The city of Seleucia Pieria was founded by Seleucus Nicator, the father of the Seleucid Empire. It is no doubt the reason why it became one of the most important Seleucid cities. It had a strong commercial center and was important militarily. 

The imagery on the coins from Antioch and the surrounding Syro-Phoenician cities show an eagle on the reverse. The reason suggested was that when Seleucus Nicator was trying determine where to install the new city he asked priests to prepare a sacrifice. During the sacrificial ceremony an eagle swooped down and took the leg of the animal that was laid there. It flew to a nearby hill, the Silpius. It was based on this event that the new city was chosen.

The emperor Macrinus was involved in the murder of his predecessor Caracalla. Strangely enough, the power of astrology greatly influenced the ensuing event. Macrinus consulted a horoscope that showed that he would become emperor which worried the Praetorian Prefect. The emperor Caracalla was to go on a military exercise and received a prediction from a “mathematician” of his murder. While traveling he stopped on the side of the road to pray at which point a centurion, likely under orders from Macrinus, killed Caracalla. The irony is that Septimius Severus, Caracalla’s father, could have easily killed Macrinus several years earlier when he had Plautianus, the father of Caracalla’s wife Plautilla, executed along with many friends of his, Macrinus being one. Instead Macrinus was spared only to later take the life of Severus’ son.