There's just something bad ace about a helmeted hero that gives a unique feel for them as they are rearing and ready to go do what they do best, kill and conquer! One of my favorite side projects is collecting all the different Koinon depicting Alexander the Great. And one of my favorite of these types is him helmeted (for obvious reasons). But they don't come around often nor in great shape. I picked up this buster some time back and wrote about it: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/helmeted-alexander-the-great-koinon-and-on-and-on.350151/ And just came across and snatched up this bad boy: Koinon of Macedon. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 25 mm, 12.31 g, 6 h), time of Severus Alexander, 222-235. ΑΛЄΞΑΝΔΡ૪ Head of Alexander III 'the Great' to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with a griffin on the bowl. Rev. ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΜΑΚЄΔΟΝΩ ΝЄΩK Alexander, wearing lion skin headdress, riding Boukephalos to right, thrusting spear; below, star. AMNG III 444 var. (ΜΑΚЄΔΟΝΩN). "An interesting minor detail about this coin is the lion skin headdress that Alexander is wearing on the reverse. This attribute linked the great king with Herakles and was clearly derived from Alexander's well-known Attic silver tetradrachms." Not to be confused with these rad drachms and tets, of whoms appearance is up for debate. The above coins are most certainly a Roman idealization of Alexander III. Seleukos I Nikator, 312-281 BC. Drachm (Silver, 16.5 mm, 4.25 g, 12 h), probably Seleukeia on the Tigris, after circa 305/4 BC . Bust of Alexander the Great/Seleukos (?) to right, as Dionysos, wearing helmet covered with a panther skin and adorned with a bull's horn and ear, and with a panther's skin tied around his shoulders. Rev. ΒΑΣIΛΕΩΣ [ΣΕ]ΛΕΥΚΟΥ Nike standing to right, placing wreath on trophy; between Nike and trophy, monogram. HGC 9, 35. SC 197. Toned. Very fine. Ex: Nomos Obols Let's see your favorite generals wearing helmets, ATG, upgrades or whatever you feel prepares us for WAR!!!
Great coins @Ryro and fun idea. Here is an assortment of deities, generals and soldiers dressed for battle. Roman Republic Second Punic War (218 – 201 BC) Anonymous AR Denarius, Rome Mint, struck ca. 211 BC Wt.: 4.2 g Dia.: 20 mm Obv.: Helmeted head of Roma right. X in left field Rev.: Dioscuri galloping right. ROMA in exergue and partially incuse on raised tablet Ref.: Crawford 44/5 Brinkman Group 5. Sydenham 167. RBW 169. Ex Numismatic Ars Classica Auction 100 Part II, Lot 1368 (May 30, 2017) Attica. Athens AR Tetradrachm, struck ca. 167-8 BC Dia.: 30 mm Wt.: 16.78 Obv.:Head of Athena right wearing triple crested attic helmet adorned with Pegasos Rev.: Α-ΘΕ above MI / KI and ΘΕΟ / ΦΡΑ (Miki[on] and Theophra[stos]) Owl standing facing on amphora Θ, AP below. Ref.: Thompson 320g Indo-Greek Kingdoms Menander I AR Drachm, Sagala(?) mint, struck ca. 165-130 BC Dia.: 20 mm Wt.: 2.46 g Obv.: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ MENANΔPOY; helmeted head of king right. Rev.: Karoshthi legend, "Maharajasa tratarasa Menamdrasa"; Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monogram at right. Ref.: Bop 16C Crusader Antioch Bohemond III (Minority 1149-1163, Majority 1163-1201) AR Denier, Antioch mint, struck ca. 1163-1188 Wt.: 1.06 g Dia.: 17 mm Obv.: +BOAHVHDVS; Helmeted head left marked with cross pattee, coif mail composed of crescents, five pointed star right, crescent left. Rev.: +ANTIOCNIA; cross pattee, with crescent pointing downward in second angle. Ref.: Malloy 65/Class A to B cf. Metcalf Ex AMCC 2, Lot 289 (Nov. 9, 2019)
I have one of those semi-autonomous one from the Koinon of Macedon, but it features Alexander bare-headed, with flowing locks, like an ancient Fabio! Time of Severus Alexander, AD 231-235. Quasi-autonomous AE 25.1 mm, 11.60 g, 7 h. Koinon of Macedon. Obv: AΛЄΞANΔPOV, diademed head of Alexander the Great with flowing hair, right. Rev: KOINON MAKЄΔONΩN NЄΩ, Alexander, his cloak fluttering behind him and raising right arm, galloping his horse, right. Refs: AMNG III 388; cf. BMC Macedonia p.24, 120; cf. Lindgren II 1374.
