I'm slowly going through the big mixed lot from Stacks. They are essentially unattributed, although some have a ruler's name. This one had nothing. I saw the reverse and was delighted!
It's a shame it was cleaned with a hammer drill but I'm still happy to have it because of the wonderful story it depicts. These coins do not appear to be plentiful.
I don't have the attribution nailed down so if any of you can help, it would be welcome.
Macedon Koinon3rd century AD (in the time of Severus Alexander? Gordian III? Caracalla? This type was minted during several reigns)
AE27, 13.5 gm
Obv: (in theory...) AΛEΞANdeltaPOC; head of Alexander right (flowing hair? lion skin?)
Rev: KOINON MAKEdeltaONΩN (?)NEΩ Alexander standing right, naked except for chlamys which flies behind him, taming his horse Bucephalas who rears left before him
Ref: ?
Check out this great story about Alexander III's famous horse, from CNG's archives:
Quote:
Bucephalas was a magnificent black stallion with a white blaze on his forehead, and was the pride and joy of Alexander. Originally, Phillip II was going to purchase the horse for himself, but finding it too unmanageable, he made a wager with his son that if he could tame and ride the horse he could keep it. Alexander, noticing that Bucephalas was afraid of his own shadow, turned the steed into the sun. As his shadow now fell behind him, Bucephalas was quickly calmed and Alexander was able to ride him. From that day, Bucephalas carried Alexander into most of his victorious battles. When the horse finally died in 326, Alexander had a state funeral for him and built a city in India where he died, naming it Bukephala.
I'd seen coins attributed to "Macedon Koinon" before but didn't understand what that meant. Here's what I read today (from Forvm):
Quote:
The Macedonian Koinon (community) was the political organization governing the autonomous Roman province of Macedonia and was responsible for issuing coinage. The individual cities, as members of the Koinon, sent representatives to participate in popular assembly several times each year.
The high point of the year was celebrations and matches in honor of Alexander and the Roman emperor held in Beroea (modern Verria) located about 75 km. west of Thessaloniki. This was the provincial center of the emperor cult, with the appropriate temple and privileges, first granted to the Koinon by Nerva. The title Neokoros, or "temple guardians" was highly prized and thus advertised on coins. Under Elagabalus the Koinon received a second Neokorie, indicated by B (the Greek number two) or rarely ∆IC (double in Greek). The title was rescinded but later restored by Severus Alexander, probably in 231 A.D.
Posted 11/28/2013 3:49 pm
