Diodotus Tryphon: one of the kings of the Seleucid State

In 142-138 BC, diodotus Tryphon, one of the Seleucid rulers, Reigned in Syria. At that time, the state was going through difficult times. In some regions, the situation was tense, for example, one of the previous rulers, Demetrius II Nicator, treated Jews too harshly, which negatively affected his popularity. Therefore, Tryphon decided to find allies, and enlisted the support of the Hasmoneans who opposed Demetrius II.

Thanks to the beliefs of Tryphon, the invited high priest Jonathan ordered the disbanding of the army, which numbered 40 thousand soldiers. Instead, the Hasmoneans were given several fortresses. However, the king later got rid of Jonathan, destroying the group that accompanied the high priest, and executing Him. Jonathan's place was taken by his brother Simon, who United with king Antiochus VII against Tryphon. In 138 there was a battle in which Antiochus VII won.

During the reign of Tryphon, it became part of a period of decline: for several decades, power passed from king to king. As a result, Syria was divided into two parts, each of which had its own king. In 64 BC, gnaeus Pompey the Great invaded the Seleucid lands and turned it into a Roman province.