Municipal Coins of Seleukid Syria
Seleukeia in Pieria
| Identification Number MSE-AE-01 | |
| Authority: | municipal issue of a civic alliance with Antioch on the Orontes under Alexander I |
| Mint: | Seleukeia in Pieria |
| Period: | 148/7 BC |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 7.61 g |
| Diameter: | 21 - 22 mm |
| Obverse: | Laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΑΔΕΛΦΩ[Ν]’ above, ‘ΔΗΜΩΝ’ below (“of the Brother Peoples”); winged thunderbolt;1 Seleukid date ΕΞΡ (year 165 of the Seleukid Era, i.e. 148/7 BC)2 in left upper field; control marks in right upper field and in exergue; wreath border |
| Die Position: | 90º |
| References: | BMC 20, p. 152, Nos. 6-8 (Plate XVIII, 7); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 142, Nos. 3-4 |
| Note: | Bronze coins in the name of “the Brother Peoples” were struck in Seleukeia between 149/8 and 147/6 BC. This coinage probably reflects some form of civic alliance with Antioch on the Orontes, or perhaps alliance of the tetrapolis of Seleukeia, Antioch, Apameia and Laodikeia.3 Four types of these coins were struck in three denominations: the quadruple unit (BMC 20, p. 152, No. 4), two types of the double unit (BMC 20, p. 152, No. 11, and the type described above) and the single unit (BMC 20, p. 151, Nos. 2-3, and p. 152, No. 9). |
| Identification Number MSE-AE-02 | |
| Authority: | autonomous municipal issue |
| Mint: | Seleukeia in Pieria |
| Period: | 97/6 BC (?) |
| Denomination: | AE Double Unit |
| Weight: | 8.29 g |
| Diameter: | 21 - 22 mm |
| Obverse: | Laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border |
| Reverse: | ‘ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ’ above, ‘ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟ[Υ]’ below (“of the Seleukeians of the Sacred and Autonomous [city]”); winged thunderbolt;1 civic era date ΓΙ (year 13, i.e. 97/6 BC)4 in left upper field; two piloi (caps)5 in right upper field; control mark at the right below the thunderbolt; ‘ΕΟ’ in exergue; laurel wreath border |
| Die Position: | 90º |
| References: | Butcher, CRS, p. 417, Nos. 35-36 var. (different date); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 213, Nos. 14-15 var. (different date) |
| Note: | Butcher, CRS, p. 417, cites only two dates of the civic era for this type of coin: ΜΑ (year 41; the collection of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, Jerusalem), and ΕΜ (year 45; E. T. Newell’s collection of the American Numismatic Society). Another specimen dated ΜΑ is in the Hunterian collection (Hunterian Coll. III, p. 213, No. 15). Note that the date of the second Hunterian specimen (ibid, No. 14, Plate LXXIV, 28) is partially off flan but it may be Ε (year 5). It is thus possible that the coin above is in fact dated ΕΟ in exergue, i.e. year 75 (35/4 BC). This year is acceptable because the related autonomous type with the veiled, turreted, and draped bust of Tyche on the obverse is known from 23 years spread over the period from 93/2 BC to 6/5 BC (see Butcher, CRS, pp. 415-417, Nos. 1-34). On the other hand, the dating to the year 13 of the civic era is supported by three known silver denominations dated the same year: |
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| The design of the reverse of the drachm dated ΓΙ is similar to the reverse of the coin above. | |
1 The thunderbolt was a frequent symbol on the coins of Seleukeia in Pieria. The thunderbolt was a cultus-object of Zeus Keraunos (“Zeus of the Thunderbolt”) and, according to Appian, Syriake, 9.58, it was connected with the foundation of the city: They say that when he (Seleukos I) was about to build the two Seleucias (Seleukeia in Pieria and Seleukeia on the Tigris) a portent of thunder preceded the foundation of the one by the sea, for which reason he consecrated thunder as a divinity of the place. Accordingly the inhabitants worship thunder and sing its praises to this day.
2 The Seleukid Era is based on a lunar calendar, beginning with the autumn of 312 BC. It means that if x is a Seleukid year (and x<312) then the corresponding BC time interval is from 313–x to 312–x.
The beginning of the Seleukid Era was set as follows: In 311 BC, shortly after capturing Babylon, Seleukos I Nikator began the enumeration of his satrapal years there. However, after his decisive victory over Antigonos Monophthalmos in 307/6 BC, he backdated his “fictitious” first regnal year to coincide with Nisanu 1, 311 BC (New Year’s Day in the Babylonian calendar). This marked the antedated epoch of the Seleukid calendar according to the Babylonian reckoning. Later in 305/4 BC, when Seleukos I took the diadem and assumed the royal title “King”, he retained the numbering of his regnal years in Babylon but employed the Makedonian calendar and thus pushed his accession year back to Dios, 312 BC (Dios was the first month of the Makedonian calendar; it corresponds to October-November). This became the antedated epoch of the Seleukid era on the Macedonian calendar. (Assar, Recent Studies in Parthian History, Part I, p. 6)
The Seleukid Era was used at least until the first century AD in some Eastern countries.
