v51_0248 - SIRIA - SELEUCIA E PIERIA - SELEUCIA Drachme stéphanophore

SYRIA - SELEUKIS AND PIERIA - SELEUKEIA

(2nd - 1st century BC)

Seleucia, at the foot of Mount Pieria, was founded by Seleucus I in 300 BC just before Antioch and forms one of the cities of the Tetrapolis (Antioch, Apamea, Laodicea and Seleucia). The city was fortified and had port infrastructures which made it the outer port of Antioch, the metropolis of Syria. Seleucia was occupied by the Lagides between 246 and 219 BC. Antiochus VIII Grypus granted it autonomy in 109 BC. The city was besieged by Tigranes of Armenia during his invasion of Syria. Its status was maintained by Pompey when Syria became a Roman province in 64 BC..