The Hellenistic World from Alexander to the Roman Conquest

The Hellenistic period (323–30 BC) began with the considerable expansion of the Greek world through the Macedonian conquest of the Persian empire and ended with Rome becoming the predominant political force in that world. This new and enlarged edition of Michel Austin’s seminal work provides a panoramic view of this world through the medium of ancient sources. It now comprises over three hundred texts from literary, epigraphic and papyrological sources which are presented in original translations and supported by introductory sections, detailed notes and references, chronological tables, maps, illustrations of coins, and a full analytical index. The first edition has won widespread admiration since its publication in 1981. Updated and expanded with reference to the most recent scholarship on the subject, this new edition will prove invaluable for the study of a period which has received increasing recognition.

MICHEL AUSTIN is Honorary Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of St Andrews. His previous publications include Economic and Social History of Ancient Greece. An Introduction (1977). He is the author of numerous articles and was a contributor to the Cambridge Ancient History, vol. Ⅵ (2nd edition, 1994).

The Hellenistic World From Alexander to the Roman Conquest

M. M. AUSTIN

Honorary Senior Lecturer in Ancient History University of St Andrews

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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© Michel Austin 2006

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no reproduction of any part may take place without
the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First edition published 1981
Reprinted 1984, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003
Second edition published 2006

Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge

A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library

ISBN-13 978-0-521-82860-4 hardback
ISBN-10 0-521-82860-0 hardback

ISBN-13 978-0-521-53561-8 paperback
ISBN-10 0-521-53561-1 paperback

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Contents

Illustrations

The coins illustrated here represent only a minute fraction of what is extant for this period and necessarily give a very limited impression of the potential of numismatic evidence. The selection concentrates on the major monarchies (Plates , 3, 4), together with a few examples from Greek leagues and cities (Plate 2), and is unrepresentative in various ways. The coins illustrated have been chosen because of their visual quality and state of preservation, but not all Greek coins were so well crafted and or have survived in good condition. The selection is also mostly from large denominations (tetradrachms unless otherwise stated), which allowed engravers to include more detail, but there existed also a profusion of smaller denominations, essential for small-scale local transactions. Bronze coins are not represented either, though they were widely used by cities and monarchies (cf. 40, 115 ll. 70 and 140, 123, 163 n. 8, 252 nn. 16 and 17); their designs are generally less fine than those of coins in precious metals. All coins listed are of silver unless otherwise stated.

The entries below list the issuing authority, the mint and approximate date of issue where known, and a brief description of the types and inscribed legends (obv = obverse, the anvil die, and rev = reverse, the punch die). The legend always identifies the issuing authority in the genitive case – king, league, or city – but never the deities who were frequently represented on coin types, the identity of which was taken for granted. Modern convention numbers rulers of the same name sequentially (Ptolemy Ⅰ, Ptolemy Ⅱ etc.), but the practice is never found on Greek coins; the addition of epithets (the Great etc.) was only introduced late in the period.

Plate 1: Alexander, the Successors, the Antigonids (p. 10)

1. Alexander the Great. Amphipolis c.324/3, obv Heracles with scalp of Nemean lion, rev Zeus seated holding eagle, legend basileos Alexandrou. On Alexander’s use of the royal title cf. 6 n. 1.
2. Philip Ⅲ Arrhidaeus. Susa after 323, obv Heracles with scalp of Nemean lion, rev Zeus seated holding eagle, legend basileos Philippou. Cf. 26 on Philip Arrhidaeus.
3. Lysimachus. Amphipolis c.288/7–282/1, obv Alexander deified with diadem and ram’s horn, rev Athena seated holding a figure of Nike (Victory), legend basileos Lysimachou. The ram’s horn alludes to Alexander’s claimed descent from Zeus Ammon (cf. 9; Smith [1988], 40). On Lysimachus cf. 56 and on his association with Alexander cf. Stewart (1993), 318–21.
4. Demetrius Poliorcetes. Pella c.292/1, obv Demetrius with diadem and bull’s horns, rev Poseidon with trident, legend basileos Demetriou. Cf. 43 n. 3, 57 n. 12. Demetrius and Ptolemy Ⅰ (Plate 4.25) were the first rulers to put their portraits on their coins.
5. Antigonus Ⅱ Gonatas. Amphipolis c.271–265, obv Pan on a Macedonian shield, rev Athena, legend basileos Antigonou. The god Pan had reportedly created terror among the Celtic tribes at the battle of Lysimachea in 277.
6. Antigonus Ⅱ Gonatas or Antigonus Ⅲ Doson. Attribution and date uncertain, obv Poseidon, rev Apollo on prow of ship, legend basileos Antigonou. On the problem of attribution cf. Hammond and Walbank (1988), 594f. Poseidon and the prow recall the maritime symbolism of the coins of Demetrius Poliorcetes (cf. 43 n. 3) and the continued naval ambitions of the Antigonids, in rivalry with the Ptolemies (cf. 61).
7. Philip V. Pella? c.220–217, obv Philip V with diadem, rev Athena, legend basileos Philippou. Philip V was the first Antigonid ruler since Demetrius to put his portrait on his coins.
8. Perseus. Amphipolis? c.178–173, obv Perseus with diadem, rev eagle of Zeus on thunderbolt within a wreath, legend basileos Perseos.
   

