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Obol - Archelaus I Aegae
| Issuer | Kingdom of Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Year | 413 BC - 399 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Obol (⅙) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Archelaus I moved the Macedonian capital from Aegae to Pella and undertook a systematic modernization of the kingdom's military and administrative structures — efforts that drew Thucydides, Euripides, and Zeuxis to his court. This tiny obol represents the lowest denomination of his silver coinage, almost certainly struck to facilitate small transactions in an economy still heavily dependent on fractional silver at a time when coined money had not yet fully displaced barter in the Macedonian interior.
He was assassinated in 399 BC, reportedly while hunting, though ancient sources disagree on the conspirators' motives.