Greek Coins
Demetrius I Soter, 162 –150
Octodrachm, Antiochia ad Orontem Syriae 151-150, AV 34.19 g. Diademed head r. within fillet border. Rev. BASILEWS – DHMH – TRIOU / SWT – HROS Tyche seated l. on backless throne with winged tritoness support, holding scepter and cornucopiae. In exergue, BXR. CSE 164 (this obverse die). Boston Suppl. 277. Dewing 2595 (this obverse die). SC 1628 (this obverse die).
Of the highest rarity, apparently only very few specimens known. A very impressive
portrait of fine style and a finely detailed reverse composition.
Extremely fine / good extremely fine From a Swiss collection and privately purchased in 1998.

Prior to becoming a Seleucid king, Demetrius I was held hostage in Rome as one of the terms of the Treaty of Apamaea of 188 B.C. During his detention the Seleucid world was ruled by others, including Demetrius’ father Seleucus IV, his uncle Antiochus IV and his young cousin Antiochus V. At a time when the Romans were punishing Antiochus V for treaty violations, Demetrius escaped captivity, raised an army and landed in Syria in the fall of 162.

He found quick support, and his rival Antiochus V was executed, leaving Demetrius as the new Seleucid king. Though his accession was smooth, especially considering the revolutionary nature of his takeover, the challenges he faced over the next dozen years were daunting. First was the revolt of Timarchus, the satrap of Media (and/or Babylonia) who had captured Seleucia on the Tigris. Demetrius marched eastward early in 161 and engaged the rebel in the spring, perhaps not far from Babylon, where Timarchus was killed. In the aftermath the Babylonians conferred upon Demetrius the epithet Soter (‘saviour’) and he seems to have married his sister Laodicea, who earlier had been married to King Perseus of Macedon.

The Romans had little choice but to recognise Demetrius’ regime, which by 160 was unrivalled within the Seleucid territories. Even so, the new king found it difficult to coexist with neighbouring rulers. The Cappadocian King Ariarathes V denounced Demetrius, forcing the new Seleucid king to oust him from power. Also, Demetrius tried and failed through bribery to win Cyprus from Ptolemaic control, and he faced a taxing rebellion in Judaea in which he struggled to defeat Judas Maccabaeus.

By 152 sufficient opposition to his regime had mounted, both within his kingdom and among several major powers of the Mediterranean world. In a circumstance reminiscent of the coalition that had joined forces against Antigonus I Monopthalmus at Ipsus in 301 B.C., many threw their support against Demetrius. Organising the opposition was the Pergemene King Attalus II, who gained the cooperation of Ptolemy VI, Ariarathes V of Cappadocia and the Roman senate in backing as a rival king a young man, Alexander I Balas, who claimed to be the son of the earlier Seleucid King Antiochus IV.

With the help of a Ptolemaic army Alexander I was able to take Ake-Ptolemais, from where he received disaffected Seleucid soldiers into his ranks and raised a mercenary army. In the summer of 150 Alexander finally was ready, and went on the offensive, defeating Demetrius in a battle in which the unpopular king was killed.

Demetrius’ hurried preparations for his defence are reflected in the record of his coinage dated to the years 152/1 and 151/0. This rare gold octodrachm of the Antioch mint is one such piece. Dated to year 162 of the Seleucid Era (151/0 B.C.), it was struck during what might have been the height of Demetrius’ reaction. Not only is the denomination exceptional for any Seleucid coinage, but there can be no doubt it was struck under emergency circumstances, for a worn tetradrachm die from the previous years’ issue was called into service for its production. Under any normal conditions this would not have occurred – instead we might expect that for so lofty a denomination a new die would have been carefully engraved.