It must've been TENSE. It must've been excruciating listening to a dying man tell them the future of the known world. They must've all eagerly huddled close to hear the answer of answers. And the reply, a twistedly ambiguous, possibly sardonic, truth. "To the strongest." Antigonus, "Son" Seleucus, "of" Lysimachos, "a" Ptolemy, "...God!" Perdiccas, with Alexander's signet ring in hand, "Wait! What?!" And with that, not only did Alexander answer the question of who he left his kingdom to, he created the diadochi! A Greek/Latin term made up in the 19th century to help us identify the generals of Alexander and their families who fought to divvy up his empire. So many great men, who helped forge the myth of ATG, now ready to shine... That or just attached their Winnebagos to his shooting star. Much like Alexander was accused of doing off of his own father, Philip II, once the greatest conqueror the European continent had ever known up to that time. But we all know that's not fair. We shouldn't judge them this far away from them in time. Should we? We should judge them for the great things they accomplished though. With that in mind, I'd like to ask you to post your favorite diadochi (or relatives). And, if you would, add in the reason that you like/admire them. Or if you just have a SaWeet diadochi coin but you hate the SOB share why? Examples could look like: I hate that traitorous Lysimachos! After Seleucus saved his bronze buns against, and helped kill, Antigonus (sorry @ominus1, that's the way it went down) he betrays Seleucus and fortifies an alliance with Ptolemy! Rapscallion made some gooooood looking coins though here's my best of his: Lysimachos Kings of Thrace. Pella. 305-281 BC. Tetradrachm AR 27mm., 15,95g. Head of the deified Alexander the Great to right, wearing diadem with fluttering ends and with the horn of Ammon around his ear / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ, Athena, wearing robes and helmet, seated to left on throne, holding Nike on her right hand and resting her left elbow on large round shield adorned with a gorgoneion; to left monogram. very fine. Thompson 253; Müller 471. Or: I really dig on Seleucius. Though Ptolemy took the easy task of Egypt and all its riches and people. Seleucus took on one of the tried and true time immemorial toughest areas on the planet and carved it into a massive empire for his family for generations! Plus, IMO his coins of The Great One are artistically the most advanced and complex. Sadly, I lack the "Helmeted" Alexander coin of the man. #bucketlister Here's my best example of what may be Alexander as Hermes or simply Medusa. Seleukos I Nikator 312-281 BCE. Æ (15mm, 2.48 g,). Uncertain mint. Winged head of Medusa/Alexander? right / Bull butting right; controls not visible. A few other diadochi of mine: Shouldn't this Gorgoneion be wearing an eyepatch? Antigonos I Monophthalmos As king, 306/5-301 BCE. Æ Unit (14mm, 4.4 g). Salamis mint. Struck under Demetrios I Poliorketes. Macedonian shield, boss decorated with facing gorgoneion / Macedonian helmet; kerykeion and monogram to lower left and right. Price 3159 His innovative scoundrel of a son who's siege engines were so mighty that the Rhodians used the abandoned remnants to build their Colosus: Demetrios Poliorketes Æ15. Amphipolis, circa 294- 288 BC. Macedonian shield with monogram in boss / BA- ΣΙ, crested Macedonian helmet, bunch of grapes in left field. Newell, Demetrius 130. 4.24g, 17mm, 10h Former @ominus1 coin And The grandson who was supposed to be Better than them both combined: Macedonian Kingdom. AntigonosII Gonatas. 277/6-239 B.C. Æ (16 mm, 5.07 g). Uncertain Macedonian mint. HeadofHeraklesright,wearing lion's skin headdress / ANT monogram below, Youth on horsebackright,extendingarm; in right field, wreath. SNG Alpha Bank 993. Nice green patina, minor roughness on reverse. What about the man who killed Alexander's loved ones after his death, including his son?! Kassander 305-298 BCE AE 20 Uncertain Macedonian mint. laureate head of Apollo right ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΚΑΣΣΑΝΔΡΟΥ, legend vertically downwards to right and left of tripod; to left, A (tipped ccw), to right, kerykion. SNG Alpha Bank 895-6; SNG München 1030. VF, dark green patina So, who would you like to have seen Alexander leave his realm to? Just diadochi it!
