Ancient Greek - AR Tetradrachm - Macedonian Kingdom - Phillip II - Circa: 359-336 BCE
$4,628
Denomination: AR Tetradrachma
Reign: Philip II
Date: Circa: 359-336 BC
Mint: Macedonian Kingdom
Weight: 14.12 gm
Grade: Very Fine
Mount: 18K gold
Description: MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Philip II - Kings of Macedonia. Obverse: Head of Zeus, right. Reverse: Phillip raising hand and holding rein, on horse back; below, pagasu forepart. (symbolizes the king's success in the Olympian games. of 356 BC), crescent below. Toned.
History: The reign of Phillip II, father of Alexander the Great, marked a major turning point in the history of the Greek world. His plan was to make himself master of Greece and then undertake the conquest of the traditional enemy of the Greeks, the Persian empire.
The first part of his ambition was achieved, but an assassin's hand struck down the king before he was able to begin his attack on Achaemenid territory. In order to finance his military operations Phillip instituted large scale coinage of gold and silver denominations. His tetradrachm were struck on the Thraco-Macedonia standard of about 17.2 grams.
Coins in Phillips name continued long after his death and served the needs of the northern territories of the Macedonian kingdom. This late variant, probably belongs to the years following the death of Alexander, when the vast realm was nominally ruled by the great conqueror's half brother Phillip III Arhidaeus, son of Phillip II and Philinna.
