Tuesday, 6 August 2019

ATHENA LEADING ELEPHANTS TO BATTLE ~ COINS OF SELEUCUS



Goddess Athena is featured in numerous coins of many Greek Kings of Asia, after Alexander the Great. On the coins of Seleucus Nikator, we see a very unusual depiction of Athena- She is riding a chariot driven by elephants, opening the way to battle. Athena is shown here as 'Promachos' - 'She Who Leads Men to Battle'- holding Her spear and shield as She is riding into the battlefield. This image of Goddess Athena is extremely rare and uncommon. The coin could be comemmorating the crossing of the Indus River by Seleucus- which resulted in his confrontation with Chandragupta and the final peace treaty between them.








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THE INSCRIPTION OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT ~ PRIENE, ASIA MINOR

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