This is an interesting post @Ryro as this is an area I don't know much about. But I enjoyed the ebb and flow of it and the emotional charge. I don't think I have a coin that fits, but I'm excited to see what others post!
Alexander's legacy crumbled after his death. The heirs to his empire where all greedy egomaniacs and as a result Rome and Parthia would eventually carve it up between them. Here is a coin from one of Ptolemy's satraps on Cyprus/ second one from Macedonia under Antipater. AV Stater ND struck 316-10BC Salamis Mint Nikokreon I 330-10BC AV Stater ND struck 325-19BC Amphipolis Mint Philip III Arridaeus/ Antipater
You have some very nice coins @Ryro and this is a great idea for a thread. In terms of pure military ability I would argue someone like Pyrrhus of Epirus would have made for an incredibly formidable successor to Alexander. With the resources at his disposal who knows what he could have achieved. Maybe a conquest of those weak Romans That said, he would have been completely unable to keep the empire together. In my mind there is only one man that could have done that, and it is Seleukos I Nikator. Throughout his career, first as an infantry general under Alexander then as satrap of Babylon in 321 BC after the Partition of Triparadisus, he showed an incredible ability to maneuver and plot diplomatically. He was skilled at building alliances and coming out on the winning side. He could also be ruthless, such as the murder of Perdiccas. Seleukos was also a skilled military commander. He set out from Egypt with 800 infantry and 200 cavalry and conquered the eastern provinces, making Babylon his capital. He also defeated Antigonus I and Demetrios in the Babylonian war. He played a crucial role at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC, where Antigonus I was killed. In 284 BC he would defeat Lysimachos and hold all of Alexander's empire except for Egypt and parts of mainland Greece. The only reason he didn't take Egypt was that Ptolemy had sheltered and aided him against Antigonus after he fled Babylon in 315 BC. Seleukos felt beholden to Ptolemy and remained faithful to him for his entire life. In summary, Seleukos was a skilled military commander, adroit diplomat and statesman, and loyal friend. What more could you want? Here are a few of my coins of Seleukos I Nikator.
Alexander died before thr Loyal Friend part of this relationship was put to the test. Dying at a propitious time is a good way into history's 'nice list'. Ask Lincoln and Kennedy. Did the two Johnsons do as well? All of the candidates had some good points. Did Alexander know what he was doing when he left the matter to a contest of strength? Did Septimius Severus really think his two boys would get along? Did Constantine not see the personalities of the three sons of Fausta? I don't know. I have known several businesses that failed after the founder left it to his kids without considering whether they were 'into' the work involved. I lack an heir that wants my coins but will leave them to my family anyway. Is that the same thing?
