The Ancient Macedonians populated the more southerly portions of Macedon since pre-Classical times. The first Macedonian state emerged in the 8th or early 7th century B.C. under the Argead Dynasty, when the Macedonians are said to have migrated to the region from further west. Their first king is recorded as Perdiccas I.

The Macedonian city of Amphipolis was founded by the Athenians in 436 B.C. to protect their mining interests in the north, Amphipolis surrendered to the Spartan general Brasides in 424 B.C. The city preserved indepenence until 357 when it was captured by Philip II, King of Macedon.

Silver, 16.76 grams; 31.47 mm. Struck at the Macedonian City of Amphipolis (Founded by the Athenians in 436 B.C.), from the reopening of the silver mines to the revolt of Andriscus, 158 - 149 B.C. Obverse: Macedonian shield ornamented with stars in double crescents & grouped pellets between; in tondo, draped bust of Artemis right, in stephane & pendant earring, bow & quiver over shoulder. Reverse: Legend above and below horizontal club within wreath with thunderbolt. BMC 5; GCV 1386 variant. Very Fine.

Silver, 16.76 grams; 31.47 mm. Struck at the Macedonian City of Amphipolis (Founded by the Athenians in 436 B.C.), from the reopening of the silver mines to the revolt of Andriscus, 158 - 149 B.C. Obverse: Macedonian shield ornamented with stars in double crescents & grouped pellets between; in tondo, draped bust of Artemis right, in stephane & pendant earring, bow & quiver over shoulder. Reverse: Legend above and below horizontal club within wreath with thunderbolt. BMC 5; GCV 1386 variant. Very Fine.

Silver, 16.80 grams; 31.57 mm. Struck at the Macedonian City of Amphipolis (Founded by the Athenians in 436 B.C.), from the reopening of the silver mines to the revolt of Andriscus, 158 - 149 B.C. Obverse: Macedonian shield ornamented with stars in double crescents & grouped pellets between; in tondo, draped bust of Artemis right, in stephane & pendant earring, bow & quiver over shoulder. Reverse: Legend above and below horizontal club within wreath with thunderbolt. BMC 5; GCV 1386 variant. Very Fine.

Silver, 16.80 grams; 31.57 mm. Struck at the Macedonian City of Amphipolis (Founded by the Athenians in 436 B.C.), from the reopening of the silver mines to the revolt of Andriscus, 158 - 149 B.C. Obverse: Macedonian shield ornamented with stars in double crescents & grouped pellets between; in tondo, draped bust of Artemis right, in stephane & pendant earring, bow & quiver over shoulder. Reverse: Legend above and below horizontal club within wreath with thunderbolt. BMC 5; GCV 1386 variant. Very Fine.

Born in Pella, Philip was the youngest son of the king Amyntas III and Eurydice II. In his youth, Philip was a hostage in Thebes, which was the leading city of Greece during the Theban hegemony. While a captive there, Philip received a military and diplomatic education from Epaminondas, was involved in a pederastic relationship with Pelopidas, and lived with Pammenes, who was an enthusiastic advocate of the Sacred Band of Thebes. In 364 B.C., Philip returned to Macedon. The deaths of Philip's elder brothers, King Alexander II and Perdiccas III, allowed him to take the throne in 359 B.C. His son Alexander The Great was born in 356 B.C.

Gold, 8.59 grams, 17.82 mm. Circa 359 - 336 B.C. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Galloping biga, driven right by charioteer holding goad, star and M sequence marks below horse, not listed in Greek Coins and Their Values, Abydos mint. Circa 323 - 319 B.C. Thompson ADM II, 104a (same obverse die); SNG ANS 301 variant. Good Very Fine with a deep ancient gold colour. Ex. CNG Auctions No. 168 Lot 11 [sold for US$3,850.00]; Ex. Willis collection.

Gold, 8.59 grams, 17.82 mm. Circa 359 - 336 B.C. Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Galloping biga, driven right by charioteer holding goad, star and M sequence marks below horse, not listed in Greek Coins and Their Values, Abydos mint. Circa 323 - 319 B.C. Thompson ADM II, 104a (same obverse die); SNG ANS 301 variant. Good Very Fine with a deep ancient gold colour. Ex. CNG Auctions No. 168, Lot 11 [sold for US$3,850.00]; Ex. Willis collection. SOLD

Born in Pella, Philip was the youngest son of the king Amyntas III and Eurydice II. In his youth, Philip was a hostage in Thebes, which was the leading city of Greece during the Theban hegemony. While a captive there, Philip received a military and diplomatic education from Epaminondas, was involved in a pederastic relationship with Pelopidas, and lived with Pammenes, who was an enthusiastic advocate of the Sacred Band of Thebes. In 364 BC, Philip returned to Macedon. The deaths of Philip's elder brothers, King Alexander II and Perdiccas III, allowed him to take the throne in 359 BC. Originally appointed regent for his infant nephew Amyntas IV, who was the son of Perdiccas III, Philip managed to take the kingdom for himself that same year.