A beauty and in silver ta boot! Here he is with another appearance of the Dioscuri in bronze: Eukratides (171-145 BC), Bronze Unit, BN series 19, 8.99g. Obv: Helmeted bust of king, Greek legend BASILEOS MEGALOU EUKRATIDOU. Rev: Dioskuroides on horseback; Kharoshthi legend above and below Maharajasa Ewukratidasa. Ex: Timeline
Constantine I ("the Great"), as Caesar Aquilea mint, A.D. 306-307 RIC 91 Obv: CONSTANTINVS NOB CAES Rev: VIRTVS AV-GG ET CAESS NN - Prince on horseback, spearing enemy soldier, second soldier prone underneath horse AQΓ in exergue 26 mm, 7.6 g.
Brilliant OP in every way, @Ryro: Coins, theme, and ...Video! Never saw that video before. I'm 12 again! Thanks to @Curtisimo for getting your foot in the door for my all-time favorite: Cnut, Helmet type, 1024-1030; Wynstan, moneyer in London.
I also like this Licinius in my collection, it reminds a bit of Russell Crowe's general's helmet he wore in the first battle against the Germans. AE3, 318-319 AD. 19mm 3.1 grams IMP LI-CINIVS AVG, helmeted and cuirassed bust right ROMAE AETERNAE, Roma seated right, shield on lap inscribed X/V. P-R across fields. Mintmark: RQ Reference: RIC VII Rome 151; Cohen 150; Sear 15354.
Tres, tres cool, @Ryro. It's always got to be cool, regardless of the historical context, when you get a helmet on a ruler who is best known for ...may we say, activity in the military sphere of endeavor. That helmet looks, as a total guess, more ceremonial than utilitarian. I'm the last person here to be up on the details of the Tetrarchies (emphasis on the plural), but this being from a point in the reign of Constantine where Most of the smoke had cleared, some sort of provisional peace would have to have been made. -->That's effectively a Guess! Anyone is cordially welcome to tell me how wrong I am!
Excellent, Herr @Ryro HELMETED SATURN Roman Republic 217-215 BCE, AE Quartuncia 15.2 mm, 2.56 grams. Obverse: Head of Saturn right. Reverse: ROMA - Prow, right . Reference: Crawford 38/8
That are 3 great coins @Ryro! As you already know I am very fond (and jealous ) of your Seleukos hemidrachm, a great purchase. Also interesting to see a helmeted portrait of Alexander made so late after his death, I wonder if it is all accurately made, or was it based on statues? I actually received a very interesting coin recently. It is an extremely rare Seleukid issue, and the relief is not great, but very nice nonetheless: Antiochos III Megas (223 - 187 B.C.) Æ Denomination B (double). Susa mint, struck ca. 220-208 BC. Obverse: Diademed, draped, and horned bust of Antiochos III three quarters right Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY. Artemis huntress standing left, holding arrow and resting left hand on grounded bow. Reference: SC 1221. It is a facing helmeted portrait of the other Megas: Antiochos III the Great!
CILICIA, Tarsos. Pharnabazos, Satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia. 413-387 BC. AR Stater (24mm; 10.77 gm; 2h). Struck 379-374 BC. Obv: 'BLTRZ' in Aramaic right, Baaltars seated left, holding lotus tipped sceptre in right hand. Rev: 'FRNBZW' in Aramaic left, 'HLK' in Aramaic right, bearded and helmeted male head (Ares?) left. SNG Levante 72; SNG France 251; SNG Copenhagen Supp. 609; SNG von Aulock 5927.
Nice coins everyone!.....Looking through my collection I don't have many helmets! Here's a Licinius II....