Tryphon

• A surgeon, Cels. 6, 5; 7 praef.—
• II A king in Syria, Just. 36, 1, 7; 38, 9, 3; 39, 1, 3.—
• III A surname of Ptolemy Philopator, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 208. —
• IV A publisher of Rome, Quint. ad Tryph. 1 sqq.; Mart. 4, 72, 2; 13, 3, 4.

(Τρύφων). (1) Diodŏtus, a usurper of the throne of Syria during the reign of Demetrius II. Nicator. After the death of Alexander Balas in B.C. 146, Tryphon first set up Antiochus, the infant son of Balas, as a pretender against Demetrius, but in 142 he murdered Antiochus and reigned as king himself. Tryphon was defeated and put to death by Antiochus Sidetes, the brother of Demetrius, in 139, after a reign of three years (see Demetrius II.).

(2) Salvius, one of the leaders of the revolted slaves in Sicily, was supposed to have a knowledge of divination, for which reason he was elected king by the slaves in 103. He displayed considerable abilities, and in a short time collected an army of 20,000 foot and 2000 horse, with which he defeated the propraetor P. Licinius Nerva. After this victory Salvius assumed all the pomp of royalty, and took the surname of Tryphon, probably because it had been borne by Diodotus, the usurper of the Syrian throne. He chose the strong fortress of Triocala as the seat of his new kingdom. Tryphon was defeated by L. Lucullus in 102, and was obliged to take refuge in Triocala. But Lucullus failed to take the place, and returned to Rome without effecting anything more. Lucullus was succeeded by C. Servilius; and on the death of Tryphon, about the same time, the kingdom devolved upon Athenion, who was not subdued till 101 (Flor. iii. 19).