Classical Numismatic Group, LLC - Auction 124 - Session 2 . 283
Greek
Category
SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos I Soter. 281-261 BC. AR Drachm (16.5mm, 3.94 g, 6h). Aï Khanoum mint. Struck circa 280-271 BC. Diademed head right / Horned and bridled head of horse right, with braided, flame-like forelock; Δ-in-circle to right. SC 431.3; SMAK A1DH-39–40 var. (a20/p– [unlisted rev. die]); HGC 9, 136. Toned, hairlines on obverse. Good VF. This coin is from one of the first issues of Seleukid coinage at Aï Khanoum, later a major Baktrian capital city. This unusual issue features the horned horse's head, which had been a fairly common symbol in the reign of Seleukos I, father of Antiochos. While the exact identification of the steed is not certain the two prevailing theories are that it is either Alexander's famed mount Boukephalas, or the horse that carried Seleukos to safety when he fled Babylon from the invading Antigonos Monophthalmos in 315 BC. Seleukos revered the horse, and had it deified and erected a monument to it at Antioch.
Description
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Grade
EUR
Starting
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Estimate
EUR
Realized