Philip II: The world's greatest conqueror... until his son came along. First Philly tet!

Philip II was the first, and only, person to unify all of Greece. And he did it with innovation on the battlefield and brilliance in negotiations.
He started with a broke, recently defeated in battle (his older brother was killed in the battle, hence him becoming kingy) upside down city state that most Greeks didn't even call Greek... until Phil came along that is.

(From Vergina find of what most agree is the final resting place of Philip II of Macedon; two small heads of what, again, most believe to be Philip II, left, and son Alexander III, right)

(Philips larnax, from same tomb in Vergina)

I wish I had time to do another proper right up on the man, as this guy IS just as great as Alexander. But am still settling in after the big move.

I am thrilled to share my latest tetradrachm and only Philip II... but, much like ancient history it comes with questions that may or may not be answerable.


First, it's from Savoca Blue. So, next to no description. I remember reading recently that most Philip II's that are right facing are after his death. However, all the types that I could find in AC search with the thunderbolt and similar look state lifetime tet. I hope someone "in the know" might chime in.
As well, I reached out to Savoca just to make sure it wasn't a fouree. As you can see it has what looks like a hole and I was concerned that was exposed bronze. Their response, "I just asked our numismatist, the tetradrachm is not fourrée. The ''hole'' on the reverse, which is probably a banker’s mark or a die break, doesn’t expose any bronze surface."
Still, I nervously waited to receive the coin so I could look at the coin under a microscope. Sure looks like silver to me. Just a funky die break (I don't think it's a banker's mark/test cut).
And lastly, who is the youth on the horseback? The rider of Philip's Olympic winning horse, Apollo, young Alexander on Bucephalus, Ryro taking his morning ride to the bar????

(Image of me BEFORE the bar)

Anywho, without further ado, the man with the master plan, silver and in my hand, large and in charge (oh wait, there was further ado) Philip II!

Philip II AR Tetradrachm. Pella, 342-336 BC. Lifetime issue. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth on horseback right, holding palm and reins; thunderbolt below, [N in exergue]. Le Rider 222-306. 14.22g, 24mm, 7h. VF. Purchased from Savoca July 2021

Before this all of my Philip IIs were in bronze:

Philip II
359-336 B.C. AE unit (18.7 mm, 6.29 g, 4 h). Uncertain Macedonian mint. Head of Apollo left, wearing tainia / ΦIΛIΠΠOY, youth on horseback riding left; uncertain symbol below (Helios head?). SNG Alpha Bank 371-3 (alternatively described as lion's head, a crab, thunderbolt or unknown symbol, depending on the reference); SNG ANS 872-74. VF


Philip II
Rider Bronze 359-336 BC. Mint in Macedonia. Obv: head of Apollo right, hair bound in a taenia. Rev: FILIPPOY legend above youthful rider on horseback prancing right; trident head and AR monogram beneath the horse. SNG ANS 908. 6.48 grams. (").


Philip II.
KINGS OF MACEDON. Unit (Bronze, 18 mm, 5.57 g, 12 h), uncertain mint in Macedon. Diademed head of Apollo to right. Rev. ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ Youth on horseback to right; below, NI. SNG Copenhagen 582ff var. (different symbol). SNG München 210. Beautiful light green patina.



I would enjoy and appreciate seeing any and all of your Philip II coins, coins of Macedon, thoughts ideas and or anything that topples empires!

 

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.,kool Ryro....i have a 'tet'too..(oh lQQk at me go)...i reopened the Greek vault to put me new Ptolemy puck in and these 4 fellas say "hey!"..

 

Here are my two Philip II's. The first is a lifetime coin. My understanding with the horse direction is:

Horse facing left: Always a lifetime tet.
Horse facing right: May be a lifetime tet. However, Alexander III kept minting the same coins, so it's not possible to know.

For your coin, I believe it's this one. So, it looks to be a post-Alexander minted between 323-315 BCE in Pella, by presumably either Polyperchon or Kassander.

In terms of the identity of the rider, I'm not sure. I did find this article, which being titled "The identity of the two horsemen on the Philip II's coinage", I thought would tell me the identity of the horsemen on Philip II's coinage, but unfortunately not. My suspicion is it's not Alexander, but just a generic horseman + horse.

I still would like to know why the horse suddenly changed direction in 348 BCE. I've heard guesses but I would think there'd be some paper on it somewhere. For now, I'm just assuming the horse got tired going one way all those years, so it turned around.


Pella mint, ca 354-349 BC.
22-24 mm., 13.68g.

