I wish I could do a lengthy write up about Seleucus III, but the fact that he ruled for about 2 years and died at the ripe of age of 20, complicates that. Things started going off the rail for the Seleucids at the untimely death of Antiochus II in 246 BCE. Immediately after Antiochus II’s death a civil war broke out and the Egyptians took the opportunity to invade and reached all the way to Mesopotamia. Seleucus II, the legitimate heir, was embroiled in numerous conflicts in the west which allowed the eastern Satraps to declare their independence. When Seleucus turned his attention to the east he was soundly defeated by the Parthians and Bactrians. Seleucus II managed to stabilize his empire in the late 220’s and was planing to march on Pergamon but abruptly died from a horse fall in late 225 BCE. Seleucus III, the eldest son of Seleucus II, succeeded his father in December 225 and continued his fathers plans for war with Pergamon. The war ended up turning into a stalemate. Seleucus III personality went to Anatolia to supervise the war but ended up getting caught up in a court conspiracy with his generals and was murdered. Fortunately he was succeeded by his able younger brother, Antiochus III in 223. Coins of Seleucus III are not rare by any means but certainly are not common as coins of his grandfather and great grandfather. Seleucus III Ceraunus (225-223 BC) AR tetradrachm, Antioch mint, 225-223 BC. Diademed head of Seleucus III right. BASILEWS SELEYKOY, Apollo seated left on omphalos, examining arrow and resting hand on grounded bow, YX monogram in left field, inverted Omega over P in outer right field. The Seleucid empire when Seleucus III took power BTW, his nickname Keraunus, means thunderbolt.
Here is a coin of his grandad: Antiochus II Theos ( God) 261-246 BC, Seleucia on the Tigris Denomination: Tetradrachm Weight: 16.910 References: SC-587.4a Details: Obv: Diademed portrait of Antiochus II r., Rx: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ Apollo, slight drapery on r. thigh, seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow and resting l. hand on bow, control marks in left and right fields. Fine+