Philip's military skills and expansionist vision of Macedonian greatness brought him early success. He had however first to re-establish a situation which had been greatly worsened by the defeat against the Illyrians in which King Perdiccas himself had died. The Paionians and the Thracians had sacked and invaded the Eastern regions of the country, while the Athenians had landed, at Methoni on the coast, a contingent under a Macedonian pretender called Argaeus. Using diplomacy, Philip pushed back Paionians and Thracians promising tributes, and crushed the 3,000 Athenian hoplites (359). Momentarily free from his opponents, he concentrated on strengthening his internal position and, above all, his army. His most important innovation was doubtless the introduction of the phalanx infantry corps, armed with the famous sarissa, an exceedingly long spear which was intended mostly to counter cavalry (at the time, the most important army corps in Macedon).

Philip had married Audata, great-granddaughter of the Illyrian king of Dardania, Bardyllis. However, this did not prevent him from marching against them in 358 and crushing them in a ferocious battle in which some 7,000 Illyrians died (357). By this move, Philip established his authority inland as far as Lake Ohrid.

He also used the Social War as an opportunity for expansion. He agreed with the Athenians, who had been so far unable to conquer Amphipolis, which commanded the gold mines of Mount Pangaion, to lease it to them after its conquest, in exchange for Pidna (lost by Macedon in 363). However, after conquering Amphipolis, he kept both the cities (357). As Athens declared war against him, he allied with the Chalcidian League of Olynthus. He subsequently conquered Potidaea, this time keeping his word and ceding it to the League in 356. One year before Philip had married the Epirote princess Olympias, who was the daughter of the king of the Molossians.

In 356 BC, Philip also conquered the town of Crenides, on Thasos island, and changed its name to Philippi: he established a powerful garrison there to control its mines, which granted him much of the gold later used for his campaigns. In the meantime, his general Parmenio defeated the Illyrians again. Also in 356 Alexander was born, and Philip's race horse won in the Olympics. In 355–354 he besieged Methone, the last city on the Thermaic Gulf controlled by Athens. During the siege, Philip lost an eye. Despite the arrival of two Athenians fleets, the city fell in 354. Philip also attacked Abdera and Maronea, on the Thracian sea-board (354–353).

Involved in the Sacred War which had broken out in Greece, in the summer 353 he invaded Thessaly, defeating 7,000 Phocians under the brother of Onomarchus. The latter however defeated Philip in the two succeeding battles. Philip returned to Thessaly the next summer, this time with an army of 20,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry including all Thessalian troops. In the Battle of Crocus Field 6,000 Phocians fell, while 3,000 were taken as prisoners and later drowned. This battle granted Philip an immense prestige, as well the free acquisition of Pherae. Philip was also tagus of Thessaly, and he claimed as his own Magnesia, with the important harbour of Pagasae. Philip did not attempt to advance into central Greece because the Athenians, unable to arrive in time to defend Pagasae, had occupied Thermopylae.

Hostilities with Athens did not yet take place, but Athens was threatened by the Macedonian party which Philip's gold created in Euboea. From 352 to 346 BC, Philip did not again come south. He was active in completing the subjugation of the Balkan hill-country to the west and north, and in reducing the Greek cities of the coast as far as the Hebrus (Maritza). To the chief of these coastal cities, Olynthus, Philip continued to profess friendship until its neighboring cities were in his hands.

In 349 BC, Philip started the siege of Olynthus, which, apart from its strategic position, housed his relatives Arrhidaeus and Menelaus, pretenders to the Macedonian throne. Olynthus had at first allied itself with Philip, but later shifted its allegiance to Athens. The latter, however, did nothing to help the city, its expeditions held back by a revolt in Euboia (probably paid by Philip's gold). The Macedonian king finally took Olynthus in 348 BC and razed the city to the ground. The same fate was inflicted on other cities of the Chalcidian peninsula.

