Editing Antiochus XII Dionysus (section)

====First Nabataean campaign and the incursions of Philip I====
Antiochus XII's first Nabataean campaign was launched in 87 BC,{{sfn|Roschinski|1980|p=144}} and might have included a battle near Motho, modern [[Imtan]] in the region of Hauran, as proposed by the historian Hans Peter Roschinski, who drew on the writings of [[Stephanus of Byzantium]].{{sfn|Shatzman|1991|p=119}} The Byzantine historian preserved in his book, ''Ethica'', fragments from a lost work by the historian Uranius of Apamea, who wrote a book titled ''Arabica'', which has been dated to 300 AD.{{sfn|Retso|2003|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=pUepRuQO8ZkC&pg=PA491 491]}}{{sfn|Sartre|2005|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9y7nTpFcN3AC&pg=PA19 19]}} In the account of Uranius, King [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus I]] ({{reign|306|301|era=BC}}) is killed at Motho by a king of the Arabs named Rabbel.{{sfn|Sartre|2005|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9y7nTpFcN3AC&pg=PA19 19]}} The name Motho could refer to a northern city in [[Hauran]] or a southern city in [[Moab]].{{#tag:ref|In the ''[[Notitia Dignitatum]]'', Motho is where the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] ''[[Cohort (military unit)|Cohors]] I Augusta Thracum Equitata'' was stationed. The city of [[Mu'tah]] in Moab, where the ''Equites Scutarii Illyriciani'' was stationed, is named Motha in the ''Notitia Dignitatum''.{{sfn|Chaniotis|Corsten|Stroud|Tybout|2007|p=551}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Chaniotis|Corsten|Stroud|Tybout|2007|p=551}} The name of Antigonus was regularly "corrected" to Antiochus by different scholars who believed that Uranius was referring to Antiochus XII.{{#tag:ref|The historian [[Józef Milik]] rejected the practice of correcting Uranius's work. Milik believed that instead of Antigonus I or Antiochus XII, the passage refers to [[Antigonid–Nabataean confrontations|Athenaeus]], an official of Antigonus who fought the Nabataeans.{{sfn|Bowersock|1971|p=226}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Bowersock|1971|p=226}} Roschinski considered it conceivable that Stephanus was conflating two events taking place during the reign of the Nabataean King Rabbel I: a battle of Antiochus XII's first Nabataean campaign at Motho in the north, and the battle from the second Nabataean campaign in which Antiochus XII was killed.{{sfn|Roschinski|1980|p=144}} Shatzman, on the other hand, noted that nowhere in his work did Stephanus indicate that the battle of Motho took place in the north.{{sfn|Shatzman|1991|p=119}}

Taking advantage of his brother's absence, Philip I seized Damascus,{{sfn|Hoover|Houghton|Veselý|2008|p= 214}} aided by the governor of the city's citadel, Milesius, who opened the gates to him. According to Josephus, Milesius received no reward from Philip I, who attributed the betrayal to the general's fear, leading Milesius to betray Philip I, who had left the city to attend an event in the nearby [[hippodrome]]. The general closed the gates, locking Philip I out, and awaited the return of Antiochus XII, who had hastily ended his campaign when he heard of his brother's occupation of the city.{{#tag:ref|The citadel is called "akra" by Josephus; a word that indicates a garrisoned fortified camp located in the outskirts of a city. Josephus also implied that the citadel was close to the hippodrome of Damascus, whose remains are located under the {{ill|Dahdah cemetery|ar|مقبرة الدحداح}} just outside the [[Ancient City of Damascus|ancient city]].{{sfn|Dąbrowa|2003|p=51}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Josephus|1833|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=9sA5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA422 422]}} Modern scholars noted that Seleucid currency, struck during campaigns against a rival (or usurper), portrayed the King sporting a beard.{{sfn|Lorber|Iossif|2009|p= 112}} During his first two years, Antiochus XII's visage appeared beardless, but this changed in 228 SE (85/84 BC). This is possibly related to Philip I's attack on Damascus, but this supposition has little support, as Antiochus XII failed to take any action against his brother.{{sfn|Lorber|Iossif|2009|p= 104}} No coins were minted during the period that Philip I held Damascus, indicating only a brief occupation of the city.{{sfn|Hoover|Houghton|Veselý|2008|p= 214}}