Dynamic bust of Seleukos I Nikator at the "Buried by Vesuvius" exhibit at the Getty Villa through October 28, 2019.

Dynamic bust of Seleukos I Nikator at the "Buried by Vesuvius" exhibit at the Getty Villa through October 28, 2019. 

Seleukos I Nikator (the Victor) was one of the Diadochi (the rival generals, relatives, and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for control over his empire after his death). Having previously served as an infantry general under Alexander the Great, he established the Seleucid Empire over much of the territory in the Near East which Alexander had conquered. Seleukos was involved in a number of wars and conspiracies among his fellow Diadochi but eventually brought the whole eastern part of Alexander's empire as far as the Jaxartes and Indus Rivers under his authority.   In the year 305 BCE, Seleukos went to India and occupied territory as far as the Indus, waging war with the Maurya Emperor Chandragupta. But the campaign was a failure. Seleukos eventually reached an agreement with Chandragupta exchanging territory for 500 war elephants.  It is also thought Seleukos gave his daughter in marraige to Chandragupta. The elephants proved decisive at the Battle of Ipsus where Seleukos defeated Antigonus and Demetrius, other Diadochi.  Seleukos was finally assassinated in 281 BCE but his son Antiochus founded a personality cult around members of the Seleucid dynasty and Seleukos was eventually worshiped as a son of Zeus Nikator.


Image: Bronze bust of Seleukos I Nikator on exhibit at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, California courtesy of Allan Gluck.

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