DOI issue:
Artikuły / Articles
DOI article:Wójcikowski, Robert S.: Zeus Aëtophoros in the coinage of Seleucus I Nicator
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43282#0062
ROBERT S. WÓJCIKOWSKI
as a symbol of royal authority or as a symbol of the divine origin of that authority.
In his Behistun Inscription, Darius I pronounces the following: vasnäAuramazdäha
adam xsäya&iy cumy A uramazda xsacam mana (by the grace of Ahura Mazda, I am
the ruler, to me Ahura Mazda has given the ascendancy).101 Perhaps the Achaemenid
Standards with the golden eagle or falcon imagery were the exemplification
of this view, clearly indicative of the fact that the Great Kings, the descendants of
Acheamenes, possessed the Xvarenah and reigned vasnä Auramazdäha.
The significance of the raptor imagery is demonstrated by the fact that the bird
is represented not only as resting on the god’s hand, but also on his sceptre - which
would seem to draw a direct link between the meaning of the image and authority102 -
or on a free-standing plinth in front of Baal enthroned.103 The evident exposure given
to the bird of prey is certainly evocative of its essential symbolic role. At the same
time, we cannot rule out the most obvious explanation, that is, the possibility that it
served as the symbol of the Achaemenid dynasty, whose Standards, as Xenophon’s
accounts attest, were adorned with the image of a bird with outstretched wings.104
During the period in which Seleucus I Nicator was building his empire,
Achaemenid traditions were still alive in the lands once forming part of the Old
Persian monarchy. Without a doubt, this was facilitated by the fact that at the moment
of Alexander ’s death, the Iranians continued to rule in many provinces (Media,
Parthia-ffyrcania, Paropamisadae, Babylonia, Susiana).105 The core of Seleucus’s
state was formed by Babylonia and the Iranian provinces. The fali of the Achaemenid
Empire did not entail any morę profound transformations in ownership, which
meant that the old Asian elites retained their influence and power.106 The success of
Seleucus, for the most part, was due to his ability to gain their loyalty.
In Babylonia, he based his rule on the classes of priests and officials.107 Already
as the satrap of Babylon,108 the Macedonian regarded this region “comme la region
originelle du pouvoir ‘seleucide’”;109 he let himself be known as an efficient
administrator and managed to gain the respect and loyalty of his subjects,110 which
101 KENT 1953: 17=DB I 11-12.
102 BODZEK 2011: PL. VII 2.
103 Ibidenr. PL. VII 10.
104 X. Kyr. VII, 1,4; An. I. 10. 12.
105 OLBRYCHT 2013: 161.
106 AUSTIN 2005: 128; WOLSKI 1999: 25-26.
107 GRAINGER 2014a: 30-31.
108 App. Syr. IX, 53.
109 CAPDETREY 2007b: 194.
110 When Seleucus moved to Babylonia in 312 after defeating Demetrios, the son of Antigonus Monophthalmus,
in Syrian Gaza (D.S. XIX, 1), the inhabitants went out to meet him, declaring their assistance, this being the
effect of his previous five-year-long reign as satrap, and because he had won the favour of the local population
(D.S. XIX, 90-93). In the Chronicie of the Diadochi, the Akkad army under Seleucus’ command was represented as
as a symbol of royal authority or as a symbol of the divine origin of that authority.
In his Behistun Inscription, Darius I pronounces the following: vasnäAuramazdäha
adam xsäya&iy cumy A uramazda xsacam mana (by the grace of Ahura Mazda, I am
the ruler, to me Ahura Mazda has given the ascendancy).101 Perhaps the Achaemenid
Standards with the golden eagle or falcon imagery were the exemplification
of this view, clearly indicative of the fact that the Great Kings, the descendants of
Acheamenes, possessed the Xvarenah and reigned vasnä Auramazdäha.
The significance of the raptor imagery is demonstrated by the fact that the bird
is represented not only as resting on the god’s hand, but also on his sceptre - which
would seem to draw a direct link between the meaning of the image and authority102 -
or on a free-standing plinth in front of Baal enthroned.103 The evident exposure given
to the bird of prey is certainly evocative of its essential symbolic role. At the same
time, we cannot rule out the most obvious explanation, that is, the possibility that it
served as the symbol of the Achaemenid dynasty, whose Standards, as Xenophon’s
accounts attest, were adorned with the image of a bird with outstretched wings.104
During the period in which Seleucus I Nicator was building his empire,
Achaemenid traditions were still alive in the lands once forming part of the Old
Persian monarchy. Without a doubt, this was facilitated by the fact that at the moment
of Alexander ’s death, the Iranians continued to rule in many provinces (Media,
Parthia-ffyrcania, Paropamisadae, Babylonia, Susiana).105 The core of Seleucus’s
state was formed by Babylonia and the Iranian provinces. The fali of the Achaemenid
Empire did not entail any morę profound transformations in ownership, which
meant that the old Asian elites retained their influence and power.106 The success of
Seleucus, for the most part, was due to his ability to gain their loyalty.
In Babylonia, he based his rule on the classes of priests and officials.107 Already
as the satrap of Babylon,108 the Macedonian regarded this region “comme la region
originelle du pouvoir ‘seleucide’”;109 he let himself be known as an efficient
administrator and managed to gain the respect and loyalty of his subjects,110 which
101 KENT 1953: 17=DB I 11-12.
102 BODZEK 2011: PL. VII 2.
103 Ibidenr. PL. VII 10.
104 X. Kyr. VII, 1,4; An. I. 10. 12.
105 OLBRYCHT 2013: 161.
106 AUSTIN 2005: 128; WOLSKI 1999: 25-26.
107 GRAINGER 2014a: 30-31.
108 App. Syr. IX, 53.
109 CAPDETREY 2007b: 194.
110 When Seleucus moved to Babylonia in 312 after defeating Demetrios, the son of Antigonus Monophthalmus,
in Syrian Gaza (D.S. XIX, 1), the inhabitants went out to meet him, declaring their assistance, this being the
effect of his previous five-year-long reign as satrap, and because he had won the favour of the local population
(D.S. XIX, 90-93). In the Chronicie of the Diadochi, the Akkad army under Seleucus’ command was represented as