(u pa' tor) GREEK
"born of a noble father"

Only a boy when he succeeded his father, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, on the Syrian throne in 164 B.C., Eupator was taken to Palestine the next year by his guardian, Lysias, who was attempting to break the siege of Jerusalem by Judas Maccabeus. By 162, Lysias and the boy-king were able to muster a large army to attack the rebellious Jews. But when Lysias learned that the official regent, Philip, had returned from Persia, he made peace with the Jews and granted them religious freedom.

Though Lysias was able to defeat Philip at Antioch, the triumph was short-lived. Both he and his charge Eupator were murdered by soldiers of their own army rallying in support of Demetrius I Soter.

{E2 Dictionary of Biblical People}