The city of Seleucia is a symbol of the influence of Hellenistic art on the architecture and urban planning of the Seleucid and Parthian periods in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Prof. and Faculty Member in Department of History, University of Sistan and Baluchestan; Zahedan, Iran.

2 Assistant Prof. in Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Payam Noor; Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Seleucus Nicator, who came to power in Persia after Alexander's death, built the city of Seleucia in 307 BC on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite Babylon, where the ancient city of Opis was located. From this time on, the city established its position as the capital of the Seleucids in their eastern occupations. The special geographical location of Seleucia means being located in Mesopotamia on the Tigris coast and at the intersection of important roads that connected Central Asia and Iran to Anatolia and the Mediterranean coast, as well as the settlement of Greek and non-Greek inhabitants in this city who have skills and abilities. They were administrative, artistic and commercial, along with the mint and production workshops and fertile agricultural lands around it, had caused the economic prosperity of the city. At the same time, Seleucia was an autonomous city and city government, with political and administrative affairs in the hands of the city council. How the Iranian socio-political system deals with the Hellenistic influences resulting from the formation of Greek cities such as Seleucia is considered as the main issue of the present study. This article tries to study the position of this ancient city from the time of its establishment to its decline, relying on historical sources and archeological documents, while studying the interaction of Hellenic and Iranian civilizations in the process of Seleucid city development and its consequences.

Keywords

Journal of Social Studies of Ethnic Groups
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
November 2020
Pages 259-275

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