Ancient Coin of the Day: Back to the Fourth Century BC today, with the coinage of Paeonia, a region to the north of Macedonia, beginning with this silver tetradrachm of Patraos, ca. 335-315 BC. #ACOTD #Paeonia

Image: ANS 1944.100.11995

Paeonia was a region over which the Macedonian kings frequently attempted to usurp their hegemony, but during the Fourth Century BC seems to have passed into the control of a group of local kings, who asserted "their belligerent anti-Macedonian policies" (Wright, 2012:2).

This dynasty also seems to have adopted a notably & #39;heroic& #39; identity, in the Homeric style, with a numismatic tradition that reflects this.

The Obverse of this coin shows the laureate bust of a young man, often treated as if it were an Apollo. Indeed, coins of the earlier Paeonian king Lycceius (ca. 359-340 BC) frequently featured Apollo and Zeus on the Obverse, so Patraos& #39; coins reflect this tradition.

The Reverse - with its faint trace of the Legend ΠΑΤΡΑΟΥ - & #39;Of Patraos& #39; - is dominated by the design of an armoured horseman riding down a fallen enemy. Recent work on this design has interpreted it as a striking presentation of Paeonian hostility towards their Macedonian...

...neighbours, countering earlier interpretations that couched the scene in paying dutiful homage to Alexander the Great& #39;s exploits in Persia (see Article link at end of thread).