Editing Seleucus VI Epiphanes (section)

===Policy and the war against Antiochus X===
In 144 SE (169/168 BC), King [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes|Antiochus IV]] allowed nineteen cities to mint municipal bronze coinage in their own names, indicating his awareness of the mutual dependency of cities and the monarchy on each other.{{#tag:ref|Antiochus IV needed the cities' loyalty, and thus, conferred the prerogative on them.{{sfn|Meyer|2001|p= 506}} Minting coinage was a sign of autonomy, derived from the tradition of Greek [[polis|poleis]] (i.e. city states).{{sfn|Howgego|1995|pp=41, 43}} The autonomy of Seleucid cities did not affect the cities' obligations towards the king so long as the monarchy was strong, but when the center became weaker, during the era of Antiochus VIII and Antiochus IX, the cities acquired traditional powers of Greek poleis.{{sfn|Bar-Kochva|1976|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y_sAi7EkTLkC&pg=PA219 219]}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Meyer|2001|p= 506}} This movement towards greater autonomy continued as the cities sought to emancipate themselves from the central power, adding the phrase "sacred and autonomous" to their coinage.{{sfn|Equini Schneider|1999a|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=pI6efHdZopcC&pg=PA380 380]}} Seleucus VI did not follow the policy of his forebears. In Cilicia, as long as he reigned, autonomy was not granted; a change in the political status of Cilician cities was apparently not acceptable for Seleucus VI.{{sfn|Houghton|Bendall|1988|p= 85}}

Seleucus VI controlled Cilicia and Syria Seleucis (Northern Syria).{{#tag:ref|Regarding the geographical extent of Seleucus VI's dominions:
* The [[Roman Republic|Romans]] established a province of [[Cilicia (Roman province)|Cilicia]] in 102 BC, but it did not include areas geographically in the region, and the city of [[Side, Turkey|Side]] was the easternmost point of that province.{{sfn|Oktan|2011|pp= 268, 273}}
* The Italian numismatist [[Nicola Francesco Haym]], based on a coin of Seleucus VI, proposed that the king's realm extended beyond the [[Euphrates]] river to the [[Tigris]], and that he held court in the city of [[Nusaybin|Nisibis]]. Haym reached his conclusion by reading the monogram on the coin, which he thought represented the city of Nisibis.{{sfn|Haym|1719|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=V3hQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA42 42]}} This coin was minted in Seleucia on the Calycadnus according to modern numismatists, such as Houghton.{{sfn|Houghton|1989|p= 93}} Following the defeat of [[Antiochus VII Sidetes|Antiochus VII]] (died 129 BC) in his war against [[Parthian Empire|Parthia]], the Euphrates became Syria's eastern border.{{sfn|Hogg|1911|p=[[:s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Mesopotamia|184]]}} Parthia established the river as its western border and included the region of [[Osroene]].{{sfn|Kia|2016|p= 55}} |group=note}}{{sfn|Houghton|1989|p= 78}} Antiochus IX had a son, [[Antiochus X Eusebes|Antiochus X]]; according to Josephus, he fled to the city of [[Arwad|Aradus]] where he declared himself king.{{sfn|Josephus|1833|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=9sA5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA421 421]}} Seleucus VI attempted to kill his cousin and rival but the plot failed,{{sfn|Appian|1899|p= [https://archive.org/stream/romanhistoryapp01whitgoog#page/n426/mode/2up 324]}} and Antiochus X married Cleopatra Selene to enhance his position.{{sfn|Dumitru|2016|p= 264}} The archaeologist [[Alfred Bellinger]] believed that Seleucus VI prepared for his coming war against Antiochus X in Elaiussa.{{sfn|Houghton|1989|p= 78}} In 94{{nbsp}}BC, Antiochus X advanced on the capital Antioch and drove Seleucus VI out of northern Syria into Cilicia.{{sfn|Houghton|1989|p= 97}} According to Eusebius, the final battle took place near Mopsuestia, and ended with the defeat of Seleucus VI.{{sfn|Eusebius|1875|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=1iNSAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA259 259]}}