Antiochus II was arguably one of the more sucessful Seleucid monarchs; he won a major war against Ptolemaic Egypt and gained territory in Anatolia while sucessfully defending his Syrian posessions. However, one area where Antiochus II objectively failed was in establishing a clear line of sucession and training said successor adequately for the job of governance. In early 246 BCE, Antiochus left his Egyptian born wife and entered Ephesus to meet his first wife Laodice I. Antiochus II either was murded by his ex-wife or died of natural causes in July of 246. Regardless of how Antiochus II died the results were disatrous for the Seleucid state. Seleucus II(Antiochus’s oldest son) took power in late summer of 246 and was immediatly faced with a war with Ptolemy III of Egypt. To make matters worse for Seleucus II, his mother had her partisans murder Ptolemy's sister(Antiochus II's second wife) and nephew(Antiochus II's third son) in a riot. Instead of supporting her eldest son, Laodice worked to undermine the young King by supporting her younger son Antiochus Hierax in Anatolia. Seleucus II, being pressed by the advancing Ptolemaic army, bregrudingly accepted his younger brother’s rule in Anatolia. After the war with Ptolemy concluded in 241, Seleucus focused his attention on Hierax in Anatolia. Hierax for his part was certainly as ambitious as any hellenistic monarch, and had assembled a large mercenary army by the time Seleucus II arrived. Amazingly Hierax was able to score a large victory over his brother that resulted in him losing over 25,000 men(a very high number considering the size of hellenistic armies). After his defeats at the hands of Hierax, Seleucus withdrew from Anatolia and turned east to try to restore order to the rouge satrapies of Parthia and Bactria. In the mean time a sort of cold war between the brothers set in, with neither side able to dislodge the other. Ironically it wasn’t a large hellenistic state that would ruin Hierax's kingdom, but the the city-state of Pergamon led by Attalus I Soter. Attalus managed to inflict a desicive defeat on Hierax in 228 that forced him to abandon all his territories in Anatolia and flee to Thrace. Never content with his lot in life, Hierax tried to raise an army in Thrace but was murdered by group of roving bandits in 227 BCE, he was 32 years old. With the death of a rival for the throne, Seleucus II was more secure in his postion and began assembling an army to reclaim territory previously lost to Hierax in Anatolia. I’m not sure what Antiochus Hierax should be classified as: a Seleucid king, usurper, or a separatist? He did control Seleucid territory in Anatolia for a little over a decade, however he never really made any major moves to conquer Syria and the Seleucid heartland. Most of Hierax’s army were made up of mercenaries(usually Galatians) yet they were able to inflict serious losses on Seleucus II’s professional army. Not much is know about Hierax’s actual reign in Anatolia, or how much actual governance he did; Hierax was 13 when his mother raised him to rebel in 246/5 BCE. Another fascinating thing about this period is how the legacy of Antiochus I Soter was still very much being used. Hierax used the portrait of his grandfather on his coins, depicting him as rejuvenated and wearing a winged diadem. Speaking of which! Material: Silver Weight: 16.77 g Syria, Antiochus Hierax; 242(?)-227 BC. Alexandria Troas mint, Workshop B(?): Series II, Group B, Tetradrachm, 16.77g. SC-882.6 (same obverse die). Obv: Diademed head of Antiohcus I, r., rejuvenated and idealized with hair in bangs over forehead, wearing winged diadem. Rx: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ANTIOXOY on l., partially nude, with slight drapery on thigh, Apollo seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow and resting l. hand on grounded bow. Control marks in outer left field and above arrow in left field. Horse grazing to right in exergue.. VF A video of my coin. It really is a nice piece in hand. Courtesy of Harlan J Berk. A rough estimate of Antiochus Hierax’s territory in the 230’s BCE. Please post your coins of Antiochus II, Ptolemy III, Antiochus Hierax, Seleucus II, Attalus I, and any other characters from the 240’s-220’s BCE!
Congratulations these can get quite pricey in higher grades. Antiochus Hierax Mint: Alexandria Troas AR Tetradrachm 242 to 227 BC Obvs: Diademed head of Antiochus Hierax with prominant cheekbone. Revs: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ANTIOXOY on l., partially nude, with slight drapery on thigh, Apollo seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow and resting l. hand on grounded bow that has pellets that symbolize the handle. Horse symbol in exergue and two control monograms in left field. 29x30mm, 16.35g Ref: Sear GCV 6919; SC 877.2; HGC 9, 405g(R1) Achaios Mint: Uncertain in Pisidia 220 to 214 BC Obvs: Laureate head of Apollo right. Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right AXAIOY curving on left, eagle standing right palm branch over shoulder. AE 17mm, 5.07g $0.00 Ref: SC AD203; HGC 9, 435(R3) Seleucus II Mint: Unknown Western 43 246 to 226 BC Obvs: Head of Poseidon right, crowned with kelp. Trident behind, dotted border. Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣEΛEYKOY, Nike in fast quadriga left. AE 15x17mm, 6.55g Ref: SC 738; HGC 9, 353(R2)
Nice writeup and great coin, Mag Max! Very nice. Here is one of my Ptolemy III to toss in: Egypt Ptolemy II 285-274 BC AE Obol 20mm 6.7g Alex III Eagle Tbolt Plain SV 601
Very nice coins everyone! Many thanks David. I love how Hierax had to reach all the way back to his grandfather to shore up his legitamacy. Personally my favorite Antiochus I portrait is this bad boy! SELEUCID KINGDOM. Antiochus II Theos (261-246 BC). AR tetradrachm (32mm, 16.99gm, 12h). Phocaea. Diademed head of Antiochus I right, elderly to middle ages, with full hair and aquiline nose; dotted border / BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ANT-IOXOY, Apollo seated left on omphalus, testing arrow in right hand, left hand on grounded bow to right behind; forepart of griffin left in upper, outer left field, A(PT) monogram in outer right field. SC 508. Extremely rare - no examples in sales archives. Pleasant medium gray old collection toning. Extreme high relief.
Wonderful! And as @David@PCC mentioned they go for quite much in higher grade. The video is cool too. No Antiochos Hierax coin to show unfortunately, but: Seleukos II Kallinikos (246 - 225 B.C.) Denomination B (Double Unit), ‘ΔEΛ’ mint associated with Antioch. Obverse: Draped bust of Athena right in crested Corinthian helmet. Reverse: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ (“of King Seleukos”). Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm branch, monograms to inner left. Reference: SC 713.2; HGC 9, 323. 8.03g; 18mm Antiochos II Theos (261 - 246 B.C.) Denomination C (Unit), Antioch mint, ca. 261-246 B.C. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right, with curly hair. Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛEΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ (“of King Antiochos”). Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow and resting elbow on kithara. Reference: SC 572. 4.10g; 18mm Antiochos II Theos (261 - 246 B.C.) Denomination C (Unit), Antioch mint, ca. 256-246 B.C. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right, hair rolled behind, a few wavy locks down neck. Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛEΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ (“of King Antiochos”). Tripod, anchor below; Δ in circle to right, monogram to left. Reference: SC 575. 5.70g; 19mm
