★ Fine Style Seleukos I Tetradrachm ★

Seleukid Kingdom. Susa. Seleukos I Nikator 312-281 BC. 305/4-295 BC.
Tetradrachm AR

27 mm, 17,01 g

Head of Seleucus I right, wearing Attic helmet covered with panther skin and decorated with bull horns and ear, panther skin tied around neck; dotted border / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ, Nike standing right, crowning trophy of arms built on tree, branch at base to right; H to lower left below right wing, AX between Nike and trophy below left wing. An exquisite specimen displaying areas of diverse toning and lustrous fields that gracefully halo around the Fine Style portrait

Lustrous around portrait, well centred, Near Extremely Fine.

SC 173.14.

Seleucus I Nicator, a formidable general under Alexander the Great, founded the Seleucid Empire, a Hellenistic state that spanned from the Mediterranean to the fringes of India. His reign from 312 to 281 BC was marked by the establishment of Greek and Macedonian dominance over a vast and culturally diverse territory. The Seleucid Empire stood as a beacon of Hellenistic culture, blending Greek traditions with local customs, thereby shaping a unique civilization that thrived for over two centuries. A notable artifact from Seleucus I's era is an AR tetradrachm minted in Susa around 305/4-295 BC. The coin is a masterpiece of Hellenistic numismatic art, showcasing both the artistic skill of its creators and the imperial propaganda of Seleucus's reign. On the obverse, it features the helmeted head of Seleucus I, adorned with a panther skin and bull horns, symbols of strength, valor, and divine favor. This imagery not only glorified Seleucus as a military conqueror but also positioned him within the divine and heroic narrative of Hellenistic kingship. The reverse displays the goddess Nike crowning a trophy of arms, a motif representing military victory and the king's divinely sanctioned rule. The inscriptions and symbols, such as the branch and the Greek letters, signify the coin's minting in Susa, a major city within the empire and a testament to the Seleucids' control over former Persian territories. This tetradrachm is more than just a piece of currency; it is a political statement, celebrating Seleucus I's achievements and his establishment of a vast empire where Greek culture merged with the traditions of the East. Through such coins, Seleucus I and his successors communicated their power, legitimacy, and the cultural aspirations of the Seleucid dynasty, making these artifacts key to understanding the complexities of Hellenistic political and cultural life