   Plate 2: Greek leagues and cities (p. 11)



9. Aetolian League. c.220–189, obv Heracles with scalp of Nemean lion, rev figure seated on a pile of shields, legend Aitolon. The Heracles type on the obverse is borrowed from Alexander’s coinage. The figure on the reverse alludes to the statue personifying Aetolia set up by the Aetolians at Delphi to celebrate the defeat of the Celtic invaders (Pausanias X.18.7, cf. 60); cf. 64 on the Aetolian League.
10. Achaean League. Half-drachma, Patras c.195–168, obv Zeus, rev wreath, legend Achai(on). Cf. 67 on the Achaean League.
11. Nabis of Sparta. c.207–196, obv Athena with helmet, rev Heracles seated with club, legend Nabios. Sparta’s kingship, though very different in origin and character (70), came to be influenced by the major Hellenistic monarchies. Coinage was first introduced in Sparta in the reign of Areus (61 n. 6). The very rare issues of Nabis (79) clearly seek to emulate contemporary royal coinages; on another issue he bears the royal title.
12. Rhodes. Gold didrachm, c.333/2–323, obv Helios, rev rose, legend Rhodion. The sun god Helios was patron of the island, which took its name from the rose (rhodos). The types go back to the foundation of the unitary state of Rhodes in 407.
13. Samos. 8 obols (1½ drachma), c.270–240, obv lion scalp, rev forepart of ox, legend Samion. Both types are associated with the city’s goddess Hera and were used since classical times.
14. Crete, Hierapytna. Didrachm, c.310–280/70, obv Zeus, rev eagle and palm tree, legend Iera(pytnion). Cf. 113, 152 on Hierapytna.
15. Athens. Gold didrachm, c.297–294, obv Athena, rev owl, legend Athe(naion). These are the standard Athenian types current since the classical period.
16. Athens. obv Athena, rev owl on a Panathenaic amphora within a wreath, legend Athe(naion). This is an example of the ‘New Style’ Athenian coinage introduced in the second century; cf. 125, 129 n. 7.
    

    Plate 3: The Seleucids and Attalids (p. 12)



17. Seleucus Ⅰ. Seleucia on the Tigris c.292/1, obv Zeus, rev Athena in chariot drawn by elephants, anchor above, legend basileos Seleukou. The elephants will have conveyed a reference to Seleucus’ campaign in India in the wake of Alexander; cf. 57 n. 8, 178 and Stewart (1993), 313–17; Houghton and Lorber Ⅰ (2002), 7. The anchor was a symbol associated with Seleucus; cf. R. A. Hadley, JHS 94 (1974), 60f.; Houghton and Lorber Ⅰ (2002), 5f.
18. Antiochus Ⅰ. Antioch c.278–268, obv Antiochus Ⅰ with diadem, rev Apollo seated on omphalos, legend basileos Antiochou. From the reign of Antiochus Ⅰ Seleucid rulers regularly put their portrait on coins; for Apollo and the omphalos cf. 175 n. 2.
19. Antiochus Ⅱ. Apamea c.261–252, obv Antiochus Ⅱ with diadem, rev Apollo seated on omphalos, legend basileos Antiochou.
20. Philetaerus. Pergamum c.274–263, obv Seleucus Ⅰ with diadem, rev Athena seated, legend Philetaerou. Philetaerus at first issued coins with the name and portrait of Seleucus Ⅰ; on this coin he now substitutes his own name, though without the royal title, which was not assumed by the Attalids until Attalus Ⅰ (231 and n. 1); cf. 224 on Philetaerus.
21. Eumenes Ⅰ. Pergamum 263–241, obv Philetaerus with diadem, rev Athena seated, legend Philetaerou. Attalid rulers after Philetaerus continued to display the head of the founder of the dynasty on their own coinage.
22. Seleucus Ⅱ. Antioch c.232–228, obv Seleucus Ⅱ with diadem, rev Apollo standing, legend basileos Seleukou.
23. Antiochus Ⅲ. Apamea or Antioch c.223–200, obv Antiochus Ⅲ with diadem, rev Apollo seated on omphalos, legend basileos Antiochou.
24. Antiochus Ⅳ. Antioch c.173/2–169/8, obv Antiochus Ⅳ with diadem, rev Apollo seated holding a figure of Nike (Victory), legend basileos Antiochou theou epiphanous. Cf. 209 and n. 1 on Antiochus Ⅳ; the inflation of titles is characteristic of coinages of the late Hellenistic period, civic as well as royal.
    

