OXFORD CLASSICAL MONOGRAPHS Published under the supervision of a Committee of the Faculty of Classics in the University of Oxford The aim of the Oxford Classical Monographs series (which replaces the Oxford Classical and Philosophical Monographs) is to publish books based on the best theses on Greek and Latin literature, ancient history, and ancient philosophy examined by the Faculty Board of Classics. Kings and Usurpers in the Seleukid Empire The Men who would be King BORIS CHRUBASIK 1 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries © Boris Chrubasik 2016 The moral rights of the author have been asserted First Edition published in 2016 Impression: 1 All rights reserved. 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Oxford disclaims any responsibility for the materials contained in any third party website referenced in this work. Preface When is a king a king? This question, and the question of kingship in the Seleukid empire in particular, is the topic of this book. Instead of examining kings, this study investigates the history of usurpers, individuals who wished to be king, and who at times were successful but to whom history or historiography, for differing reasons, ascribed other roles. In this regard this book is a political history of Seleukid power and regions such as Asia Minor, the Levant, Mesopotamia, and the Upper Satrapies. Yet with its focus on Seleukid counter-kings, the image of the Seleukid empire that is offered here is quite different to that of recent historiography. I detail my approach and methodology in the introduction, but in all brevity, this is a book that describes the Seleukid state beyond the diplomatic lens, and examines relationships of social power. These varying levels of power are discussed in the first four chapters, which in return serve as the basis for a new reading of kingship in the Seleukid empire in the final chapter. In the process of writing this book I have accrued debts to so many individuals that some might question whether I did anything myself. This book began its life as a doctoral thesis, and as a mentor and supervisor John Ma not only always encouraged me in my work, but also let me go my own way, waiting in the background until I needed his advice. Studying with John was a marvellous adventure, but I have had the privilege to learn also from many others about historical approaches, and how to ask historical questions. Charles Crowther, Ulrich Gotter, Jürgen Osterhammel, and Kai Trampedach were the most influential in this regard. When the thesis was com- pleted, Katherine Clarke and Stephen Mitchell acted as generous examiners, and Ivana Savalli-Lestrade offered important insights in her careful review when it was proposed to the publisher. Stephen Mitchell further offered kind support with the transformation from thesis to monograph. Many more colleagues, mentors, and friends were involved at various stages, some mentioned here, others throughout the text: Robert Bennett, Matthew Bladen, Angelos Chaniotis, Ben Gray, Robin Lane Fox, Will Mack, Julien Monerie, Robert Parker, Christian Seebacher, and Peter Thonemann made valuable comments on individual chapters at various stages (some vi Preface even on the whole manuscript). Aneurin Ellis-Evans, Kyle Erickson, Richard Flower, Johannes Geisthardt, Merav Haklai, Wolfang Havener, Claire Holleran, Konstantin Klein, Jane Masséglia, Andy Meadows, Mario Paganini, Bert Smith, Foteini Spingou, Kathryn Stevens, and Ben Watson gave their time to discuss individual questions, and helped me to avoid mistakes. Needless to say, all of these individuals may not at all times agree with the material presented here, and mistakes are entirely my own. I am grateful to institutions for help regarding coins and for various image rights, the ANS, the BM, the Staatliche Münzsammlung München, the Archäologisches Museum der Universität Münster, Cambridge University Press, Vestnik drevnej istorii, and to many people who made this possible: Amelia Dowler, Arthur Houghton, Dietrich Klose, Helge Nieswandt, Elena Stolyarik, and Askold Ivantchik. I must also thank Michael Athanson from the