Laodice V (flourished 2nd century BC, died 150 BC) was a Greek Princess of the Seleucid Empire. Through marriage she was a Queen of the ruling Antigonid dynasty in Macedonia and possibly later of the Seleucid dynasty.
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Laodice was the daughter born from the sibling marriage of the Seleucid Monarchs Seleucus IV Philopator and Laodice IV; her full blooded brothers were Antiochus and Demetrius I Soter and her grandparents were Antiochus III the Great and Laodice III.[1] She was born and raised in the Seleucid Empire.
Greek King of the Antigonid dynasty Perseus of Macedon had experienced considerable diplomatic successes in the Seleucid Empire, Greece and on the Greek island of Rhodes.[2] From his diplomatic experiences, he married Laodice either in 178 BC or 177 BC. The marriage between Laodice and Perseus was a strong political gesture in the prevailing political climate.[3] Through her marriage to Perseus, Laodice became queen of Macedonia and of the ruling Antigonid dynasty. Not much is known on how she reigned as queen and her relationship with Perseus. Laodice bore Perseus four children who were Alexander, Philip, Andriscus (?) and a daughter.[4] From various military campaigns with the Roman Republic, Perseus was finally defeated by the Romans at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC.[4] Macedonia became a Roman province; Perseus and their children became Roman captives. Between 165 BC-162 BC Perseus died in Roman captivity.[2] The fate of their children is unknown however, Alexander was still a child when Perseus was conquered by the Romans, and after the triumph of Lucius Aemilius Paullus in 167 BC. Alexander was kept in custody at Alba Fucens, together with his father. He became a skillful Toreutics, learned the Latin language, and became a public notary.[5][6][7] The final defeat and captivity of Perseus and their children was the end of the Antigonid rule over Macedonia and its territories. After this, Laodice returned home to the Seleucid Empire.
From 168 BC until 161 BC, Laodice lived in the court of her uncle the Seleucid Kings Antiochus IV Epiphanes and her half-brother Antiochus V Eupator. After their deaths, her brother Demetrius I Soter became Seleucid King. Demetrius I ruled from 161 BC to 150 BC. There is a possibility that sometime in his reign Demetrius I could have married Laodice.[8] If this is so, Laodice is the mother of Demetrius’ three sons Demetrius II Nicator, Antiochus VII Sidetes [8] and Antigonus.
In c. 160 BC, Demetrius I offered Laodice to their maternal first cousin Ariarathes V of Cappadocia in marriage whom Ariarathes V declined.[4] In 158 BC there was civil war between the Cappadocian Monarchs Ariarathes V of Cappadocia and Orophernes of Cappadocia, who were brothers. Demetrius was still upset of Ariarathes’ refusal. He supported the rebel and his other maternal first cousin Orophernes. In 156 BC Ariarathes V was the victor of the Cappadocian civil war and in the summer of 152 BC, the other half-brother of Demetrius I and Laodice, Alexander Balas, was gaining support and momentum in his bid for the Seleucid throne. In a military campaign against Alexander Balas near Antioch, Demetrius I was defeated. In 150 BC, Laodice was killed along with Demetrius I.