Drachm - Ateas

Ateas was the most powerful Skythian king of the fourth century BC, who by his seventies had unified much of the Pontic steppe under his rule and gone to war with Philip II of Macedon over control of the Danube region. He died in battle against Philip in 339 BC at roughly 90 years of age — the campaign that ended his reign also ended independent Skythian coinage of this type. These drachms are among the earliest coins struck by a steppe nomadic ruler, almost certainly produced to pay mercenaries or facilitate trade with Greek Black Sea colonies rather than for any internal Skythian economy.