Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Triton XXIV 19-20 Jan 2021
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SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos I Soter. 281-261 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.82 g, 6h). Sardes mint. Struck circa 276-274/1 BC. Diademed and horned head of Seleukos I right / Apollo Delphios, nude, testing arrow in his right hand, left hand holding tip of bow set on ground to right, seated left on omphalos; monogram to inner left, Z in exergue. SC 323.2b; WSM 1366; HGC 9, 130; Jameson 2344. Toned, trace deposits, some porosity and scratches on reverse. VF. Powerful, lifelike portrait of Seleukos.
From the Weise Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 67 (22 September 2004), lot 848.
Shortly after his death in 281 BC, Seleukos I Nikator, the founder of the Seleukid dynasty, was deified by his son and heir, Antiochos I. Almost immediately, Antiochos struck coins at a mint in Baktria bearing the portrait of his deceased father, to whose portrait was added a bull's horn. This feature recalled a famous incident while Nikator served as a companion of Alexander the Great. In this event, Nikator barehandedly subdued a bull that had been brought for sacrifice, after it had broke loose from its restraints. This horn became a standard feature of all the posthumous portraits of Seleukos I. In 276 BC, Antiochos moved his residence from Baktria to Sardes, in order to deal with new threats arising in the West. Newell originally thought that the Seleukos portrait issues at Sardes began early in the reign of Antiochos I, contemporary with the Baktrian issues. However, later studies have suggested that the Alexander type tetradrachms in the name of Antiochos began first, and the Seleukos portraits followed, likely beginning once Antiochos took residence there.
From the Weise Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 67 (22 September 2004), lot 848.
Shortly after his death in 281 BC, Seleukos I Nikator, the founder of the Seleukid dynasty, was deified by his son and heir, Antiochos I. Almost immediately, Antiochos struck coins at a mint in Baktria bearing the portrait of his deceased father, to whose portrait was added a bull's horn. This feature recalled a famous incident while Nikator served as a companion of Alexander the Great. In this event, Nikator barehandedly subdued a bull that had been brought for sacrifice, after it had broke loose from its restraints. This horn became a standard feature of all the posthumous portraits of Seleukos I. In 276 BC, Antiochos moved his residence from Baktria to Sardes, in order to deal with new threats arising in the West. Newell originally thought that the Seleukos portrait issues at Sardes began early in the reign of Antiochos I, contemporary with the Baktrian issues. However, later studies have suggested that the Alexander type tetradrachms in the name of Antiochos began first, and the Seleukos portraits followed, likely beginning once Antiochos took residence there.