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Philip I on a tetradrachm

Philip I Philadelphus (between 124 and 109 – 83 or 75 BC) reigned as King of Syria, a ruler of the Seleucid Empire, in the early years of the 1st century BC when the country was torn apart by civil wars amongst Seleucid claimants. Seleucus VI, Philip's oldest brother, was killed during the war with their cousin Antiochus X in 94 BC. Philip declared himself king jointly with his twin Antiochus XI, and took the capital Antioch, where Antiochus XI took residence as the senior king, while Philip remained in a base in Cilicia. Antiochus X returned and killed Antiochus XI in 93 BC. Philip allied with another brother, Demetrius III, who ended up taking Antioch after Antiochus X's death, and besieged Philip, who allied himself with the Parthians and took the capital, becoming the senior king of Syria. Philip's death year is unknown, but probably before 75 BC. He was apparently considered the last legitimate king of Syria by the Romans, who continued to issue coins with Philip's portrait until 13 BC. (Full article...)

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Hall of Casals Forum

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On this day

October 30: Mischief Night

George I of Greece in 1863

1806 – War of the Fourth Coalition: Believing that they were outnumbered, the German garrison at Stettin surrendered to a much smaller French force without a fight.
1863 – Seventeen-year-old Vilhelm, Prince of Denmark, arrived in Athens to become King George I of Greece (pictured).
1888 – King Lobengula of Matabeleland granted the Rudd Concession to agents of Cecil Rhodes, leading to the creation of the British South Africa Company.
1960 – At the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Michael Woodruff performed the first successful kidney transplantation in the United Kingdom.
1965 – English model Jean Shrimpton wore a controversially short minidress to Derby Day at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia – a pivotal moment of the introduction of the miniskirt to women's fashion.

Mary Hayley (b. 1728)
Hilja Riipinen (b. 1883)
Peter Warlock (b. 1894)

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Today's featured picture

Trimeresurus albolabris, the white-lipped pit viper or white-lipped tree viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia. Its meals consist of birds, small frogs, and small mammals. This snake does not strike and release its prey; like many arboreal snakes, it strikes and holds on to the prey item until the prey dies.

This photograph was taken in Thailand's Kaeng Krachan National Park.

Photograph credit: Rushen

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