume that the Antiochene issues preceded the Damascene one.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|pp=232, 233}} Ehling explained the change of royal titulary from Philometor Euergetes Callinicus in the north to Theos Philopator Soter in Damascus as a sign of a break between Demetrius III and Ptolemy IX; the Syrian king cast aside the epithet Philometor, which emphasised his mother's Ptolemaic ancestry, and instead invoked his father's heritage by assuming the epithet Philopator.{{sfn|Ehling|2008|p=240}} On the other hand, the majority of numismatists date Demetrius III's Antiochene coins to the year 225 SE (88/87 BC).{{sfn|Hoover|Houghton|Veselý|2008|p=208}}{{sfn|Lorber|Iossif|2009|p=103}}