Finally landed a long sought after Paeonnian/ My non LRB, FHM, HD, MSC

[Ryro]

Very happy to add this little beauty to my Macedonian shield coin collection. This type has always alluded and confused me due to price and the fact that the fallen soldier has a Macedonian shield.

(one of the few remnants we have of an actual Macedonian shield thought to have belonged to Demetrius ll)

These coins appear to either be contemporary with or come before the Macedonians started putting their most popular device, their shield, on coins. Leave it to your enemy to popularize your military might! And did the Paeonians give Alexander the idea to put the Macedonian shield on bronze coinage??

I'll take the test cut and cheek mark, as they surely helped me afford this coin. But the mark above Apollo appears a bit more like a countermark to me. And despite the markings the reverse didn't lose any of its artistry nor high relief!

KINGS OF PAEONIA. Patraos, circa 335-315 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 23 mm, 12.79 g, 6 h), Astibos or Damastion. Laureate head of Apollo to right. Rev. ΠΑΤΡΑΟ-Υ Paeonian horse­man, wearing crested helmet and full armor, galloping to right and spea­ring fallen enemy, who defends himself with a spear in his right hand and a shield on his left arm; below the horse's tail, monogram of ƎM; all within shallow round incuse. Paeonian Hoard 400 (same dies). Peykov E2140 (same reverse die as illustration). Test cut on the edge and with two punch marks on the obverse, otherwise, very fine.

The Paeonians were considered barbarous, or not quite Greek, to the Greeks, much like the Macedonians. In 358 BC, Philip II of Macedonia, ATG's father, defeated the Paeonians. So the pesky northern neighbors of Macedonia had ample reason to put imagery of them getting revenge on their coins. Eventually, after the Fourth Macedonian War (150-148), the Paeonian towns became part of the newly created Roman province of Macedonia.

 

Thanks for taking a look and if you have any coins of Paeonia, Macedonian shield coins, anything contemporary, or whatever adds to the learning and fun please do so!

Edited July 13 by Ryro

[Deinomenid]

3 hours ago, Ryro said:

whatever adds to the learning and fun

Great coin and that cheek mark enhances it in my heretical view. Re learning and fun most of the learning I’ve come across is incredibly dry (endless debate about what is depicted) on these coins BUT there was one interesting claim when there was an academic argument about what exactly the scene was showing. I thought it a strong claim and have no idea if it’s true.

it was in The Horseman and the Warrior: Paionia and Macedonia in the 4th c BC (N.L. WRIGHT The Numismatic Chronicle 2012) and states categorically that :

“there are no definite examples of ancient Greek coinage which illustrate actual historical events in narrative form.”

[KenDorney]

WTF?  IDK WDYM?  

[Ryro]

1 hour ago, KenDorney said:

WTF?  IDK WDYM?  

Really? non LRB, FHM, HD, MSC.

Non late Roman bronze, fallen horseman, high definition, Macedonian shield coin. 

[KenDorney]

19 hours ago, Ryro said:

Really? non LRB, FHM, HD, MSC.

Non late Roman bronze, fallen horseman, high definition, Macedonian shield coin. 

Heard the first, a few times the second, none ever the rest.  Acronyms are getting more confusing by the day.

[robinjojo]

That's a nice coin with a two interesting countermarks on the obverse.  I really like the detail on the warrior's shield, reverse.

Congrats!

[kirispupis]

That's a great shield on the trampled warrior and a terrific price!

Here's my Patraos.

Kings of Paeonia, Patraos
AR Tetradrachm 12.46g, 24mm, 1h.
Uncertain Paeonian mint (Astibus or Damastion?) circa 335-315 BCE
Laureate head of Apollo to right / Warrior on horse rearing to right, spearing enemy who defends himself with raised shield; bukranion to left, ΠATPAOY (retrograde) around.
Paeonian Hoard I, 227 (same dies). 

 

And my other Paeonians.

Kings of Paeonia, Lykkeios
circa 359-335 BCE
AR Tetradrachm 22 mm, 13.19 g, 6 h
Astibos or Damastion
Laureate head of Apollo to right.
Rev. ΛYKK-EIOY Herakles standing left, strangling the Nemean lion; to right, bow and quiver.
Paeonian Hoard 72. Peykov E1030

 

Kings of Paeonia, Audoleon AR Drachm
Astibos or Damastion mint(?), circa 315-286 BCE
2.97g, 14mm, 1h.
Head of Athena facing slightly to left, wearing triple crested helmet
Horse trotting to right; AYΔΩΛEΩN-TOΣ around, monogram below.
Peykov E4400; AMNG III/2, 7 var. (position of monogram); SNG ANS 1057 corr. (monogram not star on rev.); HGC 3.1, 154

 

Kings of Paeonia, Leon
Æ 13mm 1.91g, 6h 278-250 BCE
Wreathed head of Dionysos(?) to right / Head of lion to left; ΛEΩN to left, sword to right.
Cf. AMNG III/11, p. 206
Ex Roma 2017