Palmyra HeritageAncient Coins & Antiquities · Est. 1995
Palmyra HeritageAncient Coins & Antiquities · Est. 1995
Macedonian silver tetradrachm, head of Pan on Macedonian shield obverse, Athena Alkidemos reverse

Kings of Macedon, Antigonos II – Demetrios II AR Tetradrachm – Pan Shield / Athena Alkidemos, Amphipolis, VF

$1,675.00

Macedonian royal tetradrachm with the head of Pan on a Macedonian shield, struck at Amphipolis to celebrate the victory over the Gauls. TEA die-linked. VF.

1 in stock

Inquire About This Piece
Categories: ,

Description

KINGS of MACEDON. temp. Antigonos II Gonatas – Demetrios II Aitolikos, 246/5–229 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30.5mm, 17.06 g, 1h). In the name and types of Antigonos II. Amphipolis mint.

Obverse: Horned head of Pan left, lagobolon over shoulder, in the center of a Macedonian shield.
Reverse: Athena Alkidemos advancing left, shield decorated with aegis on arm, preparing to cast thunderbolt; crested Macedonian helmet to inner left, monogram to inner right.

TEA Period I, Group 8, 39 (O9/R38); HGC 3, 1043 (Antigonos II Gonatas).

VF.

History & Context: Pan’s gift to a king

In 277 BC a Celtic war band that had been ravaging Greece was routed by Antigonos Gonatas near Lysimacheia, and the victory was credited to Pan, the god who brings sudden “panic” to an enemy. The win gave Antigonos the throne of Macedon, and he celebrated by placing Pan’s head at the center of the round Macedonian bronze shield on his coinage. On the reverse stands Athena Alkidemos, “defender of the people,” the warrior goddess worshipped at the royal capital of Pella. The type was so closely tied to the dynasty’s authority that it was struck at Amphipolis for decades, into the reign of his son Demetrios II.