Diodotus Tryphon was a king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire who initially acted as regent and tutor for the son of Alexander Balas.
Soon after the death of his charge, Antiochus VI, he convinced the army to elect him king, taking the titles of Basileus, as was tradition for Hellenistic kings, but also that of Autokrator. The term Autokrator is unique in the fact that it is not included on the coinage of any other Greek ruler from this period and that the Latin equivalent is that of Imperator.
As king, he fought against the Jews and Jonathan Apphus, before losing support when the true heir, Antiochus VII left Rhodes and raised an army to claim the throne.
Antiochus successfully pushed back Tryphon’s forces and besieged him in the fortress-city of Dor on the coast. Tryphon escaped by sea to Orthosia and made his way to his home-region of Apamea, where, being chased by Antiochus, he was either put to death or committed suicide.
Soon after the death of his charge, Antiochus VI, he convinced the army to elect him king, taking the titles of Basileus, as was tradition for Hellenistic kings, but also that of Autokrator. The term Autokrator is unique in the fact that it is not included on the coinage of any other Greek ruler from this period and that the Latin equivalent is that of Imperator.
As king, he fought against the Jews and Jonathan Apphus, before losing support when the true heir, Antiochus VII left Rhodes and raised an army to claim the throne.
Antiochus successfully pushed back Tryphon’s forces and besieged him in the fortress-city of Dor on the coast. Tryphon escaped by sea to Orthosia and made his way to his home-region of Apamea, where, being chased by Antiochus, he was either put to death or committed suicide.
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Tryphon
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Obverse: Head of Tryphon facing right, wearing diadem, dotted border
Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΤΡΥΦΩΝΩΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ, Spiked Macedonian helmet adorned with ibex horn and cheek guards, aphlaston at inner left
Diameter:
19 mm
Die Orientation: 1 H
Weight: 5.05 g
Die Orientation: 1 H
Weight: 5.05 g
Seleucid Empire
Diodotus Tryphon as King
Translation of reverse: "King Tryphon, Commander-in-Chief"
Diodotus Tryphon as King
Translation of reverse: "King Tryphon, Commander-in-Chief"
SC 2034.2a