Seleukid and Related Numismatic Information
Inscriptions on Municipal Coins of Seleukid Syria
Inscriptions sorted by mint • References
This page covers Greek inscriptions on municipal coins issued by Syrian cities founded by Seleukid kings. The list covers only the period from the 3rd century BC to the year 64 BC when Syria became a province of the Roman Empire (although the municipal coinages of these cities continued after this date, with the only exception of Larisa). Garbled inscriptions and control marks are not included.
The listed references represent just selected examples and not an exhaustive list of all known issues bearing these inscriptions.
Inscriptions sorted by mint
Antioch on the Orontes
- ΑΝΤΙΟΧΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩΣ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1370; Petr Vesely’s collection, MAN-AE-01 |
Note: Some bronze coins from the Caesarean era bear the inscription ΑΝΤΙΟΧΕΩΝ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩΣ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ, see Butcher, CRS, p. 317. Hoover, HSC, mistakenly assigns this inscription also to his type 1378 (bust of Artemis / Apollo leaning on column) issued before 64 BC. This is an inadvertent confusion, coins of the type 1378 bear the inscription ΑΝΤΙΟΧΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩΣ, see Butcher, CRS, p. 306. The same inadvertent confusion occurs in descriptions of Hoover’s types 1379 and 1380.
Apameia on the Axios
- ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ
- ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΥΛΟΥ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1419 |
Laodikeia by the Sea (Laodikeia ad Mare)
- ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
BMC 20, p. 248, No. 10 (Plate XXIX, 5); Hunterian Coll. III, p. 203, No. 3 |
- ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ
| Metal: |
AR, AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1398 (AR) and 1405 (AE) |
Larisa on the Orontes
- ΛΑΡΙΣΑΙΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1437 |
Seleukeia in Pieria
- ΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ ΔΗΜΩΝ
- ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1384 |
- ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ
| Metal: |
AR, AE |
| Reference: |
BMC 20, p. 271, No. 24 (AR); Hoover, HSC, 1393 (AE); Petr Vesely’s collection, MSE-AE-04 (AE) |
- ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΟΥ
| Metal: |
AR, AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1382 (AR) and 1388 (AE); Petr Vesely’s collection, MSE-AE-02 (AE) |
- ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΕΜ ΠΙΕΡΙΑΙ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
Hoover, HSC, 1386 |
| Note: |
This inscription and its variant ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΕΜ ΠΙΕΡΙΑΙ occur also on quasi-municipal coins struck under Antiochos IV and Alexander I, see section Greek Inscriptions on Quasi-Municipal Coins. |
- ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΕΜ ΠΙΕΡΙΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ
| Metal: |
AE |
| Reference: |
SNG Cop. 36, 392, and SNG Cop. Suppl., 1202 and 1203 (the words ‘ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ’ not mentioned in description); Petr Vesely’s collection, MSE-AE-05 and MSE-AE-06 |
| Note: |
A quasi-municipal issue struck under Antiochos VII bears the inscription ΣΕΛΕΥΚΕΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΕΜ ΠΙΕΡΙΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΙΕΡΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΣΥΛΟΥ, see section Greek Inscriptions on Quasi-Municipal Coins. |
References:
- Butcher, Kevin: Coinage in Roman Syria: Northern Syria, 64 BC - AD 253. Royal Numismatic Society Special Publication No. 34, London, 2004. (abbr. CRS)
- Hoover, Oliver D.: The Handbook of Syrian Coins: Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC. The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series, Vol. 9. Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Lancaster / Pennsylvania - London / England, 2009. (abbr. HSC)
- 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)
- Sylloge Numorum Graecorum Copenhagen: The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum – Vol. 36, Syria: Cities. Copenhagen, 1959. (abbr. SNG Cop. 36)
- Sylloge Numorum Graecorum Copenhagen: The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum – Supplement, Acquisitions 1942-1996. Copenhagen, 2002. (abbr. SNG Cop. Suppl.)
- Wroth, Warwick: British Museum Catalog of Greek Coins, Volume 20: Greek Coins of Galatia, Cappadocia and Syria. London, 1899 (reprint, Arnaldo Forni, Bologna, 1964). (abbr. BMC 20)