Friday, July 16, 2021

The Seleucid Empire (312 - 63 BC), the Indian connection and Coins

 

The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state in western Asia that existed from 312 BC to 63 BC. It was founded by Seleucus I Nicator (a Greek title meaning victory) following the division of the Macedonian Empire established by Alexander the Great. At its height, the empire spanned Anatolia, Persia, the Levant, Mesopotamia tan and parts of Turkmenistan, with its capital at Seleucia from 305 BC to 240 BC and Antioch (at Orontes in Northern Syria) from 240 BC to 63 BC.

                                           

      Coin of Seleukos I Nikator, 312-281 BC
  

Alexander, who died young in 323 BC, left an expansive empire without an heir. The territories were divided amongst his generals, who became Satraps. Seleucus, who had been the senior most officer in the Army established himself in 312 BC, and the year became the foundation year of the Seleucid empire.

                                               

 

Seleucid-Mauryan War (305 - 303 BC). Chandragupta Maurya in 321 BC, annexed the Nanda empire and founded the Mauryan empire, relocating the capital to Pataliputra. In 317 BC, he conquered the remaining Greek Satraps and redirected his attention to the Indus. Expecting a confrontation, Seleucus gathered his army and marched towards the Indus.

                                           

Bust of Seleukos I Nikator, 100 BC-100 AD, National Archaeological Museum, Naples

According to Appian, the Greek historian born in 95AD, '' He (Seleucus) crossed the Indus and waged war with Sandrocottus (Maurya), king of the Indians, who dwelt on the banks of that stream, until they came to an understanding with each other and contracted a marriage relationship. Chandragupta married Seleucus's daughter, a Macedonian princess. Chandragupta sent 500 war elephants and Seleucus sent an ambassador, Megathenes to Pataliputra (modern day Patna), and later Deimakos to his son Bindusara.''  

                                           

Chandragupta and his wife: a conjectural interpretation of ''marriage agreement between Seleucids and Chandragupta Maurya'', related by Greek historian Appian.                                      

Megasthenes wrote detailed descriptions of India and Chandragupta's reign, which have been preserved through Diodorus Siculus. 

Central Asian territories started to ascertain their independence around 261-246 BC. These included Bactria, Sogdiana, Cappadocia and Parthia. Further, the economy started to show the first signs of weakness and soon Bactria, Parthia and Galatia declared independence.

A revival of the empire began in 223 BC and lasted till 191 BC under Antiochus III, who would prove himself to be the greatest ruler since Seleucus.

                                           

    Bust of Antiochus III, 100 BC-50 BC

He even emulated Seleucus with an expedition into India where he met King Sophagasenus (Sanskrit :Subhagasena).  According to Greek historian Polybius, (200-180 BC), ''He (Antiochus) crossed the Caucasus Indicus (Hindu-Kush) and descended into India, renewed his friendship with Sophagasenus the king of the Indians, received more elephants, till he had 150 together, and having once more provisioned his troops, set out with his army. Having traversed Arachosia and crossed river Enymanthus, he came through Drangene to Carmania, where he put his men into winter quarters there''.  Around 200 BC, he at least appeared to have restored the Seleucid Kingdom to glory.

                                           

Paintings of ancient Macedonian soldiers, last quarter of the 4th century BC, Macedonian Tomb of Agios Athanasios

                                              


In the battle against the Romans, he suffered defeat in 190 BC, and his empire lost territory.

                                            

The reduced Empire and the expanded states of Pergamum and Rhodes, after defeat of Antiochus III by Rome, 188 BC.

The Seleucid dynastic wars from 150 BC further caused decay of the empire's territorial possessions, till its collapse from 100-63 BC. 

                                             

Seleucid Syria in early 124 BC under Alexander II, 
 

By 100 BC, the once formidable empire encompassed little more than Antioch and some Syrian cities.

                                             


By 63 BC, the Romans had made Syria as a Roman province.   


Coins of the Seleucid Empire


Seleukos I Nikator, 312-281 BC, Drachm, silver, weight 17.0 g
Obverse: Head of Herakles in lionskin headdress to right
Reverse: Alexander, his cloak billowing behind him, riding a horse with horns on head, charging to right. He holds a spear in right hand and wears a helmet adorned with bull's ear and horns and a cuirass. Below and behind horse, two monograms
  

                                                

Seleukos I Nikator, 312-281 BC, Tetradrachm, silver, weight 17 g
Obverse: Head of Herakles right wearing lion skin knotted at base of the neck
Reverse: Zeus, seated left and holding eagle, with legend below and to the right, with letters to the left and below seat, translated to King Seleukos 

                                               

Antiochos II Theos, 261-246 BC, Drachm, bronze, weight 3.9 g
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right
Reverse: Tripod, monogram of HAP to left, MIV to right translated to Of King Antiochos, Sardis, Lydia Turkey mint


                                                

Antiochos III, 223-187 BC, Drachm, bronze, weight 1.1 g
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right
Reverse: Apollo standing left, examining arrow in right, resting left on grounded bow


                                                 

Seleukos IV Philopator, 187-175 BC, Drachm, bronze, weight 9.9 g
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right, ME monogram behind head
Reverse; Apollo standing left, holding an arrow and arm on tripod altar. 


                                               

Quadruple Antiochos IV Epiphanes, Drachm, 169-168 BC, bronze, weight 40.7 g
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus to right
Reverse: Eagle, with closed wings, standing right on thunderbolt 
 

                                               

Demetrius I Soter, 161-150 BC, Drachm, silver, weight 3.8 g
Obverse: Diademed head of king to right
Reverse: Cornucopia, monograms below

                                               

Antiochos IX, 114-95 BC, Drachm, bronze, weight 4.9 g

Obverse: Laureate head of Herakles right

Reverse: Athena Nikephoros standing left, holding Nike and resting left hand on shield at her side, a spear behind her


                                                  
Antiochos VII, 138-129 BC, Drachm, bronze, weight 7.1 g
Obverse: Bust of Eros right
Reverse : Headdress of Isis, scepter as monogram to left, aplustre and date EOP below



1 comment:

  1. Wonderful,enjoyed the pearls from the past

    ReplyDelete

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