Seleucus IV was born in 218 BCE to Antiochus III and Laodice III. Seleucus was the second son of the royal couple, but became heir apparent after his much beloved older brother, Antiochus, died in 193. Seleucus held some important administration positions under his father; he most notably was the Seleucid governor of Thrace at the time of his father's war against Rome. In 188 he was made co-ruler with his father, and became King when his father died in 187 BCE. Seleucus IV is an anomaly in Seleucid history as he didn't fight any wars, but instead focused on domestic affairs. The reign of Seleucus IV was marked by paying off the massive indemnity of 15,000 talents of silver to the Roman Republic. To put that in perspective, during the height of the Seleucid Empire (301-246 BCE), the Seleucid's yearly income from taxation and trade tariffs was between 15k and 20k talents. Had the Seleucid empire still controlled Anatolia, Bactria, Parthia, and Gedrosia perhaps the indemnity wouldn't have been too crippling. Unfortunately, after the Seleucid defeat in 188, the empire was restricted to Cole-Syria, Syria, Cilicia, Mesopotamia, and Greater Iran. Though in a reduced territorial and financial state, the Seleucid Empire was still a formidable empire; maybe not an ancient super power, but certainly a respectable regional power. Under Seleucus IV's rule, the Parthians and Bactrians seemed content with their respective territories and made no moves into the Seleucid realm. Details of Seleucus IV's death are scant, but it seems that he got caught up in a court plot and was murdered by a minister named Heliodorus in 175 BCE. Heliodorus was initially sent to Cole-Syria to raise funds, i.e loot, from the jewish temples in the region, but returned to Antioch where he killed Seleucus and raised his son Antiochus to the throne while he acted as regent. Heliodorus's regency lasted about a year until he was killed by Seleucus IV's younger brother, Antiochus IV. On a side note, what few records that we have of the time state that Seleucus IV was rather sickly. This is not in of itself interesting, but considering that his brother Antiochus IV died of a "wasting disease" many years later, it does raise some red flags. When I get to Antiochus IV I will delve a bit deeper into my theory on what beset the sons of Antiochus III. Portraits of the Seleucus IV depict him as a middle aged man with a receding hairline; he looks every bit his father's son. Seleucus IV AR Tetradrachm Seleucus IV AR tetradrachm. 187-175 BC. Antioch mint. 17.1 g. Diademed head right. / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣEΛEYKOY, Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding bow and arrow. Filleted palm branch. The Seleucid Empire during his reign(187-175 BCE) An inscription from Cole-Syria referring to taxation, interestingly it mentions Heliodorus. Sources http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/seleucid-economy https://www.livius.org/articles/person/seleucus-iv-philopator/ Feel free to post your later Seleucid coins!
Great coin! All Seleukos IV did is trying to clean up the mess of his father. He didn't seem to be charismatic as well, since he tried to shape some diplomatics and alliances, which almost all failed. With a weakened army, and threats from the East, South and West, it almost certainly is the beginning of the end already for the Seleukids. Seleukos IV Philopator (187-175 B.C.) Serrate AE Denomination A. Antioch mint, struck ca. 187-175 B.C. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ. Apollo standing left, holding arrow, leaning on tripod; monogram to inner left. Reference: HGC 9, 584; SC 1315. 9.32g; 22mm
Here a very rare coin of Seleukos IV, minted in Seleukia, where he gets associated with Helios, the first Seleukid Helios cult. Seleukos IV Philopator 187-175 BC. AE Denomination C (unit). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Obverse: Radiate head of Helios facing slightly left. Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ(“of King Seleukos”). Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm. Reference: SC 1336; HGC 9, 595. 3.68g; 15mm A solar deity first appeared as a full-fledged Seleukid coin type in the reign of Seleukos IV Philopator (187-175 B.C.). The mint at Seleukia on the Tigris issued an important royal bronze coinage in two denominations, displaying a facing bust of Helios on the obverse, radiate, with the anastolé hairstyle above his forehead. The larger denomination featured a Nike reverse; the smaller paired the radiate bust with a tripod. While there is not always a clear association between the obverse and reverse types of Seleukid bronzes, the pairing of the Helios bust with a tripod suggests that once again there may be a fusion of Helios and Apollo. These bronze coins attest to the existence (or introduction) of a solar cult at Seleukia on the Tigris in the reign of Seleukos IV. The Helios bust bronzes of Seleukos IV may have had recent antecedents on seals of Seleukia on the Tigris. Among the clay seal impressions from Seleukia are two that show a male head with a large, staring eye, the anastolé hairstyle rising above his forehead, and six rays emanating from his hair, but no diadem. These Seleukian seal impressions do not come from a dated context, however Vito Messina suggested that they bear the portrait of the prince Seleukos, the future Seleukos IV, in his quality as heir-designate after c. 193. If Messina is correct in his interpretation, the seal impressions not only attest to an official cult of Helios at Seleukia on the Tigris during the latter reign of Antiochis III, but also represent the earliest use of solar imagery in connection with a member of the Seleukid royal house. Picture: The cult of Helios in the Seleucid East by Catharine C. Lorber, Panagiotis Iossif
Very interesting. The reign of Seleucus IV is certainly a transition period. A good example of that is the famous reverse with Apollo on a omphalos that had been used since Antiochus I, roughly 100 years earlier, would slowly get replaced by other designs.
Great Tet @Magnus Maximus ! Sorry, don’t have the IVth, but I like Seleukos bottle caps too! SELEUKID EMPIRE Seleukid Empire Demetrios I Soter 162-150 BCE AE 17 serrate 16.8mm 3.9g Antioch on Orontes mint Horse Hd L - Elephant Hd R- SC 1646 SNG Spaer 1299-1304
