Archaios | Seleucis Pieria ANTIOCH Gordian Eagle TETRADRACHM | Inv#51.3

Description

Archaios Numismatics
__________________________________________
Description:
Roman Provincial BI Tetradrachm Coin of Emperor Gordian from Seleucis-Antioch in Syria. Circa 241-4 A.D.
Obverse:
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian right. AVTOK K M A ANT GOPDIANOC CEB;
Reverse:
Eagle standing facing with wings spread and head turned left, holding wreath in beak; between legs of eagle: Crescent above Ram leaping right with head reverted; ΔHMAPX EΞ VΠATOB  ;
Mint:
Syria, Seleucis-Pieria Antioch
Size:
30 mm
Weight:
12.96 g
Ref:
Prieur 302, Scarce
Inventory
#: 51.3
Condition:
aVF
As always, Please use the Pictures as your judge as grading is subjective.
Note:
Seleucia Pieria (Antioch ad Orontes)
was founded in ca. 300 BCE by Seleucus I Nicator, one of the successors of the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great and the founder of the Seleucid Empire. The Macedonians called the landscape Pieria, after a district in their homeland that was also between the sea and a mountain range (the Olympus).The city was built slightly to the north of the estuary of the river Orontes, between small rivers on the western slopes of the Coryphaeus, one of the southern summits of the Amanus Mountains.
When the Seleucid Empire was subdued by the Armenian conqueror Tigranes II, Seleucia Pieria resisted. Roman general Pompey the Great restored the Seleucids to power by giving the city to Antiochus I Theos of Commagene, a direct descendant of Seleucus I Nicator and a loyal ally of Rome. Under light Commagene rule,
Seleucia enjoyed substantial autonomy
, i.e. de facto independence.
Seleucia's importance grew significantly over time, necessitating the enlargement of its harbours several times under Diocletian and Constantius
. These harbours, called the "inner" and "outer" harbours, served from time to time the Roman navy. Most buildings and structures today date from the Roman period.
Seleucia Pieria and Christianity
The city was Christianized early. As the port of Antioch of Syria, "Seleucia on sea"—so called to distinguish it from other cities of the same name—is
most notable as the precise point of embarkation from which the
Apostle Paul [in 45 CE] and Saint Barnabas
sailed from on their first missionary journeys
, as chronicled in the Bible (Acts 13:4). At the end of that same journey he must have made landfall at Seleucia before going to Antioch (see Acts 14:26). His route at the beginning of the second journey was by land and probably bypassed Seleucia (see Acts 15:40-41), though on returning, he must have passed through it again (see Acts 18:22).
Some Excerpts from Head, Hist. Num.; Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
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