I just picked up a tetradrachm of Philip III Arrhidaeus that I thought I would share with the dark side. Philip III Arrhidaeus AR Tetradrachm 318-315 BC Babylon II mint 28mm 17.20g Obv: Head of Herakles right, in lionskin headdress Rev: Zeus Aetophorosseated left, holding eagle and scepter; ΠAY monogram in circle and long torch left, I under throne. Struck by Seleukos as satrap of Babylon. Price 153, Mueller P20 Philip III Arrhidaeus is one of the more tragic figures in a very tragic period in time; the breakup of Alexander the Great's empire. Named Arrhidaeus upon his birth, he was born to Philip II of Macedon and Philinna of Larissa in 359 BC and was the elder half-brother to Alexander III. Little is known about his life from his birth until the death of Alexander. What is known is that he suffered from some form of mental disability, Plutarch attributed it to an attempt on his life with poison, and thus never assumed real military or political power. When Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BC a succession crisis ensued with the Macedonian military split as to who should succeed Alexander III. Like most conflicts post Alexander, it was resolved with betrayal and murder. The end result was that Arrhidaeus shared the throne, as Philip III, with Alexander's as yet unborn child should said child be male. The child proved to be male and was crowned as Alexander IV. Philip III Arrhidaeus became co-sovereign with a regent assuming the actual duties of ruling the empire. As the machinations and struggles for power engulfed the Macedonian empire, Philip was little more than a pawn to be fought over. He was married to his half-sister's daughter, Eurydice, and eventually shuffled off to Macedon in the tow of Antipater, who was made regent of the empire. With the death of Antipater in 319 BC a new round of warfare broke out and Eurydice allied Philip with Antipater's son Kassander. Fortunes in war are a fickle thing, especially in the wars of the Diadochi, and Philip and Eurydice were eventually captured in 317 BC in Amphipolis by the mother of Alexander III, Olympia, and her ally Polyperchon. As the son of Philip II, half-brother of Alexander III, and of Argead blood, poor Philip III Arrhidaeus was too great of a threat to Olympia's grandson Alexander IV and a natural rallying point to her enemies. Olympia had Philip executed on December 25, 317 BC while his wife Eurydice was forced to commit suicide. Feel free to post coins of Philip II, Philip III Arrhidaeus, Alexander III the Great, or any of the Diadochi. Really any coin from this period will do. This is one of my favorite periods of time and I love the coinage associated with it.
Wow great coin, TheRed, still looking for one, to add to my Diadochen set. Here's a coin of Cassander / Kassander , who became king of Macedonia , defacto the whole of Greece. Got rid of Olympia , Hercules (another son of Alexander the Great, Roxanne and everybody else who stood in his way.
I have one Philip III AR Tetradrachm. ca 323-317 BC, Babylon Mint. Head of Herakles right / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle on extended arm and sceptre, M before, B below throne.
An outstanding OP coin! I have been slowly massing up several Herakles themed coins lately and hence I picked up several Philip III coins: Macedonian Kingdom: Philip III Arrhidaios (323-317 BCE) AR Drachm, Colophon (Price P44; Muller P51) Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress Rev: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ; Zeus enthroned facing left holding eagle and scepter, lyre in left field, monogram below throne Macedonian Kingdom: Philip III Arrhidaios (323-317 BCE) AR Tetradrachm, Amphipolis (Price 109) Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress Rev: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, holding eagle and sceptre; AΛEΞANΔPOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ around; Athena Promachos facing right in left field Macedonian Kingdom: Philip III Arrhidaios (323-317 BCE) AR Drachm, Kolophon (Price 1754) Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin Rev: AΛEΞANΔPOY; Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; kerykeion in left field, spearhead in outer right field This reverse die used for this coin was originally used to strike the previous issue, Price 1753, with vertical barley grain below the throne. Here one can see the remnant of the barley grain after an attempt was made to “erase” it in the die. Moreover, this coin was struck from the same obverse die as the plate coin for Price 1753.
Nice writeup, and an extremely appealing tet. I find it interesting that it was struck by Seleukos in the name of Philip III. Philip III AR Drachm. Sardis. Circa 323-319 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion’s skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in field rose and monogram. Price P66.
Very nice OP and post.. i think one ( or possibly both) of my silver drachms may qualify as a Philip lll... ..i am skeptical that they are all are of Alexander at any rate altho i purchased them as such.
Congrats on the great PIII @TheRed ... Great looking coin, lotsa character. I have several from the Alexandrine / Diodachi era. Here is a Drachm of Philip III: Makedon Philip III Arrhidaeus and Alexander IV AR Drachm Amphipolis mint 2.59g 13mm Head of Apollo Youth riding horse SNG ANS 621 Le Rider 123 VERY RARE
