Alexander Balas, a native of Smyrna of humble origin, claims to be the son of the late Seleucid King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, himself a usurper, and a first cousin of Demetrius I, the current ruler of the declining Syrian-based empire.

Along with his sister Laodice, Alexander had been "discovered" by Heracleides, a former minister of Antiochus IV and brother of Timarchus, a usurper in Media who had been executed in 160 BCE by Demetrius.

Upon the youngster’s appearance in 153, Ptolemy VI Philometor, Macedonian ruler of Egypt, hastens to aid him.

Laodice, the sister of Alexander Balas, had, after 152 BCE, married Mithridates V of Pontus, who reigns as king from 150 BCE–120 BCE.

Little is known regarding her relationship with her husband or her reign as Pontian Queen, although Laodice will bear Mithridates seven children: Laodice of Cappadocia, Mithridates VI of Pontus, Mithridates Chrestus, Laodice, Nysa (sometimes spelt as Nyssa), Roxana and Statira.

The northeastern Anatolian kingdom of Pontus has become a friend and ally of Rome by the time Mithridates V is assassinated in about 120 BCE in Sinope, poisoned by persons unknown at a lavish banquet that he holds.

In his will, he leaves the Kingdom to the joint rule of Laodice VI, Mithridates and his younger brother, Mithridates Chrestus.

Mithridates and his younger brother are both underage to rule and their mother retains all power as regent.

(Mithridates, a common surname among Anatolian rulers of the age, means gift of [the god] Mithra.”)

Laodice VI’s regency over Pontus, which has lasted from 120 BCE to 116 BCE (even perhaps up to 113 BCE), has favored her younger son Mithridates Chrestus over her elder son Mithridates, who had escaped from the plotting of his mother and gone into hiding.

Returning to Pontus between 116 BCE and 113 BCE, Mithridates is hailed as King and is able to remove Laodice and Chrestus from the Pontic throne, thus becoming the sole ruler of the kingdom.

Mithridates shows clemency towards his mother and brother, imprisoning them both.

Laodice VI dies in prison of natural causes.

However, Mithridates Chrestus could have died in prison from natural causes or was tried for treason and was executed on his orders.

Mithridates gives his mother and brother a royal funeral.

He takes as his wife his sixteen-year-old sister Laodice, to preserve the purity of the royal bloodline, to ensure the succession to his legitimate children, and to claim his right as a ruling monarch.