Seleukos I, Seleucid King

Lead

Cast

Square

5.72 cm (2.25 inch)

4.76 cm (1.875 inch)

0.79 cm (0.3125 inch)

Mass (g)	Mass (grain)	Date of measurement	Reference	fragmented	cleaned	reference weight
159.98	2468.9003	-	www.getty.edu	No	No	Yes

Symbol	Technique	Direction	Position	Number	Synecdoche
Male figure	Relief	LEFT			Head

After Alexander the Great's death in 324 B.C., his generals divided his vast kingdom among themselves. Seleukos seized the largest portion, the area stretching east from the coast of present-day Turkey and Syria, and became the first ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid dynasty. The beardless man shown on this weight probably represents Seleukos I. Several elements of this head match known portraits of Seleukos: short, thick hair; deep-set eyes; curved mouth; and broad, circular diadem. In the mid 200s B.C. lead weights were generally used for commercial purposes. This weight appears to have been cast from an official bronze weight-standard with clearer features. The emblems used on weights often have civic meaning and this weight probably came from one of several cities named Seleucia in honor of the ruler. A rectangular plaque like this was used with a simple balance scale. The undecorated back surface of the plaque is somewhat irregular, probably from the process of adjusting the weight.

No

Language	Technique	Legend type

GREEK

FROM -305 TO -250

About 250 B.C.

Name	Date of acquisition	Inventory number
Fleischman Collection	Jan. 1, 1989	F142
Getty Museum – Getty Villa (Malibu)	Jan. 1, 1996	96.AI.141

Reference	Page/Column	Reference (number)	Plate / Figure	Comment
True and Hamma 1994	200	93
Getty Museum 1997–98	69

Asia Minor.

http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/29549/unknown-maker-weight-with-head-of-a-beardless-male-greek-seleucid-about-250-bc/