Demetrius III Eucaerus was a Seleucid ruler who reigned as King of Syria between 96 and 87 BC. He was a son of Antiochus VIII and, most likely, his Egyptian wife Tryphaena. After his father was assassinated in 96 BC, Demetrius III took control of Damascus. In 89 BC, he invaded Judaea and crushed the forces of its king, Alexander Jannaeus. By 87 BC, Demetrius III had most of Syria under his authority. He attempted to appease the public by promoting the importance of the local Semitic gods, and he might have given Damascus the dynastic name Demetrias. By late 87 BC, Demetrius III attacked his brother, and rival to the throne, Philip I, in the city of Beroea, where Philip I's allies called on the Parthians for help. The allied forces routed Demetrius III and besieged him in his camp; he was forced to surrender and spent the rest of his life in exile in Parthia. Philip I took Antioch, while Antiochus XII, another brother of Demetrius III, took Damascus.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrius_III_Eucaerus

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1882:

The Shewan army defeated Gojjame forces at the Battle of Embabo, an event that contributed to the supremacy of Shewa within the Ethiopian Empire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Embabo

1912:

The largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century began, forming Novarupta (lava dome pictured) in the Alaska Peninsula. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novarupta

1944:

World War II: The largest amphibious military operation in history began with Allied troops landing on the beaches of Normandy in France. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_landings

1984:

Tetris, one of the best-selling video games of all time, was first released. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

polemology: The study of human conflict and war. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/polemology

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts. Give us strength, too — strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces. And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.   --Franklin D. Roosevelt https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt