Abstract For Seleucus I’s Bactrian-Sogdian queen Apama, thanks to the Milesian decree honouring her in 299/8 b.c.e ., we have first-hand information. Interpretations of Apama, particularly regarding her Bactrian-Sogdian background, nevertheless vary. Some views emphasize the instrumental role of her background in the Seleucid imperial building in the upper satrapies, while others approach this question more cautiously. This article aligns with the cautious perspective while arguing that it is difficult to produce a definitive account of the role of Apama’s Bactrian-Sogdian background in Seleucid empire-building based solely on one inscription from Miletus, and that it is important to avoid an essentialized view of Apama’s ethnic affiliation. It thus demonstrates how the Seleucids manipulated and reinterpreted their eastern facet through a leading polis in western Asia Minor, which was formerly under Achaemenid rule. This was part of the Seleucids’ interpretation of Persianism, a term addressing non-Iranian people and their association with ‘Iranian’ culture, similar to how Hellenism denotes the reception of Greek culture among non-Graeco-Macedonian people. They portrayed their queen Apama as a benefactress in Miletus, by tapping into Asia Minor as a landscape where local elites emulated the Persian lifestyle during the Achaemenid period. The article emphasizes the intricate nature of displaying Persianism within a Greek polis .
Yanxiao He (Tue,) studied this question.