Seleucus VII Philometor


Seleucus VII Philometor or Kybiosactes, was a ruler of the Seleucid kingdom based in Syria.

Biography

King of Syria

The last members of the once mighty Seleucid dynasty are shadowy figures; local dynasts with complicated family ties whose identities are hard to ascertain: many of them also bore the same names. Seleucus was unknown until recently. From coins issued by him and his mother, Ptolemaic princess Cleopatra Selene, it is presumed that he was her son by king Antiochus X Eusebes, and a brother of later king Antiochus XIII Asiaticus. He appears to have "reigned" during the occupation of Syria by Armenian king Tigranes. In reality, only a few cities were loyal to the Seleucids during this period.
Some time after Tigranes had conquered Syria, his mother travelled to Rome to have her sons recognized as kings of Egypt, but to no avail. They were there between at least between 75 BC and 73 BC; recognized as "Kings of Syria", and "maintained a royal state".

Co-regent of Egypt

The young boy-king is probably the same Seleucus who later went to marry a Ptolemaic princess called Berenice IV on an unknown date to become co-regent of Egypt. but allegedly was murdered by the discontented bride for his lack of manners. He bore the derogatory name Kybiosaktes, the term for the foul-smelling work of cutting tuna fish.