DIODOTUS, otherwise called Tryphon, had been a Captain in the troops of Alexander Balas. He observing Nicanor King of Syria to be fallen into contempt, and to have incurred the hatred of the soldiers, undertook to place Antiochus upon the throne, who was son to his master Balas, and a child then living in the court of 1 Macc. xi. 39, 40. In the Year of the World 3860, before J.C. 140, before the Vulg. Æra 144.Elmachuel King of the Arabians. He prevailed with the King of the Arabians to trust the young Prince to his care; and procured him to be acknowledged King of Syria by the troops, and people of the country. In the mean time, Diodotus governed absolutely in the young Prince’s name: but he grew weary of having only the authority of a King without the title. He pretended therefore that the young Prince was tormented with the stone, and corrupted some Physicians, who killed him, while they made a 1 Macc. xiii. 31, 32. Liv. l. 55. Strab. l. 16. Justin. l. 36.shew of cutting him. Thus he took the diadem, and changed his name from Diodotus into that of Tryphon.
Being desirous to secure the protection of the Romans, he sent a golden Statue of Fortune to the Senate, which weighed ten thousand pieces of gold. But the Senate, without refusing the present, eluded the request which he made of being owned as King by them. They received the golden image of Fortune, and set forth in the Inscription, that it was given by young Antiochus, the same who had Diodor. Sicul. Legat. 31.been killed by Tryphon.
On the other side, Simon Maccabæus seeing that there was nothing but robberies every where committed by Tryphon, separated from 1 Macc. xiii. 34, 37. In the year of the World 3864, before J. C. 136, before the Vulgar Æra 140. Joseph. Antiq. l. 13. c. 12. In the year of the World 3866, before J. C. 134, before the Vulgar Æra 138. Joseph. Antiq. l. 13. c. 12. Strabo, l. 14. p.668. Syncell. in Chronico. Acts xvii. 14, &c.him, and embraced the party of Demetrius Nicanor; even Tryphon’s own soldiers deserted him, and went over to Cleopatra the wife of Demetrius, who was gone beyond the Euphrates to make war against the Parthians: wherefore Tryphon was constrained to retire to Dora, a city of Phœnicia, where he was very soon besieged by Antiochus Sidetes, brother to Demetrius Nicanor. Tryphon found means to save himself from Dora, and retreat to Orthosia, whither he was again pursued by Antiochus; from thence he fled to Apamæa, the place of his birth, where he was overpowered, and put to death. Strabo says, that he was pressed so close in a castle, where he had shut himself up, that he was obliged to kill himself. George Syncellus relates, that he threw himself into the fire.