Demetrius II Nicator (Seleucid king, 145-140 and 129-125 BC)

Mints

Demetrius II Theos Nicator ("the God [and] Victor") was the twelfth king of the Seleucid Empire who experienced two distinct periods of rule. His first reign took place between 146 and 138 BC. In 146 BC, at the age of thirteen, Demetrius II arrived in Syria with a mercenary army intent on overthrowing his father's killer, Alexander I. Demetrius II was successful in this endeavor but alienated much of Syria by quelling riots in Antioch through massacre and by preferring foreign mercenaries to the established Seleucid army. A Seleucid commander named Diodotus proclaimed Antiochus VI, the young son of Alexander I, as rival king and forced Demetrius II out of Antioch. Unable to crush his enemies in Syria and faced with the advance of the Arsacid Parthians into Babylonia, Demetrius II marched to war against the Parthian king Mithradates I. Despite early successes, Demetrius II was defeated and captured in 139 BC. He subsequently lived in honorable captivity at the Parthian court until 129 BC, when he was released. The freed king returned to Antioch and resumed the great unpopularity that had plagued his first reign. His involvement in the conflict between Cleopatra II and Ptolemy VII of Egypt caused the latter to raise a pretender, Alexander II, against him. Demetrius II was defeated near Damascus in 125 BC. He fled to his wife, Cleopatra Thea, at Ptolemais (Ake), but she barred the doors against him. Demetrius II then attempted to find safety at Tyre, but he was killed by the city guards, perhaps on Cleopatra's orders.

Die Studies

Item	MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.	WeightCarter 1983 * Median weight * 20000 (*10 if gold or electrum)
S 130 - Berytus / Laodicea in Phoenicia, bronze, Module 1 (system of 4 modules), 129-125 BC	Bronze
H 299 - Nisibis (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (142-140 BCE)	Silver	1,309 kg
S 2018 - Ptolemais-Ake (Demetrius II), silver, didrachms (eagle) (128-126 BCE)	Silver	337 kg
Tyre (Seleucid kings), silver, tetradrachms (152-125 BCE)	Silver	75,109 kg
Ptolemais-Ake (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (eagle) (128-126 BCE)	Silver	6,381 kg
Ptolemais-Ake (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (128-126 BCE)	Silver	2,912 kg
Antioch (Demetrius II), silver, drachms (130-128 BCE)	Silver	328 kg
Antioch (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (129-128 BCE) Houghton	Silver	4,202 kg
Antioch (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (130-128 BCE) Schwei	Silver	4,293 kg
Tarsus (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (Demetrius II/Zeus nicephorus) (129-127 BCE)	Silver	2,473 kg
Cilicia (uncertain mint) (Demetrius II), silver, drachms (Demetrius I/Apollo on omphalos) (146-143 BCE)	Silver	99 kg
Seleuceia ad Calycadnum (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (Demetrius/Athena nicephorus) (146-144 BCE)	Silver	1,465 kg
Seleuceia ad Calycadnum (Demetrius II), silver, drachms (Demetrius/Apollo on omphalos) (146-144 BCE)	Silver	9,765 kg
Sidon (Alexander I, Antiochus VII and Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (head of the king/standing eagle) (152-125 BCE)	Silver	10,130 kg
Damascus (Demetrius II), silver, tetradrachms (Demetrius II/seated Zeus) (128-125 BCE)	Silver	5,831 kg