Kings of Paeonia. Patraos. (Circa 335-315 BC)

Astibos or Damastion mint.

Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right

Reverse: Warrior on horse rearing right, thrusting spear held in his right hand at enemy below who defends with shield on his left arm. ΠΑΤΡΑΟΥ (PATRAOS)

Paeonian Hoard 479 (same dies); Peykov E2160 (same obv. die as illustration); NRBM Paeonia 40 (same obv. die); HGC 3, 148.

Phiip II of Macedon (359-336 BC) reduced the Paeonian kingdom to a semi-autonomous, subordinate status, which led to a process of gradual and formal Hellenization of the Paeonians, who, during Philip's reign, began to issue coins with Greek legends like the Macedonian ones. Paeonia was most likely still a subordinated kingdom at the beginning of Patraos' reign (340/35 - 315 BC), and at the time of Alexander’s Eastern campaign, the Paeonians were part of the Macedonian army with their light cavalry. In fact, at the battle of Gaugamela (331 BC), Ariston, the leader of the Paeonian cavalry and possibly the brother off Patraos was especially distinguishable, defeating Satropates, the commander of the Persian horseman. It is this victory that was likely the inspiration for the reverse iconography of Patraos tetradrachms.

Interestingly, though, on most of the coins the "Persian" horseman is represented as defending himself with a Macedonian shield, the appearance of which, obviously contains a certain message. There is no direct historical explanation, but the literary sources reveal that after the death of Alexander of Macedon in 323 BC, Antipater was positioned in Europe, being appointed strategus autocrator in charge of all Macedonians, Hellenes, Illyrians, Triballi, Agrianes and the people of Epirus. Notably, the Paeonians are not mentioned in this list, probably because Paeonia had regained its autonomy. Thus, the insertion of the Macedonian shield on the reverse was likely announcing the liberation of Paeonia from Macedonian sovereignty.

With regard to the coin iconography, it is notable that the cult of Apollo was predominant on Paeonian coins. Hesiod identified Paeon as an individual deity: "Unless Phoebus Apollo should save him from death, or Paean himself who knows the remedies for all things." In time, Paeon (more usually spelled Paean) became an epithet of Apollo, in his capacity as a god capable of bringing disease and therefore propitiated as a god of healing.

As discussed by Wayne Sayles in "Ancient Coin Collecting III, Numismatic Art of the Greek World," the obverse of this coin is minted in archaizing style, "with the frontal almond eye common to the art of a century earlier." This type was produced with both the archaic eye and the modern profile eye. "The contrast is not one of stylistic transition, but rather of artistic intention. In fact, the archaizing version seems to have been issued toward the end of the series."