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Tetradrachm - Seleukos IV Philopator Antioch on the Orontes
| Issuer | Seleucid Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 187 BC - 175 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Diademed portrait bust of Seleukos IV Philopator facing right, rendered in the Hellenistic royal tradition with finely engraved curling hair secured by a broad diadem whose ends fall behind the neck. The facial features are classically idealized, with a prominent nose, well-defined chin, and a serene, authoritative expression. The fillet of the diadem is clearly visible above the ear, a standard emblem of Hellenistic royal authority. The portrait fills the field boldly, occupying the majority of the flan in the manner characteristic of Seleucid tetradrachm coinage of this period. |
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| Mint | Antioch on the Orontes |
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| Additional information |
Seleukos IV ruled in the shadow of his father Antiochos III's catastrophic defeat at Magnesia in 190 BC, which saddled the empire with an enormous indemnity payable to Rome — 15,000 talents of silver over twelve years. Much of the royal treasury was effectively mortgaged to that obligation, and Seleukos spent his reign quietly managing the financial consequences rather than pursuing conquest. His chief minister Heliodoros, whom he sent to plunder the Jerusalem Temple treasury, ultimately poisoned him in 175 BC.