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Tetrachalkon - Philip II Helios Head
| Issuer | Kingdom of Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Year | 359 BC - 336 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.9 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ (Translation: of Philip (i.e. Philip II)) |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Philip II came to power in 359 BC under desperate circumstances — Macedonia had just suffered a catastrophic defeat against the Illyrians that killed his predecessor Perdiccas III along with 4,000 Macedonian soldiers. The rapid monetization of bronze during his reign was a deliberate fiscal tool, expanding a market economy that could sustain his unprecedented military reforms. Before Philip, Macedonia had no meaningful bronze coinage to speak of.
The Helios-head type is associated with the solar cult Philip cultivated in connection with his campaigns into Thrace and his broader religious politics.