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Obol - Archelaus I Aegae
| Issuer | Kingdom of Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Year | 413 BC - 399 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Forepart of a boar charging to the right, depicted within a deeply recessed incuse square. The boar's bristled dorsal ridge is rendered with fine incised lines, and the snout and tusk are visible at the right. The Greek inscription APX, an abbreviation of ARXELAOS, appears in the field to the right of the figure, identifying the issuing monarch Archelaus I of Macedon. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΑΡΧ |
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| Additional information |
Archelaus I moved the Macedonian capital from Aigai to Pella and undertook a systematic modernization of the kingdom's military and road infrastructure — reforms that drew the admiration of Thucydides. His court attracted Euripides, who died there, and Socrates reportedly declined an invitation. The coinage issued under his reign reflects a kingdom actively asserting a Hellenic identity it had long been denied by southern Greek city-states skeptical of Macedonian cultural credentials.
At roughly half a gram, these obols circulated as genuine small change rather than prestige issues, making survivors in any meaningful condition scarce.