3 Strabo, Geography, 16.2.4: Seleucis is the best of the above-mentioned portions of Syria. It is called and is a Tetrapolis, and derives its name from the four distinguished cities which it contains; for there are more than four cities, but the four largest are Antioch Epidaphne (Antioch near Daphne. i.e. Antioch on the Orontes), Seleuceia in Pieria (Seleukeia in Pieria), Apameia (Apameia on the Axios), and Laodiceia (Laodikeia ad Mare). They were called Sisters from the concord which existed between them. They were founded by Seleucus Nicator (Seleukos I). The largest bore the name of his father (Antioch), and the strongest his own (Seleukeia). Of the others, Apameia had its name from his wife Apama, and Laodiceia from his mother (Laodike).
4 The civic era started from 109/8 BC because Seleukeia was granted its autonomy by Antiochos VIII (or, less probably, by Antiochos IX) in 109 BC. See Bellinger, The End of the Seleucids, p. 69, and Welles, Royal Correspondence in the Hellenistic Period, pp. 288-294 (a detailed analysis of a letter of a King Antiochos to King Ptolemy X Alexander announcing the granting of the autonomy).
Welles, Royal Correspondence in the Hellenistic Period, pp. 289-290, Letter 71: King Antiochus (probably Antiochos VIII) to king Ptolemy (Ptolemy X Alexander I Philometor), also called Alexander, his brother, greeting. If you were well it would be as we wish; we ourselves were well and were remembering you with love. The people of Seleucia in Pieria, the city holy and inviolable, [from of old] supported our father and throughout maintained steadfast their good-will toward him. They have been constant in their love toward us and have shown it [through many] fine deeds especially in the most desperate times we have experienced. We have therefore hitherto furthered their interests generously as they deserve and have brought them into [more conspicuous] honor. Now, being anxious to reward them fittingly with the first [and greatest] benefaction, [we have decided that they be] for all time free, [and we have entered them in the treaties] which we have mutually concluded, [thinking] that thus [our piety and generosity] toward our ancestral city will be more apparent. [So that you also may] know [these concessions, it seemed] best [to write you]. Farewell. Year 203, Gorpiaeus 29 (September 109 BC). (Note: Ptolemy X is numbered as Ptolemy IX by Welles. For the numbering see Bennett, Egyptian Royal Genealogy: Ptolemy X.)
5 Probably the piloi of the Dioskuri. According to Polybios, Histories, 5.60, there was a temple of the Dioskuri at Seleukeia:
Polybios, Histories (the Loeb edition), 5.60.1-5: Antiochus (Antiochos III) first of all sent messages to those in charge of the town (Seleukeia in Pieria), offering them money and promising all kinds of rewards if he were put in possession of the place without fighting. But being unable to persuade the officers in command, he corrupted some of their subordinates, and relying on their assistance he got his forces ready, intending to deliver the attack on the seaward side with the men of his fleet and on the land side with his army. He divided his forces into three parts, and after addressing them in terms suitable to the occasion, and promising both the private soldiers and officers great rewards and crowns for valour, he stationed Zeuxis and his division outside the gate leading to Antioch (Antioch on the Orontes), Hermogenes was posted near the Dioscurium (temple of the Dioskuri), and the task of attacking the port and suburb was entrusted to Ardys and Diognetus, since an agreement had been come to with the king’s partisans within, that if he could take the suburb by storm, the town would be delivered up to him.
Polybios, Histories (the Macmillan edition), 5.60.1-5: Antiochus (Antiochos III) first tried sending messages to the magistrates of Seleucia (Seleukeia in Pieria), offering money and other rewards on condition of having the city surrendered without fighting. And though he failed to persuade the chief authorities, he corrupted some of the subordinate commanders; and relying on them, he made preparations to assault the town on the sea-ward side with the men of his fleet, and on the land side with his soldiers. He divided his forces therefore into three parts, and addressed suitable words of exhortation to them, causing a herald to proclaim a promise to men and officers alike of great gifts and crowns that should be bestowed for gallantry in action. To the division under Zeuxis he entrusted the attack upon the gate leading to Antioch (Antioch on the Orontes); to Hermogenes that upon the walls near the temple of Castor and Pollux (Kastor and Polydeukes, the Dioskuri); and to Ardys and Diognetus the assault upon the docks and the lower town: in accordance with his understanding with his partisans in the town, whereby it had been agreed that, if he could carry the lower town by assault, the city also should then be put into his hands.