Seleucus I Nicator (satrap in 321-305 BC and Seleucid king in 305-281 BC)

Mints

Seleucus I Nicator ("the Victor") (satrap, 321–305 BC; king, 305–281 BC) was the founder of the Seleucid Empire. He had served as an infantry commander under Alexander the Great and became chiliarch (i.e. vizier) to Perdiccas at the Settlement of Babylon (323 BC). In 321 BC, after the death of Perdiccas he was appointed satrap (governor) of Babylonia. He was driven out by Antigonus Monophthalmus in 315 BC, but managed to return and hold the satrapy in 312. Seleucus I assumed the royal title in 305 BC and embarked upon a great eastern campaign that created a Seleucid Empire stretching from Babylonia and Syria to the borders of India. He played a pivotal role in the defeat and death of Antigonus at the Battle of Ipsus (301 BC). Seleucus I expanded his empire into Asia Minor after defeating and killing Lysimachus, the king of Thrace who had claimed Antigonus' territories in Asia Minor, at the Battle of Corupedium (281 BC). Seleucus I was assassinated later in 281 BC as he advanced to take possession of Thrace.

Die Studies

Item	Image	MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.	WeightCarter 1983 * Median weight * 20000 (*10 if gold or electrum)
Babylon (Seleucus I), silver, staters (seated Baal/lion) (321-315 BCE)		Silver	31,521 kg
Babylonia (Uncertain mint 6) (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (318-301 BCE)		Silver	22,815 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (311-305 BCE)		Silver	13,082 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (wreath group) (Heracles/seated Zeus) (311-308 BCE)		Silver	2,726 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ) (311-280 BCE)		Silver	10,826 kg
Aradus (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (311-301 BCE)		Silver	9,571 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, hemidrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ) (311-293 BCE)		Silver	500 kg
Aradus (Seleucus I), silver, hemidrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (311-301 BCE)		Silver	619 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, obols (Heracles/zeus - AΛEΞANΔPOY and ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (311-280 BCE)		Silver	234 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), gold, staters (Athena/Nike) (311-280 BCE)		Gold	47,641 kg
Aradus (Seleucus I), bronze (Heracles/prow) (310-300 BCE)		Bronze
S 1595 - Babylon (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (309-303 BCE)		Silver	27,617 kg
Babylon (Seleucus I), gold, staters (Athena/Nike) (309-303 BCE)		Gold	23,960 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, didrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ) (303-293 BCE)		Silver	1,635 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, drachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ) (303-293 BCE)		Silver	770 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), gold, double darics (Alexander with elephant scalp/Nike) (303-293 BCE)		Gold	15,969 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), bronze, 5.5g (head of Alexander/Nike - ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ) (303-293 BCE)		Bronze
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (helmeted head/Nike & trophy) (301-295 BCE) Kritt		Silver	50,748 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Seleucus/Nike & trophy) (301-295 BCE) Marest-Caffey		Silver	9,143 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, drachms (helmeted head/Nike and trophy) (301-295 BCE)		Silver	2,956 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, hemidrachms (helmeted head/Nike and trophy) (301-295 BCE)		Silver	588 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, obols (helmeted head/Nike and trophy) (301-295 BCE)		Silver	342 kg
Seleuceia Pieria (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (300-298 BCE)		Silver	2,132 kg
Antioch (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (300-281 BCE)		Silver	3,618 kg
Susa (Seleucus I - imitations), silver, tetradrachms (helmeted head/Nike and trophy) (300-200 BCE)		Silver	669 kg
Laodiceia ad Mare (Seleucids), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (300-246 BCE)		Silver	23,715 kg
Laodiceia ad Mare (Seleucids), silver, drachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (300-246 BCE)		Silver	1,846 kg
Susa (Seleucus I - imitations), silver, drachms (helmeted head/Nike and trophy) (300-200 BCE)		Silver	152 kg
Susa (Seleucus I - imitations), silver, hemidrachms (helmeted head/Nike and trophy) (300-200 BCE)		Silver	82 kg
Susa (Seleucus I - imitations), silver, obols (Seleucus I/Nike and trophy) (300-200 BCE)		Silver	11 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Zeus/biga of elephants) (296-281 BCE)		Silver	6,013 kg
Bactria (uncertain mint) (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Zeus/elephant biga) (295-280 BCE)		Silver	1,357 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, drachms (Heracles/Dionysiac rider - BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (295-293 BCE)		Silver	404 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΒAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (393-280 BCE)		Silver	11,549 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΒAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (293-280 BCE)		Silver	11,549 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, drachms (Heracles/seated Zeus - ΒAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (293-280 BCE)		Silver	14,118 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), silver, hemidrachms (Heracles/Zeus - ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (293-280 BCE)		Silver	254 kg
Ecbatana (Seleucus I), bronze, ca 4g (winged head of Medusa/bull butting - BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ) (293-280 BCE)		Bronze
Bactria (uncertain mint) (Seleucus I), silver, drachms (Zeus/Athena driving biga of elephants) (290-280 BCE)		Silver	335 kg
Bactria (uncertain mint) (Seleucus I), gold, staters (Apollo/elephant biga) (290-281 BCE)		Gold	10,346 kg
Susa (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Zeus/elephant) (288-287 BCE)		Silver	2,537 kg
Sardis (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (282-281 BCE) Hochard 2024		Silver	1,758 kg
Sardis (Seleucus I), silver, tetradrachms (Heracles/seated Zeus) (282-281 BCE) Miller - Hoover 2010		Silver	1,329 kg
Sardis (Antiochus I), silver, tetradrachms (Seleucus I/seated Apollo) (276-270 BCE)		Silver	1,490 kg

