Laureate head of Antiochos right / BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY left, nude Apollo seated left on omphalos with arrow & bow; monogram outer left. 16mm, 3.71 grams. Antioch mint. Newell WSM 1060; SNGIs 561; Houghton CSE 68.

Antiochus III the Great (reigned 222–187 BCE) was one of the most prominent kings of the Seleucid Empire, which controlled much of the Near East following the fragmentation of Alexander the Great’s empire. Ascending the throne at a young age, he spent much of his reign attempting to restore and expand Seleucid power, campaigning from Asia Minor to India. His efforts to reconquer lost territories earned him the title "the Great," and he achieved notable success in eastern regions and parts of Anatolia.

However, his ambitions brought him into conflict with Rome when he supported Hannibal and intervened in Greek affairs. His defeat by the Romans at the Battle of Magnesia (190 BCE) forced him to sign the Treaty of Apamea, ceding large parts of Asia Minor and paying a heavy indemnity. Antiochus III died in 187 BCE during a campaign in Elymais. Despite his eventual failures, he is remembered for temporarily reviving Seleucid fortunes and for his role in the final stages of Hellenistic resistance against Roman expansion.