That is how ps.-Aristotle reduced the king's coinage problem to its essentials. But one might also add ‘and where and why’. Or, in other words, what was the Seleukid coinage policy and how was it administered?

It has been suggested, as a hypothesis (ch. 3), that the kings' primary objective was to ensure an adequate supply of coined money from tribute and taxation with which to meet military and administrative expenses.

The first task will be to examine what the Seleukids actually coined, the mints and their production. Here Newell's two catalogues are invaluable, although they reach only to the reign of Antiochos III and new issues have been added and new attributions made since then. The picture has somewhat changed and a revised and much more extensive catalogue has now been published. Mørkholm has also contributed a detailed analysis of the coinage of Antiochos IV, while a number of articles deal with the production of specific mints or issues and will be referred to where appropriate.

Next I shall consider the different categories of coinage and their uses and it will become apparent that the silver tetradrachm was by far the most important denomination.

Finally, the circulation of tetradrachms within the empire will be studied, based on hoard and die evidence, and a picture should hopefully emerge of Seleukid coinage policy and its application.