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DEMETRIUS

(Gk. Dēmḗtrios)

1. Demetrius Poliorcetes (338-283 b.c.e.), king of Macedonia and son of Antigonus I. He twice attempted to restore Alexander’s empire to a single ruler. In 307 he began to free Greece from Cassander’s control by seizing Athens. The next year he took Cyprus and seaports of Asia and defeated Ptolemy I in a sea battle, after which he and his father claimed joint kingship over Alexander’s empire. After failing to capture Egypt and Rhodes in 305, he returned to control Greece and by 303 planned to take Asia. This attempt failed in 301 at the battle of Ipsus, where Antigonus was killed and Demetrius defeated by an alliance of Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy I, and Seleucus I.

Left with control of Cyprus and some cities in Asia Minor, Demetrius allied with Seleucus I. When this alliance fell apart in 296 over the possession of Tyre and Sidon, Demetrius set out to retake Greece once again. By 293 he ruled Macedonia and continued his domination of Greece through 289. In 289 Demetrius again planned to conquer Asia, which resulted in a new alliance of Lysimachus, Ptolemy I, and Seleucus I against him. In 285 he was forced to surrender to Seleucus I and died in captivity in 283.

2. Demetrius I Soter (162-150), king of Syria and son of Seleucus IV. He was raised as a hostage in Rome. When the Senate refused to return him as king after the death of his uncle Antiochus IV, he escaped and returning to Phoenicia had Antiochus V killed and himself proclaimed king. He thus set out to reestablish his kingdom by settling in Antioch, freeing the Babylonian provinces from Timarchus the Milesian, and supporting Orophrenes’ overthrow of Ariarathes V in Cappadocia.

Seeking to further solidify his kingdom, he took measures to stop the growing independence movement in Judah under Judas Maccabeus (1 Macc. 7–9; 2 Macc. 14–15). Demetrius appointed Alcimus as high priest from a legitimate priestly family, thus satisfying many of the concerns of the Hasidim. Nicanor was also sent to establish civil peace. But when Nicanor was ordered to arrest Judas, war again broke out resulting in Nicanor’s death. Demetrius retaliated by sending Bacchides with a large force, who eventually killed Judas in battle.

Eumenes then raised up a counter-claimant to the throne, Alexander Balas. Demetrius offered Jonathan the Hasmonean military and civil leadership, but Alexander outbid him by offering Jonathan the high priesthood. By 153 Alexander formed a major coalition with Attalus II, Ariarathes V, and Ptolemy Philometor against Demetrius. Despite initial successes, Demetrius lost support of many of his troops and died in battle against Alexander.

3. Demetrius II Nicator, Seleucid king 145-140, 129-125. The son of Demetrius I, at age 14 he was sent in 148-147 with mercenaries from Crete to challenge Alexander Balas. With the support of Ptolemy VI Philometor he became king in Antioch in 145, and Alexander was defeated and killed. The Hasmonean response to Demetrius II varied according to the political situation (1 Macc. 10:67–13:30). Until his death Jonathan supported Alexander against Demetrius II. Once on the throne Demetrius confirmed Jonathan’s past honors by Alexander, as well as reduced his tribute and extended his territory into Samaria. As a result Jewish troops supported Demetrius when riots broke out against him in Antioch.

When Diodotus (Trypho) placed Alexander’s son Antiochus VI on the throne in Antioch, Jonathan switched his allegiance. During the ensuing battle for power Jonathan extended the political strength and independence of Judah. As a result Trypho captured Jonathan and later killed him. But when Trypho killed Antiochus VI in 143-142 and declared himself king, Simon supported Demetrius in return for Judah’s independence.

In 140 Demetrius fought against the Parthians and was captured. He was freed in 129 by Antiochus VII. When the latter died in battle, Demetrius regained the throne. After a failed attempt to conquer Egypt and losing Antioch to a pretender, he was killed on board a ship at Tyre after being refused safe entry in Ptolemais.

4. Demetrius III Eucerus (95-88), son of Antiochus VIII Grypus. He proclaimed himself king in Damascus against his brothers Antiochus XI and Philip. Demetrius came to the aid of the Jews when Alexander Janneus slaughtered 6000 people during a riot at the Feast of Tabernacles, but later left when Jewish troops shifted their support to Alexander (Josephus Ant. 13:13-14). In 88 he attacked his brother Philip but was defeated and taken prisoner to Parthia, where he died.

5. Demetrius of Phalerum (345-283), Peripatetic governor of Athens under Cassander until 307 when Demetrius Poliorcetes (1 above) attacked the city. Demetrius of Phalerum surrendered and was given safe passage to Egypt, where he served as president and librarian of the library in Alexandria under Ptolemy I.

The Letter of Aristeas claims that Demetrius was responsible for the translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek under Ptolemy II Philadelphus, but there is no evidence that Demetrius held any position at the library under Ptolemy II.

6. Demetrius, a silversmith in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41) who made silver shrines of Artemis. His concern about the loss of business and diminished worship of the goddess resulting from Paul’s preaching provoked his fellow artisans to riot. The town clerk reminded the crowd gathered at the theater that Paul and his followers had done nothing illegal against the temple or the cult and suggested that Demetrius instead bring civil charges in the courts.

7. A person strongly commended to Gaius by the Elder in 3 John 12. Since the letter is meant as a reference letter in part, it is possible that Demetrius is also the carrier of the letter.

Bibliography. E. R. Bevan, The House of Seleucus, 2 vols. (1902, repr. New York, 1966).

Russell Nelson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DEMETRIUS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)