Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 531 25-26 Jan 2023
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SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos I Soter. 281-261 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 16.33 g, 1h). Sardes mint. Struck circa 276-274/1 BC. Diademed and horned head of Seleukos I right / Apollo, testing arrow and resting hand on grounded bow, seated left on omphalos; monogram to inner left, Z in exergue. SC 323.2b; HGC 9, 130. Lightly toned, areas of roughness, horn silver, some chipping on edge, slightly off center on obverse. Good VF. Powerful, lifelike portrait of Seleukos.
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.
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.