Seleukid Coins
Philip I
| Identification Number PH1-AR-01 | |
| Mint: | Antioch on the Orontes1 |
| Period: | 93 - 83 BC |
| Denomination: | AR Tetradrachm |
| Weight: | 16.09 g |
| Diameter: | 26 - 27 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Philip I right; fillet border |
| Reverse: | ‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ [Φ]ΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Philip, the Illustrious/Magnificent One, loving one's brother”); Zeus Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) seated left on throne, holding Nike in outstretched right hand and scepter in left hand; ‘Ν/Α’ in outer left field; ‘ΑΡ’ monogram in inner left field; ‘ΔΙ’ monogram under throne; all within partially visible laurel wreath |
| Die Position: | 0º |
| References: | Houghton, CSE, 393; Newell, SMA, 436 (without the monogram in the inner left field) |
| Note: | According to Newell, The Seleucid Mint of Antioch, pp. 122-123, and Bellinger, The End of the Seleucids, p. 96, tetradrachms with the letters ‘Ν/Α’ in the outer left field are the first Philip’s issue because the letters ‘Ν/Α’ are found on tetradrachms of Demetrios III. |
| Identification Number PH1-AR-03 | |
| Mint: | uncertain North Syrian or Cilician mint |
| Period: | 93 - 83 BC (or a posthumous issue ?) |
| Denomination: | AR Tetradrachm |
| Weight: | 15.06 g |
| Diameter: | 25 - 26 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Philip I right; fillet border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Philip, the Illustrious/Magnificent One, loving one's brother”); Zeus Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) seated left on throne, holding Nike in outstretched right hand and scepter in left hand; ‘ΔΙ’ monogram under throne; all within partially visible laurel wreath |
| Die Position: | 0º |
| References: | Houghton, CSE, –; Newell, SMA, –; SNG Spaer, – |
| Note: | This coin probably comes from a North Syrian or Cilician mint, but the mint is not possible to determine at present. It can be a lifetime issue, but it is also possible that it is an ancient imitative issue, or even a posthumous issue struck by Philip II in the name of his father. In any case, the style and the lack of monograms in the left field almost guarantees that it is not a Roman re-issue of Philip I.2 |
| Identification Number PH1-AR-02 | |
| Mint: | uncertain North Syrian mint |
| Period: | 93 - 83 BC |
| Denomination: | AR Tetradrachm |
| Weight: | 15.62 g |
| Diameter: | 26 - 27 mm |
| Obverse: | Diademed head of Philip I right; fillet border |
| Reverse: | ‘[Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΩ[Σ] ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ’ right, ‘ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ [Φ]ΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟ[Υ]’ left (“of King Philip, the Illustrious/Magnificent One, loving one's brother”); Zeus Nikephoros (“carrying victory”) seated left on throne, holding Nike in outstretched right hand and scepter in left hand; ‘Ι’ in inner left field; ‘ΔΙ’ monogram under throne; perhaps partially visible ‘Θ’ (?) in exergue; all within partially visible laurel wreath |
| Die Position: | c. -5º |
| References: | Newell, SMA, 453; SNG Spaer, 2813 |
| Note: | This type probably belongs to the last period of Philip’s reign, see Bellinger, The End of the Seleucids, pp. 96-97. |
Numismatic note: The coinage of Philip I was revived by the Romans in about 57/6 - 56/5 BC under the proconsul Aulus Gabinius (the Roman province of Syria was created in 64 BC). Roman provincial tetradrachms in the name of Philip I were issued, with some interruptions, to 17/16 BC. Initially they were minted with monograms of Aulus Gabinius (c. 57/6 - 56/5 BC), Marcus Licinius Crassus (c. 55/4 - 54/3 BC) and Gaius Cassius Longinus (c. 52/1 BC). These tetradrachms closely resemble the original tetradrachms of Philip I, but their style is somewhat different and they bear the governor’s monogram in the inner left field. A gap in production followed, but in 47/6 BC the type was revived. Date numerals were placed in the exergue on the reverse (years of the Caesarean era of Antioch) and monograms of Roman governors were replaced by another monogram whose meaning is not certain (it probably stands for either ΑΝΤΙΟΧ or ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ or ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ). (Butcher, Coinage in Roman Syria: Northern Syria, 64 BC - AD 253, pp. 51 - 54)
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 Thanks to Oliver D. Hoover for his kind help with the attribution.