Coinage and conflict : the manipulation of Seleucid political imagery

• Main Author: Dodd, Rebecca
• Published: University of Glasgow 2009
• Subjects: 930.1; D051 Ancient History : CJ Numismatics : CB History of civilization
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.507984

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a thematic analysis of the historical, political, and economic context of Seleucid portraiture, namely that on coins, but with reference to gemstones, seals, and sculpture where evidence exists. No attention has been given to the aesthetic value of such items, as has been the habit of art historians, as a great deal of the evidence analysed here consists of bronze coins. Nor is this work intended to be a catalogue, as technical information on coins has been well documented in the many catalogues in this field. The first chapter provides a general survey of the issue of autonomy and its relationship to the Seleucids, whether among the Greek poleis of Asia Minor or other autonomous areas of the Seleucid empire. This is followed by an obligatory discussion of the influence of Alexander on the Seleucids, which has been kept deliberately short due to the amount of scholarship already completed in this field. The issue of warfare and its effect on Seleucid iconography follows this. The first three chapters cover issues affecting Seleucid iconography, whether for legitimate kings or otherwise, which leads on to a chapter covering the Seleucid usurpers. The function of this chapter within the thesis is twofold; firstly, it introduces the concept of usurpation and its effect on the iconography of legitimate kings; secondly, it contains extensive discussion of the coinages of the individual usurpers. The next four chapters serve to analyse the variation of the royal image for legitimate kings, assessing the effect of autonomy, warfare, Alexander, and usurpation on the changing royal image. The kings discussed in the respective chapters were chosen on similarities of iconography and factors affecting this. The final chapter is a discussion on Seleucid female iconography, affected by many of the same factors as male portraiture.