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Nomos 25

20 November 2022
Zunfthaus zur Saffran, Zurich

overview
Estimate: 2000 CHF
Hammer Price:  1700 CHF
Lot 238
Video

SELEUKID KINGS. Seleukos I Nikator, 312-281 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 17.28 g, 1 h), Seleucia on the Tigris, circa 296/5 and later. Laureate head of Zeus to right. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ Athena, hurling spear with her right hand and holding shield with her left, standing right in quadriga of elephants walking to right; above, anchor to right; in exergue, two monograms. ESM 48. HGC 9, 18a. SC 130.20a. Bright and clear, well-centered on a broad flan; scarce, especially with this combination of monograms. Very slight weakness on obverse, otherwise, about extremely fine.



The elephant quadriga serves as a reminder of the 500 elephants Seleukos received from Chandragupta as part of the peace settlement in 303. According to a follower of Theophrastus, in a fragmentary commentary on his Περὶ αὶτιῶν φυτικῶν, after the surviving elephants arrived to their enclosures in Antioch their startling post-digestive production caused no end of problems until the king's gardener, decided to use it as fertiliser. This resulted in the gardens around Antioch becoming famous for their abundant crops!

Online bidding closes: 20 Nov 2022, 09:00:00 CET Current Date & Time: 26 Apr 2024, 02:33:50 CEST Remaining Time: Closed Hammer Price:1700 CHF

Pre-Bidding closes on 20 November 2022 at 9:00 CET. Live bidding starts at 14:00 CET and is EXCLUSIVELY available on biddr. Separate registration is required.

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