Overstriking coins

Item	Overstriking coinImage of the overstriking coin	MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.	DateIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.	Overstruck typeImage of the overstruck variety
28778 - Babylon (Alexander the Great) (1/30th of tetradrachm Heracles/Zeus) over uncertain type (Heritage, 232223, June 2022, 62058)		Silver	317 BC JL
30363 - Susa (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Seleucus/Nike & trophy) over uncertain type (Leu Numismatik, EA 34, July 2025, 837)		Silver	301 BC JL
30428 - Susa (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Seleucus/Nike & trophy) over uncertain type (Heritage, 3123, May 2025, 30012)		Silver	301 BC JL
1779 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Seleucus I/quadriga of elephants) over Tarsus (Alexander the Great Zeus/Heracles) (CNG, 36, Dec. 1995, 2046)		Silver	300 BC JL
2234 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Heracles/Zeus) over uncertain type (CNG, EA 381, Aug. 2016, 223)		Silver	300 BC JL
1971 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Heracles/Zeus) over uncertain type (CNG, EA 404, Aug. 2017, 260)		Silver	300 BC JL
SO 1154 - Antioch over uncertain mint		Bronze	300 BC JL
2006 - Antioch (AE Medusa/bull) over uncertain type (New York, ANS, 1944.100.75022)		Bronze	300 BC JL
1735 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (AE Athena/elephant) over uncertain type (New York, ANS, 1944.100.902 - Newell coll.)		Bronze	296 BC JL
2109 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (AE Athena/elephant) over Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (Athena/bull) (New York, ANS, 1944.100.44895 - Newell coll.)		Bronze	296 BC JL
28538 - Syria (uncertain Seleucid mint) (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Heracles/Zeus aetophorus) over uncertain type (CNG, EA 570, Sept. 2024, 145)		Silver	294 BC JL
30462 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Heracles/Zeus) over uncertain type (Nomos, Obolos 36, Feb. 2025, 460)		Silver	290 BC JL

Overstruck coins

Item	Overstruck typeImage of the overstruck variety	MetalThe physical material (usually metal) from which an object is made.	DateIdentifies the initial date in a range assigned in a numismatic context.	Overstriking coinImage of the overstriking coin
25825 - Istakhr (Baydat) (tetradrachm Baydat/enthroned Baydad) over Alexander type (Heracles/Zeus) (CNG, 123, May 2023, 332)		Silver	299 BC JL
25625 - Istakhr (Baydat) (tetradrachm Baydat/enthroned Baydad) over Seleucus I (Heracles/Zeus) (CNG, 126, May 2024, 390)		Silver	299 BC JL
2109 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (AE Athena/elephant) over Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (Athena/bull) (New York, ANS, 1944.100.44895 - Newell coll.)		Bronze	296 BC JL
30462 - Seleuceia ad Tigrim (Seleucus I) (tetradrachm Heracles/Zeus) over uncertain type (Nomos, Obolos 36, Feb. 2025, 460)		Silver	290 BC JL
2715 - Istakhr (Vadfradad I) (tetradrachm Vadfradat/temple fire) over Susa (Seleucus I) (Seleucus/Nike & trophy) (CNG, 90, May 2012, 788)		Silver	240 BC JL

Seleucus I Nicator

TypeType of authority. ᵖ	Person
Nomisma IDNomisma ID	seleucus_i
Links	http://dbpedia.org/resource/Seleucus_I_Nicator http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q184176 http://d-nb.info/gnd/118966669

Literature

• SC I (44 mentions)
• HGC 9 (27 mentions)
• Boillet 2009 (14 mentions)
• Price 1991 (13 mentions)
• Marest-Caffey 2016 (9 mentions)
• ESM (9 mentions)
• WSM (4 mentions)
• Hochard 2024 (4 mentions)
• Kritt 1996 (3 mentions)
• Le Rider 1999 (2 mentions)
• Houghton 1991 (2 mentions)
• Taylor 2022 (2 mentions)
• Houghton 1999 (2 mentions)
• Miller - Hoover 2010 (2 mentions)
• Sear II (1 mentions)
• Duyrat 2005 (1 mentions)
• Iossif - Lorber 2007 (1 mentions)
• Taylor 2015 (1 mentions)
• CSE (1 mentions)