In 346 BC, he intervened effectively in the war between Thebes and the Phocians, but his wars with Athens continued intermittently. Macedon and the regions adjoining it having now been securely consolidated, Philip celebrated his Olympic games at Dium. In 347 BC, Philip advanced to the conquest of the eastern districts about the Hebrus, and compelled the submission of the Thracian prince Cersobleptes. Meanwhile, Athens had made overtures for peace, and when Philip, in 346 BC, again moved south, peace was sworn in Thessaly. With key Greek city-states in submission, Philip turned to Sparta; he sent them a message, "You are advised to submit without further delay, for if I bring my army into your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and raze your city." Their reply was "If". Philip and Alexander would both leave them alone. Later, the Macedonian arms were carried across Epirus to the Adriatic Sea. In 342 BC, Philip led a great military expedition north against the Scythians, conquering the Thracian fortified settlement Eumolpia to give it his name, Philippopolis.

In 340 BC, Philip started the siege of Perinthus. Philip began another siege in 339 BC of the city of Byzantium. After unsuccessful sieges of both cities, Philip's influence all over Greece was compromised. However, Philip successfully reasserted his authority in the Aegean by defeating an alliance of Thebans and Athenians at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC. Around 300 BC a memorial comprised of a marble lion was built to honor the Sacred Band of Thebes for their bravery and still exists today. Philip created and led the League of Corinth in 337 BC. Members of the League agreed never to wage war against each other, unless it was to suppress revolution. Philip was elected as leader of the army of invasion against the Persian Empire. In 336 BC, when the invasion of Persia was in its very early stage, Philip was assassinated, and was succeeded on the throne of Macedon by his son Alexander III.

Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon (Alexander the Great, Alexander III of Macedon), King of Macedonia, was born in late July 356 B.C. in Pella, Macedonia, he was one of the greatest military genius in history. He conquered much of what was then the civilized world, driven by his divine ambition of the world conquest and the creation of a universal world monarchy.

Gold, 8.56 grams, 17.42 mm. Amphipolis mint, Circa 330 - 320 B.C. Obverse: Head of Athena right, in crested Corinthian helmet ornamented with serpent. Reverse: Nike standing left, holding wreath and ship's mast, kantharos in field to left, not listed in Greek Coins and Their Values, Greek legend in field to right. GCV 6702 variant; GCN 1265P164. Good Very Fine. Ex. Axis Mundi, Santa Fe; Ex. Mr Willis collection.

Gold, 8.56 grams, 17.42 mm. Amphipolis mint, Circa 330 - 320 B.C. Obverse: Head of Athena right, in crested Corinthian helmet ornamented with serpent. Reverse: Nike standing left, holding wreath and ship's mast, kantharos in field to left, not listed in Greek Coins and Their Values, Greek legend in field to right. GCV 6702 variant; GCN 1265P164. Good Very Fine. Ex. Axis Mundi, Santa Fe; Ex. Mr Willis collection.

Axis Mundi stated: "Extremely Desirable Genuine 2300+ Year Old Greek Gold Stater of Alexander the Great / Featuring a Beautiful Portrait of Athena, Greek Goddess of War, Wisdom and the Arts / Also Featuring a Mythological Scene of Nike, the Goddess of Victory / Attractive Coin with a Gorgeous Luster / Important Example Minted in Alexander's Homeland of Macedonia in the City of Amphipolis 330-320 BC."

Born in Pella, capitol of Macedon in northern Ancient Greece, Alexander was the son of King Philip II of Macedon and of his fourth wife Olympias, an Epirote princess. On his mother's side, he was a second cousin of Pyrrhus of Epirus; thus, there are notable examples of military genius on both sides of his family. According to Plutarch, his father descended from Heracles through Caranus and his mother descended from Aeacus through Neoptolemus and Achilles. Plutarch relates that both Philip and Olympias dreamt of their son's future birth. In Philip's dream, he sealed her womb with the seal of the lion. Alarmed by this, he consulted the seer Aristander of Telmessus, who determined that his wife was pregnant and that the child would have the character of a lion. Another odd coincidence is that the temple of Artemis in Ephesus was set afire on the night of his birth. Plutarch's explanation is that the Gods were too busy watching over Alexander to care for the temple.

After his visit to the Oracle of Ammon at Siwa, according to five historians of antiquity (Arrian, Curtius, Diodorus, Justin, and Plutarch), rumors spread that the Oracle had revealed Alexander's father to be Zeus, rather than Philip. In support of this, Plutarch claims that Philip avoided Olympias' bed because of her affinity for sleeping in the company of snakes.