Bodleian for his work on the maps, Jeffrey Easton for his invaluable support and a keen eye towards the end of the process, and I am grateful to Charlotte Loveridge and Georgina Leighton from OUP for making the book. The initial doctoral thesis was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes. Parts of this book were written while I was a Leventis Research Fellow in Exeter, and I am very grateful for the time this position gave me. The departments of Historical Studies and Classics at the University of Toronto were generous in giving me time to finish this work. Elizabeth Ferguson supported me in all aspects within and beyond the subject of Seleukid usurpers, and surely she now knows more than she ever cared to about both the Seleukid empire, and my very individual prose style; I cannot thank her enough. Widmen möchte ich dieses Buch meinen Eltern und meinem Sohn. Ohne die Liebe und unermüdliche Unterstützung meiner Eltern wäre dieses Projekt nie begonnen worden, ohne die Ankunft unseres Sohnes noch nicht vollendet. Boris Chrubasik Toronto Contents List of Illustrations ix List of Maps xi List of Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1 0.1 Prologue: The Death of a King 1 0.2 A History of Kings and Usurpers 2 0.3 Usurpation as an Interpretative Model 10 1. Central and Local Power in the Seleukid Empire 22 1.1 Dynasts in all the Land 25 1.2 The Strength of Local Power 48 1.3 Between Central and Local Power 57 1.4 Conclusion 60 2. Usurpers in Asia Minor: The Third Century 65 2.1 Late Third-Century Asia Minor and the Loss of Seleukid Control, c.246–213 66 2.2 Becoming King in Asia Minor 89 2.3 Royal Success in Asia Minor: The Limits of the Seleukid Family 115 3. Usurpers in the Levant and Beyond: The Second Century 123 3.1 A History of the Seleukid Empire in the Mid-Second Century, c.162–123 126 3.2 Images of Kingship: The Royal Offers 146 3.3 The Reception of Royal Offers: When Audiences Become Agents 178 3.4 Usurpers in the Second Century: Conclusion 197 4. Usurpers in the Seleukid Empire 201 4.1 The Origin of Usurpers 202 4.2 Royal Reaction: Punishment, Pardon, and Adaptation 214 5. Kings in the Seleukid Empire: A Story of Usurpation, Monarchy, and Power 226 5.1 Power and Kingship in the Seleukid Empire 227 5.2 Kings and Empires: Assessing the Seleukid State 234 5.3 Kings, Empires, Seleukids, and Beyond: An Epilogue 238 viii Contents Appendices Appendix A: The Meydancıkkale Hoard and the Recovery of Rough Kilikia under Seleukos II 247 Appendix B: Antiochos Hierax and the City of Magnesia 250 Appendix C: Alexander Balas and the Eagle Coinage 253 Appendix D: Usurpers and the Senate of Rome 255 Bibliography 261 1. Primary Material 261 2. Secondary Material 262 General Index 295 Index of Primary Sources 300 List of Illustrations Fig. i The House of Seleukos. CAH2 7.1, 490–1; modified. From F. W. Walbank, A. E. Astin, M. W. Frederiksen, R. M. Ogilvie (eds), The Cambridge Ancient History, Edition 2, Vol 7, Part 1 (1984). Copyright of Cambridge University Press. xxiii Fig. 1.1 Tetradrachm of Philetairos, mint Pergamon, c.280–71 BCE, ANS 1967.152.413. Courtesy of the American Numismatic Society. 30 Fig. 1.2 Tetradrachm of Philetairos, mint Pergamon, c.270–263 BCE, ANS 1944.100.43174. Courtesy of the American Numismatic Society. 30 Fig. 1.3 Tetradrachm of Artaxerxes, mint Persis, c. early C3 BCE, Staatliche Münzsammlung München, ex Slg. Reuter, Klose and Müseler Nr. 2/9. Courtesy of Staatliche Münzsammlung München. 31 Fig. 1.4 Tetradrachm of Diodotos I, mint Baktra, mid-C3 BCE, ANS 1995.51.50. Kritt 2001: pl. 2 A6 (2). Courtesy of the American Numismatic Society. 40 Fig. 1.5 Stater of Diodotos II, mint Baktra, mid-C3 BCE, ANS 1995.51.46. Kritt 2001: pl. 6 D1. Courtesy of the American Numismatic Society. 40 Fig. 1.6 Stater of Andragoras, uncertain mint, mid-C3 BCE, BM 1879. 0401. 2. © The Trustees of the British Museum. 41 Fig. 1.7 ‘Aramaic’ Coinage of Andragoras, uncertain mint, mid-C3 BCE, Diakonoff and Zejmal 1988: pl. no. 3.1. Courtesy of VDI. 42 Fig. 2.1 Tetradrachm of Antiochos Hierax, mint Alexandreia Troas, c.246–227 BCE, CSE II 214. Courtesy of Arthur Houghton.