Seleukid Coins

Antiochos I

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Identification Number A01-AR-01
Mint:	Antioch on the Orontes1
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AR Tetradrachm
Weight:	16.85 g
Diameter:	23 - 25 mm
Obverse:	Diademed head of Antiochos I right; dotted border off flan
Reverse:	‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ right, ‘[ΑΝ]ΤΙΟ[ΧΟΥ]’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo, slight drapery on right thigh, seated left on omphalos2, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; partially visible ‘ΑΙ’ monogram in exergue; dotted border and control mark in outer left field off flan
Die Position:	c. 90º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 335.2; Le Rider, Antioche, p. 35, No. 6, Plate 2.16 (dies A1/P3 – same dies as this coin); Newell, WSM, 937
Note:	The mark in the inner left field on the reverse is visible also on Le Rider’s specimen. It resembles a merman or a protome of griffin but it is probably just a small die break.

Identification Number A01-AR-02
Mint:	Seleukeia on the Tigris3
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AR Tetradrachm
Weight:	17.08 g
Diameter:	27.0 - 27.5 mm
Obverse:	Diademed head of Antiochos I right; dotted border
Reverse:	‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ right, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo, slight drapery on right thigh, seated left on omphalos2, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; control marks in outer left and outer right fields; dotted border
Die Position:	c. 45º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 379.3c; BMC 4, p. 9, No. 7 (Plate III, 4); Houghton, CSE, 952; Hunterian Coll. III, p. 14, No. 15; Newell, ESM, 155 (type 1 – the arrow held by Apollo breaks the inscription); SNG Spaer, 290

Identification Number A01-AE-01
Mint:	Antioch on the Orontes1
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AE Unit
Weight:	3.48 g
Diameter:	15 - 16 mm
Obverse:	Diademed head of Antiochos I right; dotted border
Reverse:	‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ]’ right, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo seated left on omphalos2, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; control mark in outer left field; control mark in outer right field, if any, off flan
Die Position:	c. -100º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 351.1; BMC 4, p. 10, Nos. 26 (Plate IV, 4) and 27; Houghton, CSE, 29-30; Hunterian Coll. III, p. 16, Nos. 32-35; Newell, WSM, 960-962; SNG Spaer, 206-214

Identification Number A01-AE-02
Mint:	Antioch on the Orontes1
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AE Unit
Weight:	3.95 g
Diameter:	14 - 15 mm
Obverse:	Diademed head of Antiochos I right; dotted border
Reverse:	‘ΒΑ[Σ]ΙΛΕΩ[Σ]’ right, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Antiochos”); nude Apollo seated left on omphalos2, holding arrow in outstretched right hand and resting left hand on bow; control marks unclear
Die Position:	c. 45º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 351; BMC 4, p. 10, Nos. 26 (Plate IV, 4) and 27; Houghton, CSE, 29-30; Hunterian Coll. III, p. 16, Nos. 32-35; Newell, WSM, 960-962; SNG Spaer, 206-214; John Jencek, stock No. E564 (same obverse die)

Identification Number A01-AE-05
Mint:	Antioch on the Orontes1
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AE Double Unit
Weight:	5.75 g
Diameter:	18.0 - 19.5 mm
Obverse:	Laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border
Reverse:	‘Β[Α]ΣΙΛΕΩΣ’ above, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ]’ below (“of King Antiochos”); thunderbolt; countermark (anchor in oval punch) covering upper field (only a right part of a control mark visible at the right of the upper field);4 jawbone in exergue; dotted border
Die Position:	180º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 343; BMC 4, pp. 11-12, Nos. 41 (Plate IV, 13), 42 and 43; Houghton, CSE, 23; Hunterian Coll. III, p. 18, Nos. 53-56; Newell, WSM, 949; SNG Spaer, 194-196
Notes:	(1) Coins of this series frequently bear the anchor countermark covering the control mark on the reverse. Newell, WSM, p. 111, suggested that either it may signify some action against the monetary magistrate who signed these coins, or the countermark may denote a revalidation of these coins. According to Houghton and Lorber, SC I, p. 129, the countermarking does seem to correlate with an administrative reform bringing the bronze currency under the same control system as the silver. Nevertheless, its actual meaning is still not fully clear.
	(2) The meaning of the jawbone symbol is not known. It occurs only on some bronze issues of Antiochos I from Antioch mint (Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 339.4, 341-346). According to BMC 4, pp. 11-12, Nos. 41-43, and according to Newell, WSM, p. 110, the jawbone is of a boar. Newell (ibid, p. 111, footnote 51) mentions that this symbol might be sacred to Adonis.

Identification Number A01-AE-04
Mint:	Sardis5
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AE Unit
Weight:	2.40 g
Diameter:	13 - 13 mm
Obverse:	Facing bust of Athena in triple-crested helmet; dotted border, if any, off flan
Reverse:	‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ]’ right, ‘ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Antiochos”); Nike advancing left, holding wreath and palm; control mark in outer left field
Die Position:	0º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 315a; BMC 4, p. 13, No. 58 (Plate IV, 13); Newell, WSM, 1369; SNG Spaer, 233;

Identification Number A01-AE-03
Mint:	Antioch on the Orontes1
Period:	280 - 261 BC
Denomination:	AE Half Unit
Weight:	1.33 g
Diameter:	11.5 - 13.0 mm
Obverse:	Laureate head of Apollo right, wavy hair falling down back of neck; dotted border
Reverse:	‘ΒΑ’ right, ‘ΑΝ’ left (an abbreviation for ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’, i.e. “of King Antiochos”); tripod; dotted border
Die Position:	c. 120º
References:	Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 337b; Houghton, CSE, 17; Hunterian Coll. III, p. 18, No. 47; Newell, WSM, 935
Note:	There is also a second variant of this type on which the usual royal inscription ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ’ is abbreviated as ‘ΒΑΣΙ ΑΝΤΙ’ (Houghton and Lorber, SC I, 337a; Newell, WSM, 934).

