The name Antiochus is of Greek etymology and means "resolute in contention".

[1] The capital of
Syria, Antioch, was named after Antiochus, father of the city's founder, King Seleucus I (reigned
305–281 BC);[2] this name became dynastic and many Seleucid kings bore it.[3][4] In c. 124
BC Antiochus VIII married the Ptolemaic princess Tryphaena, who died in 109 BC.[5][6] The couple
had many children, including Seleucus VI, the eldest; Antiochus XI and Philip I;[7] their younger
brother Demetrius III;[8] and the youngest Antiochus XII.[9] The mother of Philip I was mentioned
explicitly as Tryphaena by the 4th-century historian Eusebius, who also mentioned that Antiochus XI
and Philip I were twins (didymoi).[10] Antiochus XI's date of birth is unknown, but by the time he came
to power he was at least in his twenties.[11]
In 113 BC, Antiochus IX declared himself king and started a civil war against his half-brother
Antiochus VIII. The conflict between the brothers would last a decade and a half; [12] it claimed the life
of Tryphaena and ended with the assassination of Antiochus VIII at the hands of his
minister Herakleon of Beroia in 96 BC.[13] In the aftermath of Antiochus VIII's death, Antiochus IX took
the capital Antioch and married Antiochus VIII's second wife and widow, Cleopatra Selene.[13] The
sons of Antiochus VIII responded; Demetrius III took Damascus and ruled it,[14] while Seleucus VI
killed Antiochus IX in 95 BC and took Antioch. [15] The new king was defeated by Antiochus IX's
son Antiochus X (r. 95–92/88 BC), who took the capital.[16] Seleucus VI escaped
to Mopsuestia in Cilicia where he was killed by rebels in 94 BC.[17]