I haven't spent much time judging the Diodochi on their historical merits but instead choose them by the beauty or interestingness of their coins. There are many I'd like to acquire . EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter AR tetradrachm, 27 mm, 17.0 gm (Attic standard) Alexandreia mint, struck 313/12 BCE Obv: Head of the deified Alexander III to right, wearing mitra of Dionysos and elephant skin headdress, with aegis around his neck, and with horn of Ammon on his forehead Rev: ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ; Athena Alkidemos advancing right, hurling spear with her right hand and with shield over her extended left arm; to right, eagle with closed wings standing on thunderbolt to right with ΔΙ below Ref: Svoronos 33; Zervos series D, issue XIII; SNG Copenhagen 14; BMC 7
A great idea for a thread! I am with TIF, I like the coins, don't know enough about the rulers to have an opinion. It would make an interesting area to study, though, maybe someday. Kings of Macedon. Antigonos II Gonatas. 277/6-239 BC. AR Tetradrachm, 17.1g, 30mm, 11h. Amphipolis mint. Struck 274/1-260/55 BC. Obverse: Horned head of Pan left, lagobolon over shoulder, on boss of Macedonian shield. Reverse: Athena Alkidemos advancing left, holding shield decorated with aegis, preparing to cast thunderbolt; crested Macedonian helmet to inner left, monogram to inner right. References: Panagopoulou Period II, Group 17; Touratsoglou 50; Very rare with this monogram, 11 examples noted by Panagopoulou. John
Thanks @Justin Lee! I used to get to write much more often and am a nut when it comes to history Excellent point @panzerman. And even more excellent coins! Those staters are as beautiful as they are fabled...speaking of greedy egomaniacs, I WANT 'EM I WANT 'EM! @TheRed I am blown away by both your excellent synopsis of Seleukos as well as the eye you have for his tets! Though I must say that I LOVE all 3 tremendously, the reverse on the 3rd has to qualify as a masterpiece! Great question @dougsmit and great analogy to your current situation. Did they and do we leave these things to our families cause we lack a better option? Is it cause we think they will change once we croak? I think that it is in our DNA and for better or worse we are cursed to leave those who come from us what we acquire...even if they could care less. Alexander was the only one who didn't pick family and it still turned out bad! SMH. Ps, if you are looking for an heir, the answer is, yes, I will be the grandson that will eagerly take that Pescennius off your hands (I missed out on another one a few weeks ago and got myself a Commodus as Herakles to make up for it) @TIF! I've been waiting for a Ptolemy to show up in here(I have a bronze of his wearing that fantastical elephant skin hat...but cannot find my pics of it). Again, you with the graceful (the gentleman's way of saying smokin' hot) Athena! With that form she probably had 5 men at a time lined up to court her...and then with those forearms she could've thrown that spear through all of em! Making a Greek Kabob! Great example of the Antigonos II Gonatas Pan tet @Theodosius! That has been near the top of my must have list for some time. Beautiful coin, excellent ruler...I am just outbid every time one within my budget comes around.
When it comes to keeping it in the family, the Ptolemies are hard to beat. I don't have the count right at hand but several were married to their relatives in the Egyptian fashion. The other thing I like about Ptolemy I is his pretty face. This tetradrachm is from the issue with the tiny delta by the ear which is believed to be the mark of the die cutter.
Ya'll are quite the bunch, even though I am more intrigued by the surfaces and overall eye appeal of a finely minted coin, The Dark side still resides with in me. Thanks for posting a great read, you know those of us who can't study enough. I appreciate all the coins and interesting history!
Strong point @dougsmit. In regards to leaving a lasting legacy I don't think there is much debate that Ptolemy wins. The man may have been a cousin of ATG. Was raised with him. Taught by Aristotle as well. Then goes on to have the longest lasting dynasty of all the diadochi. Ending with who we know as Cleopatra vii (though I don't believe she was the 7th). Libraries, lighthouses...incest! You name it they did it. (Found my elephant cap bronze) Ptolemy I Soter 305-282 BCE. Æ (15mm, 3.85 g, 12h). Tyre mint. Struck after 294 or 289/8 BC. Diademed head of Alexander the Great right / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings displayed. Though I am all in with @TheRed (see avatar). Pyrrhus was one of the best generals of all time. Not just amongst the diadochi. If only the pesky Romans didn't come along. Taking a swing at them was like taking a swing into a wood chipper! The man had great victories against near insurmountable odds and some of the greatest quotes! I wonder if he really was as ugly as they say or was that just propaganda? Oh, and he had some FUN coins! Pyrrhus (278-276 BCE) Sicily, Syracuse, AE 23mm 10.25 gr, head of young Herakles left, wearing lion's skin, rev. Athena Promachos advancing right (SNG ANS 852), attractive smooth green patina, good very fine
