Both the east and the west terrace had two rows of sandstone stelae, mounted on pedestals with an altar in front of each stele. One row carries relief sculptures of Antiochos’ paternal Persian ancestors, the other of his maternal Macedonian ancestors. Inscriptions on the backs of the stelae record the genealogical links. The stelae on this west terrace are in better condition than those on the east side of the tumulus.
On the picture: a stele from the Persian row.

King Antiochus I Theos (69-34 BC) claimed to be a descendant from both the Persian king Darius I and Alexander the Great. He certainly was half Armenian, and half Greek. Antiochus’ father Mithridates was the son of King of Commagene Sames II, who in descent was related to the kings of Parthia and probably also a descendant from the family of King Darius I of Persia.
Antiochus’ mother, Laodice VII Thea, was a Greek Princess of the Seleucid Empire. So, his grandfather was the Seleucid King Antiochus VIII Grypus who married the Ptolemaic Princess (later Seleucid Queen) Tryphaena.
Thus, Antiochus was a direct descendant of both Seleucus I Nicator of the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt. Moreover, as a consequence of the marriages between the Diadoci kingdoms (as part of peace alliances), Antiochus I was also related to Antigonus I of Macedonia, Lysimachus of Thrace and the Macedonian regent, Antipater. The five men had served as generals under Alexander the Great and had divided his empire between themselves after his death. Thus, even if Antiochus’ descendance from Alexander the Great is improbable (in terms of bloodline), it is certainly true in the spirit.
Antiochus’ double origin (Persian and Macedonian/Greek) is reflected in the appearances of the gods on his Hierotheseion (temple-tomb).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: (amongst others) File 448: ‘Nemrut Dağı’ – World Heritage List, Unesco (see: whc.unesco.org)
Wikipedia & Personal visits (1983, 1987, 1994).