Battle of the Oenoparus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of the Oenoparus river |
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| Part of Syrian Wars | |||||||
 Alexander I Balas and Cleopatra Thea. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Ptolemaic Egypt and Seleucid Empire (partisans of Demetrius) | Seleucid Empire (partisans of Alexander) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ptolemy VI (DOW) Demetrius II |
Alexander Balas | ||||||
The Battle of the Oenoparus was a big fight that happened in 145 BC. It took place near the Oenoparus river, which is now called the Afrin River in Syria. This area was close to Antioch, the main city of the Seleucid Empire. The battle was between two groups of people who wanted to rule the Seleucid Empire. One side was led by Ptolemy VI Philometor, the king of Ptolemaic Egypt, and Demetrius II Nicator. The other side supported Alexander Balas.
Both the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Egypt were "successor states." This means they were kingdoms created after the huge empire of Alexander the Great broke apart. The Ptolemaic forces won this battle. This victory ended Alexander Balas's dream of becoming king. However, King Ptolemy VI was badly hurt and died soon after. Even though the Egyptians won, they were later forced out of Syria. This happened because the Seleucid Empire became united under Demetrius II, who then turned against the Egyptian army.
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What Was the Battle of Oenoparus?
The Battle of Oenoparus was a key moment in the Syrian Wars. These wars were a series of conflicts between the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Egypt. They often fought over who would control a region called Coele-Syria. This battle was important because it decided who would rule the Seleucid Empire for a time. It also showed how quickly alliances could change in the ancient world.
Why Did This Battle Happen?
To understand the battle, we need to look at what happened before. The Seleucid Empire was having a lot of trouble. Its king, Demetrius I Soter, was strong but made many enemies. Other powerful states, like the Roman Republic and the Kingdom of Pergamon, wanted to make the Seleucid Empire weaker. So, they decided to support someone else who claimed to be the rightful king.
Who Were the Main Players?
The person they supported was Alexander Balas. He said he was the lost son of a previous king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. In 152 BC, Alexander Balas arrived in a city called Ptolemais. He had money and soldiers from Rome and Pergamon. He also got help from some people inside the Seleucid Empire who didn't like Demetrius I. One important ally was Jonathan Apphus, a leader of the Maccabees from Judea. Alexander Balas even made Jonathan a high priest.
Alexander Balas and his supporters managed to defeat and kill Demetrius I in 150 BC. Alexander then became the new king of the Seleucid Empire. At first, he had the support of Ptolemy VI Philometor, the king of Egypt. To make their alliance stronger, Alexander Balas married Ptolemy's daughter, Cleopatra Thea.
However, this peace didn't last long. Demetrius II Nicator, who was Demetrius I's young son, wanted to take back the throne. Alexander Balas started to get a reputation for being a weak ruler. So, the civil war began again. Around 147 BC, Egyptian forces gathered near the border, ready to get involved.
Ptolemy VI marched north with his army. With Alexander's permission, the Egyptians took control of many cities along the coast of Coele-Syria. Alexander's Jewish allies also expanded their control in the Judean hills. But as Ptolemy VI moved further north, he suddenly changed sides! He demanded that Alexander Balas hand over his main advisor, using charges that were probably not true. It's possible that Demetrius II had offered Ptolemy VI lasting control over Coele-Syria if he switched his support.
So, Ptolemy VI marched on Antioch, the capital. Alexander Balas left the city, probably because he didn't think he could win a siege. He went north to a region called Cilicia. Ptolemy VI had now conquered the capital of Syria. Demetrius II became the new king, but he was really a puppet ruler under Ptolemy. Ptolemy's daughter, Cleopatra Thea, divorced Alexander Balas and married Demetrius II instead.
The Battle Begins!
Ptolemy VI and Demetrius II worked together to get the support of important citizens in Antioch. Meanwhile, Alexander Balas returned to Syria from Cilicia. His supporters started raiding the countryside around Antioch. This was meant to put pressure on the Egyptian invaders.
To stop these raids, the combined army of Ptolemy VI and Demetrius II rode out. They went north to attack Alexander's forces. The two armies met by the Oenoparus river, close to Antioch. The Ptolemaic army, fighting alongside Demetrius II's forces, won the battle. Alexander Balas was forced to run away.
What Happened After the Battle?
Even though the Ptolemaic army won, both Alexander Balas and Ptolemy VI ended up losing. Ptolemy VI was badly hurt during the battle, even though his side was winning. His horse fell on him, possibly after being scared by an elephant. He didn't die right away. His guards protected him and sent him back to Egypt, but he was in a very bad state.
Alexander Balas fled to a place called Nabataea. He had sent his son there for safety earlier. But his allies in Nabataea betrayed him. Ancient writers disagree on exactly who killed him. Some say he was murdered by a Nabataean prince named Zabdiel, who cut off his head to please Ptolemy VI. Others say two of his own officers, Heliades and Casius, killed him to gain favor with Demetrius II.
The unexpected winner of the battle was the young Demetrius II. Suddenly, both of his main rivals for power were gone. With the Seleucid Empire briefly united, Demetrius II turned on his former Egyptian allies. He was able to force the Ptolemaic army out of Antioch and Coele-Syria. Ptolemaic Egypt, which seemed to have gained a lot of land and made its rival a weaker state, ended up controlling the same territory it had before the war began. While Ptolemy VI's friends briefly ruled Egypt, his brother Ptolemy VIII Physcon was eventually invited back to Alexandria to become the new king.
See also
- Syrian Wars, a set of wars over the centuries between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic states, generally over control of Coele-Syria
