Monday 6 May 2024

28mm Seleukid royal command

Here is another command stand for ProjectSeleukid - this time a royal party consisting of a king and shield-bearer from Aventine Miniatures, and a queen carried on a litter by Checkpoint Miniatures (CP Models). I went with a purple a colour scheme as I dared to indicate just how very royal the royal couple are.

This base will not be used for the planned Magnesia scenario, a) because I am running the left flank commanded by Seleukos (future Seleukos IV, but in 190 BC still just the heir apparent), and b) because radiate crowns are not a feature of Seleukid iconography until c.170/169 BC, midway through the reign of Antiochos IV Epiphanes (Seleukos IV's younger brother). 

Technically speaking, only a small number of Seleukid king's used the divinising feature: Antiochos IV,  Alexander I, Antiochos VI, Alexander II, Antiochos VIII, and Demetrios III. Here's something I wrote a while ago on the matter LINK

I intentionally set the king figure slightly back on the base to make it a bit ambiguous as to whether he was the most important or powerful figure present. From the middle of the 2nd century BC, Kleopatra Thea and her nieces Kleopatra IV, Kleopatra Tryphaneia, and Kleopatra Selene were to take leading rolls in propping up respective husbands, sons, and step-sons who became husbands. On balance, this is most likely to be Alexander I Balas and Kleopatra Thea (150-145 BC), or Antiochos VIII Grypos and Kleopatra Thea (125-121 BC), but I'm happy to be a little flexible on that! 😁


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