Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XIV 21 Sep 2017
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Seleukid Empire, Antiochos I Soter AV Stater. Aï Khanoum, circa 280-271 BC. Diademed head right / Horned and bridled horse head to right, with braided, horn-like forelock; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to left, ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ below, pellet-in-Δ within circle at upper right. SC 426-7 (same reverse symbol position as 426, same obverse die as pl. 20, 427b); cf. ESM 676, 683-4. 8.43g, 16mm, 7h.
Good Extremely Fine. An apparently unique variety of an exceedingly rare issue.
Newell (The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III) attributed the important series of gold, silver and bronze coins, of which the present specimen is an exceptionally rare and beautiful example, to Baktra, the capital city of Baktria. Subsequent excavations at Aï Khanoum, which was perhaps the Alexandria Oxiana mentioned by Ptolemy (6.12.6), revealed many coins there of the type assigned to Baktra. A more thorough study by Kritt (Seleucid Coins of Bactria, pp. 27-30), utilising the newly discovered information, reassigned the entire Baktra series to Aï Khanoum. The existence of an active mint there was confirmed by the excavation of a large palace complex complete with administrative offices, treasury and unstruck bronze flans. This reattribution was further supported by the discovery of a bronze coin depicting the river Oxus – a type appropriate to Aï Khanoum, but not Baktra. Antiochos I himself was possibly in residence at Aï Khanoum when he received word of his father's assassination. Houghton and Lorber (Seleucid Coins, p. 151) note that this city's monetary output grew in importance during Antiochos' sole reign, probably rendering other local coinages obsolete.
The horned horse head type has often been mistakenly thought to represent Alexander's beloved warhorse Bukephalas, which apart from the mythical Pegasos was certainly the most celebrated horse of antiquity. The type was instituted by Seleukos, who used it at Pergamon for a brief issue of commemorative silver, at Apameia and Carrhae for small bronze, and at Ekbatana for an extremely rare issue depicting both horned horse and rider. Used more extensively by Antiochos I, the horned horse head seems, according to Miller and Walters (Seleucid coinage and the legend of the horned Bucephalas, SNR 83, 2004) "to have been a personal symbol of Seleukos I, and not an oblique claim to legitimisation via reference to Alexander's favourite steed". Several scholars including Hoover (1996) cite a statue mentioned by John Malalas (Chronographia, c. AD 491-578) which he says bore the inscription: "On this Seleukos fled Antigonos and was saved; returning and conquering him, he destroyed him." It is clear that the use of bulls' horns comes to represent royalty and divinity, a custom perhaps derived from ancient near-eastern religious motifs, and the usage of such horns was perpetuated on the portraits of Seluekos II, Antiochos III, and several later Baktrian kings. If Malalas may be believed then, the present horned horse type could easily represent this honoured steed that saved Seleukos - it is certainly the only horse we have any mention of in connection with him.
Good Extremely Fine. An apparently unique variety of an exceedingly rare issue.
Newell (The Coinage of the Eastern Seleucid Mints from Seleucus I to Antiochus III) attributed the important series of gold, silver and bronze coins, of which the present specimen is an exceptionally rare and beautiful example, to Baktra, the capital city of Baktria. Subsequent excavations at Aï Khanoum, which was perhaps the Alexandria Oxiana mentioned by Ptolemy (6.12.6), revealed many coins there of the type assigned to Baktra. A more thorough study by Kritt (Seleucid Coins of Bactria, pp. 27-30), utilising the newly discovered information, reassigned the entire Baktra series to Aï Khanoum. The existence of an active mint there was confirmed by the excavation of a large palace complex complete with administrative offices, treasury and unstruck bronze flans. This reattribution was further supported by the discovery of a bronze coin depicting the river Oxus – a type appropriate to Aï Khanoum, but not Baktra. Antiochos I himself was possibly in residence at Aï Khanoum when he received word of his father's assassination. Houghton and Lorber (Seleucid Coins, p. 151) note that this city's monetary output grew in importance during Antiochos' sole reign, probably rendering other local coinages obsolete.
The horned horse head type has often been mistakenly thought to represent Alexander's beloved warhorse Bukephalas, which apart from the mythical Pegasos was certainly the most celebrated horse of antiquity. The type was instituted by Seleukos, who used it at Pergamon for a brief issue of commemorative silver, at Apameia and Carrhae for small bronze, and at Ekbatana for an extremely rare issue depicting both horned horse and rider. Used more extensively by Antiochos I, the horned horse head seems, according to Miller and Walters (Seleucid coinage and the legend of the horned Bucephalas, SNR 83, 2004) "to have been a personal symbol of Seleukos I, and not an oblique claim to legitimisation via reference to Alexander's favourite steed". Several scholars including Hoover (1996) cite a statue mentioned by John Malalas (Chronographia, c. AD 491-578) which he says bore the inscription: "On this Seleukos fled Antigonos and was saved; returning and conquering him, he destroyed him." It is clear that the use of bulls' horns comes to represent royalty and divinity, a custom perhaps derived from ancient near-eastern religious motifs, and the usage of such horns was perpetuated on the portraits of Seluekos II, Antiochos III, and several later Baktrian kings. If Malalas may be believed then, the present horned horse type could easily represent this honoured steed that saved Seleukos - it is certainly the only horse we have any mention of in connection with him.