    Plate 4: The Ptolemies and Bactrian kings (p. 13)



25. Ptolemy Ⅰ, Alexandria c.300–283, obv Ptolemy Ⅰ with diadem, rev eagle on thunderbolt, legend basileos Ptolemaiou. See Plate 1.4.
26. Ptolemy Ⅱ. Gold octodrachm, Alexandria c.261/0–240, obv Arsinoe, rev double cornucopia, legend Arsinoes Philadelphou. Cf. 254 n. 1 on Arsinoe Ⅱ Philadelphus (the coin was issued posthumously), 255 n. 6 on the wealth of the Ptolemies. The Ptolemies were the first monarchy to advertise queens on their coinage.
27. Ptolemy Ⅱ. Gold octodrachm, Alexandria c.261/0–246, obv Ptolemy Ⅱ with diadem and Arsinoe Ⅱ, legend adelphon, rev Ptolemy Ⅰ with diadem and Berenice. The coin emphasises the brother-sister marriage of Ptolemy Ⅱ and Arsinoe and the continuity of the dynasty; cf. 254 n. 2.
28. Ptolemy Ⅲ. Gold decadrachm, Alexandria c.246–222, obv Berenice Ⅱ with diadem, rev cornucopia, legend basilisses Berenikes. Berenice Ⅱ, wife of Ptolemy Ⅲ (265, 271), was daughter of Magas of Cyrene (254).
29. Ptolemy Ⅳ. Gold octodrachm, Alexandria c.222–205, obv Ptolemy Ⅲ with radiate crown and trident, rev cornucopia, legend basileos Ptolemaiou. The portrait uses divine symbols – the crown of Helios, the sun, and the trident of Poseidon; cf. Smith (1988), 42, 44.
30. Ptolemy V. Gold octodrachm, Alexandria c.204/3, obv Ptolemy V with radiate crown and spear, rev cornucopia, legend basileos Ptolemaiou.
31. Euthydemus of Bactria. Bactra c.230–200, obv Euthydemus wearing diadem, rev Heracles seated with club, legend basileos Euthydemou. See 187, 188 on Euthydemus.
32. Eucratides Ⅰ of Bactria. c.171–155?, obv Eucratides helmeted, rev mounted Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), legend basileos megalou Eukratidou. Cf. 188 on the Bactrian kings.

Maps

Preface to the second edition

This is the second and enlarged edition of a book first published in 1981 under the title The Hellenistic world from Alexander to the Roman conquest. A selection of ancient sources in translation. Since its original publication there has been a veritable explosion of scholarly work on this period, and the Hellenistic age has moved from a relatively marginal position in academic curricula to one where it is entitled to receive the same kind of attention as any other period in antiquity. I am very grateful to Cambridge University Press for giving me the opportunity to revisit the work after more than twenty years and take into account the development of scholarship that has taken place in the intervening period.

The new edition is similar in scope, purpose and design to the first one, and all the texts previously included have been retained. Nearly 50 texts have been added, some newly discovered or recently published, others already known but not included in the first edition. The book has been completely revised and updated. The structure and presentation of the original has been preserved, though for the sake of clarity chapter 5 (The Seleucids and Asia) is now organised in a single chronological section and chapter 7 (The Ptolemies and Egypt) has been divided into two not three sections, both organised chronologically. Each chapter has been provided with a short introduction to give a conspectus of the texts included. The Table of contents has been enlarged to list all the texts included; there is a new Introduction, and a Concordance between the two editions has been added. The Bibliography now lists all the titles cited in the book, and references have been given throughout according to the standard author–date system.

It is a pleasure to thank those who have assisted in various ways in the preparation of this new edition, notably Kai Brodersen, Peter Derow, John Ma, Graham Oliver, Graham Shipley, Dorothy Thompson, Gregor Weber and Hans-Ulrich Wiemer. Thanks are also due to the anonymous reviewers of the proposal for a new edition, whose suggestions I have sometimes followed and sometimes not. Finally I would like to thank all my colleagues in St Andrews for their continued support over many years. The shortcomings of this book will be evident to them and to all others mentioned here, but they should not be held in any way responsible, not least because none of them has seen any part of the book in advance of its publication.

St Andrews, August 2004                                                                                               Michel Austin

Abbreviations