Alexander Balas
Alexander I Balas ( * before 153 BC; † 145 BC) was a usurper as king of the Seleucid empire.
Balas was from Smyrna and was of humble origin. By King Attalos II of Pergamon and the family ( of King Demetrius I disempowered ) Timarchos it was built as a pretender to the throne of the Seleucids by being issued as a son of King Antiochus IV. Along with his sister Laodice alleged that in fact the daughter of Antiochus IV was, he was sent in the summer of 153 BC to Rome, where he was confirmed by the Roman Senate the legitimacy of his claim.
With a mercenary army from Ephesus and the help of King Ptolemy VI. from Egypt landed Alexander Balas in the spring of 152 BC, the Phoenician coast and occupied the coastal town of Ptolemais ( Acre today ). Here he was able to successfully set up a rival government to Demetrius I, which was recognized among others by the Judäaern under Jonathan. Balas sat among other things, a Jonathan as high priest in Jerusalem, which marked the beginning of the reign of the Hasmoneans over Judea. In the year 150 BC Balas against Demetrius I went into the military offensive and defeated him in a battle. Since his opponent fell in this battle, Balas was able to take the sole rule over the Seleucid Empire. By a marriage with Cleopatra Thea, daughter of Ptolemy VI. , He was able to further consolidate its position.
His subsequent reign of Alexander Balas, however, spent mainly with debauchery, which led to the disintegration of the state. Demetrios II, son of King Demetrios I, took the opportunity to return to Syria with Greek mercenaries from his Cretan exile and retake the throne. The timing also seemed to Ptolemy VI. favorable, formerly belonging to the Ptolemaic Syrian provinces ( Coelesyria ) incorporate again. A supposedly executed in Alexander's order to stop him gave him the opportunity to terminate the existing friendship and bring home his daughter. In a battle on Oinoparas at the gates of Antioch in 146 BC he defeated the army of Alexander, who had to flee to the Nabataean prince Zabdiel. However, this killed him and sent his head to Ptolemy. Because man also died, the king of Egypt soon after his carried thereby from battle wounds, Demetrius II was able to take the rule.
Progeny
From his marriage with Cleopatra Thea Alexander Balas had a son, Antiochus VI. Dionysus († 138 BC), who also briefly could ascend the throne. The usurper Alexander II Zabinas was merely out as a son by him.
Effect story
Alexander Balas is the title character in George Frideric Handel's oratorio Alexander Balu.