The Hellenistic Settlements in the East from Armenia and Mesopotamia to Bactria and India. Getzel M. Cohen

Markwart’s suggestion (Südarmenien 428) that Polyteleia was the Greek reinterpretation of the native toponym, Tella (later Viranshehir), is not convincing. On the multinamed Viranshehir (Nikephorion, Constantina, Antoninopolis, Maximianopolis, Tella) see NIKEPHORION Constantina; Mango in Bell, Tur ‘Abdin 154; Mango, ODB s.v. “Constantina.”

      SELOK

      E. Honigmann called attention to a spring called Selok southeast of KARRHAI.¹ The name is evocative. It recalls, for example, KARKA de BETH SELOK. Nevertheless, we would obviously need more information before suggesting there had been a Hellenistic settlement (a Seleukeia?) at or near the site of the spring.

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      1. Honigmann, RE s.v. “Seleukeia 14.” For the location see PGM 57 (1911) II, map 18.

      STRATONIKEIA

      According to Pliny (NH 6.118–19), southeast of the Sitrae was the town of Azochis and nearby (“mox in campestribus oppida”) were the towns of DIOSPAGE, POLYTELEIA, Stratonikeia, and ANTHEMOUS[IAS]. Pliny, then says that in the vicinity of the Euphrates was NIKEPHORION. In his description Pliny was apparently swinging around from beyond the Tigris westward toward the Euphrates (Anthemousias was probably located at or quite near the Euphrates; Nikephorion was on it). It would appear, therefore, that Diospage, Polyteleia, and Stratonikeia were located in Mesopotamia. We do not know the exact location.¹ The founder is, likewise, not definitely known; most probably it was Seleukos I Nikator or his son, Antiochos.²

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      In general see Tcherikover, HS 85.

      1. In his enumeration of the settlements founded by Seleukos I Nikator, Appian (Syr. 57) mentions one Stratonikeia (see Brodersen, Komment. 149f.). Four settlements of that name are known in Asia Minor and Asia from the extant evidence. Two—STRATONIKEIA in Caria and Lydia—were probably founded by Antiochos I. Both Strabo (14.2.25) and Stephanos (s.v. “Stratonikeia”) refer to a STRATONIKEIA near the Tauros and describe it as a small town (πολίχνιον). This particular city has not yet been firmly located. The Tauros Mountains, it is true, extended eastward to the region north of ARSAMEIA and AMIDA. In fact, Stephanos specified that ANTIOCH near the Tauros was in Commagene. Presumably the Stratonikeia mentioned by Pliny was also a small town. Nevertheless, it would undoubtedly be stretching belief to expect that a Stratonikeia in Mesopotamia—even northern Mesopotamia—could be described as “near the Tauros.”

      2. Stratonike I, the daughter of Demetrios I Poliorketes, was the wife of Seleukos I Nikator and later of his son, Antiochos I. She and the latter were, in turn, the parents of Antiochos II and Stratonike II. In short, the list of possible founders includes Seleukos I and Antiochos I and II. The two most likely candidates are Seleukos I or Antiochos I. Seleukos married Stratonike I soon after the battle of Ipsos in 301 B.C. and subsequently gave her to his son as his wife (probably in 293 B.C.; see Mehl, Seleukos 230). If Seleukos founded it, presumably he will have done this between 301 and 293 B.C. At the same time Seleukos gave Stratonike to his son in marriage he also gave him control of the eastern half of the empire (Plut. Demet. 38: διέγνωκε τῶν ἄνω πάντων τóπων ’Αντίοχον ἀποδεĩξαι βασιλέα; on the marriage of Antiochos and Stratonike see also App. Syr. 59–61; Lucian, Syr. D. 17–18; Synkellos 330 (ed. Mosshammer). See also Beloch, GG² IV.1 219f.; Seibert, Verbindungen 50f.). This certainly raises the possibility that Antiochos I founded the settlement in honor of his new wife.

      ZENODOTION