In his early years, Alexander was raised by his nurse Lanike, who was Cleitus' older sister. Following this, Alexander was educated by a strict teacher: Leonidas, a relative of his mother Olympias. Leonidas thought Alexander narcissistic and silly, and was equally disliked by Alexander. Reportedly, when Alexander threw a large amount of sacrificial incense into a fire, Leonidas harshly reprimanded him, telling him that when he had conquered the spice bearing regions, he could waste as much as he wanted. Years later, when Alexander had conquered Gaza, a city directly on the Persian spice trade route, he sent back over 15 tons of myrrh to Leonidas as a sort of ultimate comeback. Aristotle, however, was Alexander's most famous and important tutor since he gave Alexander a thorough training in rhetoric and literature and stimulated his interest in science, medicine, and philosophy. Aristotle gave him a copy of the Iliad which he always kept with him and read frequently.

When Alexander was ten years old, a Thessalian brought a black horse to sell to Philip. The horse turned out to be wild and no man could mount him. The young Alexander went to the horse, and turned him towards the sun, for he had noticed that the horse was just afraid of his own shadow. He was then able to mount and ride it. His father and other people who saw this were very impressed, and when the young Alexander returned and dismounted the horse Philip kissed him with tears of joy and said "My son, seek thee out a kingdom equal to thyself; Macedonia has not room for thee." This line probably had as much paranoid fear in it as pride. Philip II knew perfectly well what happened to Macedonian kings with ambitious sons. The horse was named Bucephalus (which means ox-head). Bucephalus would be his companion and one of his best friends for the next two decades until the horse died (according to Plutarch due to old age, for he was already 30; other sources claim that Bucephalus died of wounds sustained in a battle in India). Alexander then named a city after him called Bucephalia or Bucephala.

Silver, 16.60 grams; 33.79 mm. Circa 3rd Century B.C., restoring the types of Alexander the Great at Temnos (situated a short distance east of Neonteichos, on the hill-side above the right bank of the river Hermos). Obverse: Head of young Herakles right, clad in lion’s skin. Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre. Tall one handled vase, framed by vine branch. GCV 4225. Good Very Fine.

Silver, 16.60 grams; 33.79 mm. Circa 3rd Century B.C., restoring the types of Alexander the Great at Temnos (situated a short distance east of Neonteichos, on the hill-side above the right bank of the river Hermos). Obverse: Head of young Herakles right, clad in lion’s skin. Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre. Tall one handled vase, framed by vine branch. GCV 4225. Good Very Fine.

Silver, 4.16 grams, 17.91 mm. 336 - 323 B.C. Obverse: Bust of Alexander the Great, as Herakles clad in lion skin. Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre. GCV 6731 Variant. Good Very Fine.

Silver, 4.16 grams, 17.91 mm. 336 - 323 B.C. Obverse: Bust of Alexander the Great, as Herakles clad in lion skin. Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre. GCV 6731 Variant. Good Very Fine. SOLD

Silver, 4.15 grams, 16.85 mm. 336 - 323 B.C. Obverse: Bust of Alexander the Great, as Herakles clad in lion skin. Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre. GCV 6731 Variant. Very Fine.

Silver, 4.15 grams, 16.85 mm. 336 - 323 B.C. Obverse: Bust of Alexander the Great, as Herakles clad in lion skin. Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre. GCV 6731 Variant. Very Fine. SOLD

History of The Macedonian Kingdom

Around the time of Alexander I of Macedon, the Macedonians started to expand into Eordaia, Bottiaea, Pieria, Mygdonia, and Almopia. Near the modern city of Veria, Perdiccas I (or, more likely, his son, Argaeus I) built his capital, Aigai (modern Vergina). After a brief period of Persian overlordship under Darius Hystaspes, the state regained its independence under King Alexander I (495–450 B.C). Prior to the 4th century B.C., the kingdom covered a region approximately corresponding to the province of Macedonia of modern Greece. It became increasingly Hellenised during this period, though prominent Greeks appear to have regarded the Macedonians as uncouth. A unified Macedonian state was eventually established by King Amyntas III (c. 393–370 B.C.), though it still retained strong contrasts between the cattle-rich coastal plain and the fierce isolated tribal hinterland, allied to the king by marriage ties. They controlled the passes through which barbarian invasions came from Illyria to the north and northwest. Amyntas had three sons; the first two, Alexander II and Perdiccas III reigned only briefly. Perdiccas III's infant heir was deposed by Amyntas' third son, Philip II of Macedon, who made himself king and ushered in a period of Macedonian dominance of Greece. Philip's son Alexander the Great (356–323 B.C.) managed to briefly extend Macedonian power not only over the central Greek city-states, but also to the Persian empire, including Egypt and lands as far east as the fringes of India. Alexander's adoption of the styles of government of the conquered territories was accompanied by the spread of Greek culture and learning through his vast empire. Although the empire fractured into multiple Hellenic regimes shortly after his death, his conquests left a lasting legacy, not least in the new Greek-speaking cities founded across Persia's western territories, heralding the Hellenistic period.