★ Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, 1993 ★

Seleukid Empire, Diodotos Tryphon AR Tetradrachm. Antioch, circa 142/1-138 BC. Diademed head of Tryphon to right, filleted border around / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΤΡΥΦΩΝΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ, Macedonian helmet adorned with ibex horn, ΠΑ monogram in inner left field, ΔH monogram below; all within oak wreath border. SC 2031.3d. 16.65g, 32mm, 12h.

Extremely Fine; lustrous, with light cabinet tone. Very Rare.

Acquired from Morton & Eden Ltd;
Ex Collection of St. Mary's College, Oscott, Birmingham;
Ex Spink & Son Ltd., Numismatic Circular CI.1, February 1993, no. 22.

Diodotos was a powerful administrator at Antioch during the reign of Alexander I, who played a key role in organising the rebellion that saw Alexander forced from the city and Demetrios II crowned king on the promise that Ptolemy VI would supervise his reign. This was met with one final challenge from Alexander, who was defeated by Ptolemy and subsequently assassinated by the Nabataean prince from whom he sought refuge. The victory was to come at the cost of Ptolemy's life, who died days later from wounds received in the battle.

Demetrios quickly lost the support of both the military and the populace after disbanding much of the Seleukid army and brutally crushing a rebellion at Antioch. Once again Diodotos seized the opportunity for rebellion and found an alternative ruler in Antiochos VI, the young son of Alexander and Kleopatra Thea, who he took under his protection. Their revolt against Demetrios started in Chalkis, where they gained the control of the surrounding districts before capturing Apamea in 144. It was around this time that Diodotos assumed a new name, Tryphon. He succeeded in removing Demetrios from Antioch around 144/3 and elevated Antiochos to the Seleukid throne. For two years, Antiochos reigned while Tryphon continued to campaign against Demetrios, expanding their territory into Cilicia Pedias and north Phoenicia.

Around 142, Tryphon announced that Antiochos had died during surgery and having ensured the support of his soldiers with the promise of money, proclaimed himself king. He continued to wage war against Demetrios' generals, who still held the Phoenician cities of Sidon and Tyre, Gaza, Mesopotamia, Babylonia and parts of northern Syria. The seizure of Babylonia by Mithradates I in 141 led Demetrios to embark on an eastern campaign which would see him captured in 138. This prompted Antiochos VII, the brother of Demetrios, to raise a substantial mercenary force to recover the Seleukid kingdom. He landed at Seleukia Pieria, where many of Tryphon's troops had defected to Kleopatra Thea, who admitted his troops and married him. Antiochos quickly took northern Syria from Tryphon's control and pursued him into Phoenicia, where he was besieged at Dora. Tryphon escaped and fled to Apamea, where he was besieged again and eventually executed late in 138 or early 137.

The elaborate ibex-horned helmet used as a reverse type on the coinage of Antiochos VI and of Tryphon once he assumed the kingship is usually considered to have been Tryphon's personal sigil. The horn and diadem together denote divinity and royalty, and the helmet itself, with its thunderbolt-adorned cheek-guards and two medallions depicting an eagle and a panther holding a thyrsos would certainly have been worthy of either, or both. While it is most unlikely to represent Tryphon's personal choice of headwear, it has been speculated (H. Seyrig, The Khan El-Abde Find and the Coinage of Tryphon, ANS NNM, 1950) that the helmet may have been a spectacular offering, made by the young king Antiochos VI, under the direction of Tryphon, to the god that had favoured their claim to power.