¹ Antioch was founded about 300 BC by Seleukos I Nikator, the founder of the Seleukid Dynasty, and it became the principal capital of the Seleukid Empire. The city was named after a family name Antiochos, passed from his father to his son (Antiochos I Soter). There were a number of other cities by the same name and this Antioch was known as Antioch on the Orontes (i.e. the Orontes River, along which it was located).

² The omphalos (“navel” in Greek) was a sacred stone at Delphi. It was supposed to mark the center of the earth. Similar stones were erected in several areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

Pausanias, Description of Greece, 10.16.3: What is called the Omphalus by the Delphians is made of white marble, and is said by the Delphians to be the center of all the earth.

³ The city was founded in 312 BC by Seleukos I Nikator at the confluence of the Tigris River and a major canal from the Euphrates. Seleukeia on the Tigris was one of the great Hellenistic cities and a very important trading centre.

Appian, Syriake 58, tolds the following legend about how the city was established: ... They say, also, that when the Magians were ordered to indicate the propitious day and hour for beginning the foundations of Seleucia-on-the-Tigris they falsified as to the hour because they did not want to have such a stronghold built against themselves. While the king (Seleukos I Nikator) was waiting in his tent for the appointed hour, and the army, in readiness to begin the work, stood quietly till Seleucus should give the signal, suddenly, at the true hour of destiny, they seemed to hear a voice ordering them on. So they sprang to their work with such alacrity that the heralds who tried to stop them were not able to do so. When the work was brought to an end Seleucus, being troubled in his mind, again made inquiry of the Magians concerning his city, and they, having first secured a promise of impunity, replied, “That which is fated, o king, whether it be for better or worse, neither man nor city can change, for there is a fate for cities as well as for men. It pleases the gods that this city shall endure for ages, because it was begun on the hour on which it was begun. We feared lest it should be a stronghold against ourselves, and falsified the appointed time. Destiny is stronger than crafty Magians or an unsuspecting king. For that reason the deity announced the more propitious hour to the army. It is permitted you to know these things so surely that you need not suspect us of deception still, for you were presiding over the army yourself, as king, and you had yourself ordered them to wait; but the army, ever obedient to you in facing danger and toil, could not now be restrained, even when you gave them the order to stop, but sprang to their work, not a part of them merely, but all together, and their officers with them, thinking that the order had been given. In fact it had been given. That was the reason why not even you could hold them back. What can be stronger in human affairs than a king, unless it be a god, who overcame your intention and supplanted us in giving you directions about the city; for the god is in hostility to us and to all the people round about? What can our resources avail hereafter with a more powerful race settled along side of us? This city of yours has had a fortunate beginning, it will be great and enduring. We beg that you will confirm your pardon of our fault which we committed from fear of the loss of our own prosperity.” The king was pleased with what the Magians said and pardoned them. This is what I have heard about Seleucia.

⁴ Specimens without the countermark have a club and a control mark in the upper field.

⁵ The capital of ancient Lydia (a historic region of western Asia Minor).

References:

Appian: Roman History, Book XI - The Syrian Wars. Translated by Horace White. Macmillan and Co., New York, 1899. (The Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.org/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=App.+Syr.+1.1; Livius.org, http://www.livius.org/ap-ark/appian/appian_syriaca_00.html)

Gardner, Percy: Catalogue of the Greek coins in the British Museum, Volume 4: The Seleucid Kings of Syria. London, 1878 (reprint, Arnaldo Forni, Bologna, 1963). (abbr. BMC 4)

Houghton, Arthur: Coins of the Seleucid Empire from the Collection of Arthur Houghton. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1983. (abbr. CSE)

Houghton, Arthur; Lorber, Catharine: Seleucid Coins, A Comprehensive Catalogue. Part I, Volumes 1 and 2. The American Numismatic Society, New York, in association with Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Lancaster/London, 2002. (abbr. SC I)

Houghton, Arthur; Spaer, Arnold (with the assistance of Catharine Lorber): Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum. Israel I. The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins. Italo Vecchi Ltd., London, 1998. (abbr. SNG Spaer)

Le Rider, Georges: Antioche de Syrie sous les Séleucides. Corpus des monnaies d’or et d’argent. Vol. 1: De Séleucos I à Antiochos V, c. 300-161. Institut de France, Paris, 1999. (abbr. Antioche)

MacDonald, George: Catalogue of Greek Coins in the Hunterian Collection, University of Glasgow. Volume 3. Further Asia, Northern Africa, Western Europe. Elibron Classics, Adamant Media Corporation, 2003. Replica edition of the edition published by James Maclehose and Sons, Glasgow, 1905. (abbr. Hunterian Coll. III)

Newell, Edward T.: The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III. Numismatic Studies No. 1. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1978 (reprint of the 1938 original edition with a summary of recent scholarship, additions and corrections by Otto Mørkholm). (abbr. ESM)

Newell, Edward T.: The Coinage of the Western Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III. Numismatic Studies No. 4. The American Numismatic Society, New York, 1977 (reprint of the 1941 original edition with a summary of recent scholarship by Otto Mørkholm). (abbr. WSM)

Pausanias: Description of Greece. Translated by W. H. S. Jones and H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1918. (The Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.org/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Paus.+toc)