Below is a post-Alexander 1/5 tet. The Philip II types were minted by Polyperchon and then Kassander, though both also minted Alexanders. Mine is attributed to Polyperchon.


Le Rider Taf. 46, 29; SNG ANS 731–735
2.57 g
318-317 BCE Amphipolis

 

Wonderful coin! I personally really enjoy the look of crystallized coins. And talk about a great portrait Also really like your Polyperchon
Though, I don't think that looks much like my coin. The type you shared in the link is certainly from a different mint (or much later), has much different design and the "ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ" is tiny and stops before the horses head, as mine clearly goes around it.
I believe mine is much more close to something like:
https://www.acsearch.info/search.ht...de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&currency=usd&order=1

 

This one's a double righty:


Philip II of Macedon.
AE 6.30 gm; 18.6 mm.
Obv: Diademed head of Apollo, r.
Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ, youth on horseback r.; thunderbolt below.
Refs: Bellinger 43; SNG ANS 880 ff.

 

Philip II of Macedon Av Stater Pella 345-336 BC Obv, Head of Apollo right laureate. Rv Charioteer driving biga right. Above cicada Le Rider 47 HGC 844 8.60 grams 17 mm Photo by W. Hansen The coinage of Philip II of Macedon comes at a pivotal period in the history of the Greek world. However for a long period of time it has been poorly understood. In 1977 Georges Le Rider attempted to bring clarity to this coinage with the publication of this book. This book attempted to sort out the rather complicated history of this coinage as it was clearly understood even then that much of the coinage minted in the name and types of Philip II are actually posthumous. This book was well received and even today is the standard reference for this coinage and is still used as the primary reference even today. However the book was not without its issues. Le Rider had a vexing problem with some of the coins. This group he dated 340/336-328 BC. This was because there was an emerging debate on the commencement of the coinage minted in the name of Alexander III.
That issue appears to have been resolved and it is now thought that the coinage minted in the name of Alexander started in Tarsos in 332 BC. As a result in 2007 Le Rider published this book (which has been translated into English.)
In this book he revises that dating of the 340/336-328 BC coinage to 336 -328 BC. The terminal date for the Philip II coinage during Alexander's lifetime is rather difficult to assess because except for the the initial issue of Alexander tetradrachms, very few symbols are shared between the two coinages.

 

I have a left facing head of Zeus, struck under Phillip III. Have read the left facing head may have been a design to differentiate his coins from those of his father. Unsure of that, as there are only two dies known with left facing head, so it was abandoned quickly for some reason.

Tetradrachm c. 320 BC. ex: Sunrise collection.

 

Thanks so much for sharing that truly awe-inspiring coin (talk about a MASSIVE cicada!) And your insights.
You add soooooo much to every thread you post in and to CT in general
Your coin reminded me of this favorite Philip II quote:


And what a coincidence that Le Rider would put forth his Philip II masterwork one year before the find at Vergina!
Might you have an opinion whether mine is a lifetime issue or not?

 

My only Philip II, bought before I switched to ancients.


Philip II 359-336 B. C.
Kings of Macedon, Philip II (359-336 BC). Æ Unit (15mm, 5.49g, 12h). Uncertain mint in Macedon. Diademed head of Apollo r. R/ Youth on horseback riding r.; monogram and trident head below. SNG ANS 908.

 

You know what I think of Philip II


Makedon Philip II Tet Pella LIFETIME 353-349 Zeus Horse star spearhd Le Rider 102



MAKEDON Philip II 1/5th Stater Apollo head r - Horseman r trident below as Sear 6691


Even the Celts liked him...


Celtic Imitation Philip II 2nd C BCE AR Drachm Kugelwange type- Danube Valley - pecunum auction



Celt Imit Philip II 2nd C BCE AR Drachm Zeus Horse pellet-in-annulet above Kugelwange type- Danube Valley - Kostial 508 OTA 204

 

Great coins! Philip II is defintely underrated because of his son. He used some great political (and military) tactics to unite Greece, for example in Thessaly during the Third Sacred War.

My posthumously struck Philip II 1/5 tetradrachm:

Philip II (359-336 BC). AR Fifth Tetradrachm. Posthumous issue by Philip III Arrhidaios (323-317 BC) in the types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Struck under Polyperchon, circa 318-317 BC.
Obverse: Head of Apollo right, wearing tainia.
Reverse: ΦIΛIΠΠOY, Horseman riding right; monogram below.
Reference: Le Rider pl. 45, 7-9; Troxell, Studies, Group 7, 366-8; SNG ANS 650