KINGDOM OF MACEDON (800's - 146 BC) - HELLENENISTIC CIVILIZATION - MACEDONIAN EMPIRE
REIGN OF PHILIP II (359-336 BC) OR HIS SON ALEXANDER III "THE GREAT" (336-323 BC) - ARGEAD DYNASTY
LIFETIME OR EARLY POSTHUMOUS ISSUE PHILIP II GOLD STATER
CERTIFIED BY NGC EXTRA FINE
STRIKE 5/5
SURFACE 4/5
OBV: THE GOD APOLLO LAUREATE RIGHT.
REV: CHARIOTEER DRIVING BIGA (TWO-HORSED CHARIOT), UNDERNEATH HORSES IS THE MINTMARK, WHICH IS A SMALL DEPICTION OF THE WINGED GODESS OF VICTORY NIKE HOLDING LAUREL WREATH ALOFT; GREEK LEGEND "ΦIΛIΓΓOY (PHILLIP) IN EXERGUE.
PHILIP II (b. 382, d. 336 BC), WAS YOUNGEST SON OF KING AMYNTAS II OF MACEDON. HE WAS HELD AS A CAPTIVE IN THE THEN LEADING GREEK CITY-STATE OF THEBES IN HIS YOUTH AND RECEIVED MILITARY AND POLITICAL TRAINING BY THE THEBAN GENERALS AND STATESMEN EPAMINONDAS, PELOPIDAS AND PAMMENES, THE MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR NEW TACTICS THAT HUMBLED PROUD SPARTA AND INSPIRED THE ORGANIZATION OF PHILIP'S FUTURE MACEDONIAN PHALANX.
PHILIP RETURNED TO HIS HOMELAND IN 364. AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS TWO OLDER BROTHERS AND ASSUMING THE REGENCY OF HIS INFANT NEPHEW, HE SEIZED THE THRONE FOR HIMSELF.
UNDER PHILIP, BY HIS SKILLFUL USE OF DIPLOMACY AND MILITARY AGGRESSION, MACEDON WOULD RISE FROM A SMALL OUTSIDER KINGDOM AT THE PERIPHERY OF GREEK AFFAIRS TO RULE THE ENTIRE HELLENIC WORLD. HE CONQUERED THE CITY OF AMPHIPOLIS IN 357, WHICH CONTROLLED THE GOLD MINES OF MT. PANGAION, AND THE TOWN OF CRENIDES IN 356 (ALSO POSSESSED OF GOLD MINES), WHICH HE RENAMED PHILIPPI.
PHILIP CAMPAIGNED AGAINST AND DEFEATED ATHENS AND THEBES, AND BROUGHT THE GREEK CITY STATES UNDER THE THRALL OF MACEDON. HE ATTEMPTED TO HARNESS THE HATE THE GREEKS HAD FOR THE PERSIAN EMPIRE TO UNITE THE DISSEPARATE CITY-STATES, IN ADDITION TO USING MACEDONIAN MARTIAL FORCE, TO BRING THEM FIRMLY UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP. HIS SON, ALEXANDER (THE FUTURE ALEXANDER III "THE GREAT") AIDED PHILIP AS REGENT AND AS A COMMANDER WHOSE BRAVERY AND POPULARITY MAY HAVE HELPED ALIENATE HIM FROM HIS FATHER. WHEN PHILIP CHOSE TO MARRY AGAIN, AND PERHAPS BEAR A RIVAL TO THE THRONE, THE RIFT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON WIDENED. PHILIP WAS ASSASINATED IN 336 BC, AND ALEXANDER WAS PROCLAIMED KING BY THE VETERAN PROFESSIONAL MACEDONIAN ARMY. HE TOOK UP HIS FATHER'S QUEST TO INVADE ASIA AND AVENGE THE GREEKS AGAINST PERSIA.
THIS COIN DATES BETWEEN 359 (355/345)-336 BC; (336-328) BC FOR POSTHUMOUS ISSUES
8.54 GRAMS OF GOLD
14-20 MM IN DIAMETER
MINT UNVERIFIED
