Letter from a Seleucus King to Erophanthus
Abstract
This inscription has recently been discovered in Iran. The text contains a letter attributed to a Seleucid king and addressed to an official called Erophanthus. The document, which probably dates from the reign of Seleucus II (246‑226 BC) or Seleucus IV (187‑175 BC), is about tax concessions for a community involved in the breeding of war horses. The inscription, the location of which is unknown, was first published in 2012 by George Rougemont. The text, although fragmentary, is an important administrative record of Seleucid rule in the East, but there are uncertainties about the location and the exact identity of the ruler.
Submitted: March 23, 2025 | Accepted: April 25, 2025 | Published Aug. 5, 2025 | Language: it
Keywords Letter/ἐπιστολή • Iran • Βαισειρα • Fiscal privileges • Seleucus IV • Seleucus II
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Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/Axon/2532-6848/2025/01/005