312 – 280 BCE
AE 12mm 1,9g
Laureate head of Zeus right /
ΣE-ΛE; winged thunderbolt, monogram EP.
not in known references, cf. Hoover 1391
I must admit I was a bit confused which exact Seleukeia I purchased when I picked up this coin. Wikipedia mentions 23 cities in its disambiguation for Seleukia, and the attribution didn’t exactly say which one. However, after some investigation I believe this is from Seleukeia Pieria.
Seleukeia Pieria was an important harbor in what was then called Syria, but is now part of Turkey. It was a strategic location and was contested for some time between the Ptolemies and the Seleukids.
It was founded in 300 BCE by Seleukos I Nikator, and this coin is believed to have been minted under his reign. When he was murdered by Ptolemy Keraunos in 281 BCE, his son Antiochos I Soter placed his ashes in the city. The word ‘Pieria’ came from an area of Macedonia, where Seleukos was from.
The ruins of the city are still visitable and feature a tunnel built during Roman times that’s more than one kilometer long. It was likely built to prevent the harbor from silting up.
At the time I write this, this coin is relatively rare and unpublished.
Seleukeia Piera is founded by Seleukos I Nikator.
The ashes of Seleukos I Nikator are burned by Antiochos I Soter at Seleukeia Piera.
Seleukeia Piera is captured by Ptolemy III Euergetes.
Antiochos III recaptures Seleukeia Pieria.