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Greek Seleucid Kingdom – Antiochus I, Soter – King: 280-261
B.C.
Bronze 14mm (1.87 grams) Struck 280-261 B.C.
Reference: Sear 6883; B.M.C. 4. 13, 58
Bust of Athena facing, in triple-crested helmet.
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ANTIOXOY either side of Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm;
monogram within circle in field to left.
Seleukos was succeeded by his son, Antiochos, who had already been ruler of the
eastern satrapies from 293 B.C. Little is known of his reign other than his
victory over the Gallic invaders of Asia minor, circa 273 B.C., which earned him
the title of Soter – ‘Savior’
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In
Greek mythology
,
Nike was a
goddess
who personified
victory
, also known as the Winged Goddess of
Victory. The Roman equivalent was
Victoria
. Depending upon the time of various
myths, she was described as the daughter of
Pallas
(Titan) and
Styx (Water) and the sister of
Kratos
(Strength),
Bia
(Force), and
Zelus
(Zeal). Nike and her siblings were close
companions of Zeus
, the dominant deity of the
Greek pantheon
. According to classical (later)
myth, Styx brought them to Zeus when
the
god was assembling allies for the
Titan War
against the older deities. Nike
assumed the role of the divine
charioteer
, a role in which she often is
portrayed in Classical Greek art. Nike flew around battlefields rewarding the
victors with glory and fame.
Nike is seen with wings in most statues and paintings. Most other winged
deities in the Greek pantheon had shed their wings by Classical times. Nike is
the goddess of strength, speed, and victory. Nike was a very close acquaintance
of Athena
, and is thought to have stood in
Athena’s outstretched hand in the statue of Athena located in the Parthenon.
Nike is one of the most commonly portrayed figures on Greek coins.
Names stemming from Nike include amongst others:
Nicholas
, Nicola, Nick, Nikolai, Nils, Klaas,
Nicole, Ike, Niki, Nikita, Nika, Niketas, and Nico.
Athena or Athene
(Latin:
Minerva
), also referred to as
Pallas Athena, is the goddess of war, civilization, wisdom, strength,
strategy, crafts, justice and skill in
Greek mythology
.
Minerva
,
Athena’s Roman
incarnation,
embodies similar attributes. Athena is also a shrewd companion of
heroes and the
goddess
of
heroic endeavour. She is the
virgin
patron of
Athens
. The Athenians built the
Parthenon
on the Acropolis of her namesake
city, Athens, in her honour (Athena Parthenos). Athena’s cult as the patron of
Athens seems to have existed from the earliest times and was so persistent that
archaic myths about her were recast to adapt to cultural changes. In her role as
a protector of the city (polis),
many people throughout the Greek world worshiped Athena as Athena Polias
(“Athena of the city”).
Athens
and Athena bear etymologically connected
names.
Antiochus I Soter (Greek:
Αντίοχος Α’ Σωτήρ, i.e. Antiochus the Savior, unknown – 261 BC),
was a king of the
Hellenistic
Seleucid Empire
. He reigned from 281 BC – 261 BC.
Antiochus I was half
Persian
, his mother
Apama
being one
of the eastern princesses whom
Alexander the Great
had given as wives to his generals in 324 BC. In 294 BC,
prior to the death of his father
Seleucus I
, Antiochus married his stepmother,
Stratonice
, daughter of
Demetrius Poliorcetes
. His elderly father reportedly instigated the marriage
after discovering that his son was in danger of dying of lovesickness.
On the assassination of his father in 281 BC, the task of holding together
the empire was a formidable one. A revolt in
Syria
broke out
almost immediately. Antiochus was soon compelled to make peace with his father’s
murderer,
Ptolemy Keraunos
, apparently abandoning
Macedonia
and Thrace
. In
Asia Minor
he was unable to reduce
Bithynia
or
the Persian dynasties that ruled in
Cappadocia
.
In 278 BC the Gauls
broke into Asia Minor, and a victory that Antiochus won over these hordes is
said to have been the origin of his title of Soter (Gr.
for “saviour”).
At the end of 275 BC the question of
Coele-Syria
,
which had been open between the houses of
Seleucus
and
Ptolemy
since the partition of 301 BC, led to hostilities (the
First Syrian War
). It had been continuously in
Ptolemaic
occupation, but the
house of Seleucus
maintained its claim.
War did not materially change the outlines of the two kingdoms, though
frontier cities like
Damascus
and the coast districts of Asia Minor might change hands.
His eldest son Seleucus had ruled in the east as viceroy from 275 BC(?) till
268/267 BC; Antiochus put his son to death in the latter year on the charge of
rebellion. Circa 262 BC Antiochus tried to break the growing power of
Pergamum
by force of arms, but suffered defeat near
Sardis
and died
soon afterwards. He was succeeded in 261 BC by his second son
Antiochus II Theos
.
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