Istros et les Séleucides au IIIe siècle av. J.-C. à la lumière des sources numismatiques
Istros and the Seleucid kingdom in the 3rd century BC in the light ofnumismatic sources

Summary/Abstract: Recently, the publication of a large hoard, consisting of silver tetradrahmas sheds anew light on the Seleucid relations with Greek Western Pontic cities, especially with Istros.Unusually high level of tetradrahmas minted by Odessos, Mesambria and Callatis suggests acommon monetary policy of the three cities, at a certain moment, determined by the politicaldevelopments in the area.Particularly interesting is the group consisting of 35 Seleucid tetradrahmas with a specialiconography: the sovereign's head on the obverse and Apollo on the reverse. Among them, the12 tetradrahmas bearing on the reverse the ANTIOXOY legend and the letters IΣ wereassigned to the city of Istros and would have been minted during the reigns of Antiochus II(261-246) and Antiochus Hierax (246-226). The minting of Seleucid type tetradrahmas, anunusual fact for the Greek cities on the western Black Sea coast, indicates a specialrelationship between Istros and the Seleucid Kingdom, which can be also be noticed on thegold coins. The analysis of the numismatic material shows that the series of tetradrahms withthe letters IΣ on the reverse and the portrait of Antiochus II on the obverse could be datedduring the Syrian War (260-253). The striking of the Seleucid type tetradrahmas with theletters IΣ the reverse was attributed to Antiochus Hierax, in the context of the third Syrian waror immediately after, in 240, when the conflict with Seleucus II breaks out. The politicalrelationships between Istros and the Seleucid Kingdom in the III century BC are discussed inthe light of numismatic sources.

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