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Tetradrachm - Demetrius I Poliorcetes Amphipolis
| Issuer | Kingdom of Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Year | 289 BC - 288 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | Poseidon Pelagaios standing left in a dynamic, forward-leaning pose, his right foot propped upon a rocky outcrop. He holds an upright trident in his left hand and leans his right arm across his right thigh in a striding, heroic stance. The legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ is inscribed in the field, reading 'of King Demetrius,' with monograms positioned in the outer left and right fields serving as mint or magistrate control marks. The composition conveys divine authority and maritime power, consistent with the Hellenistic royal iconographic program. |
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| Mint | Amphipolis |
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| Additional information |
Demetrius I Poliorcetes was in serious trouble by 288 BC. Pyrrhus of Epirus and Lysimachus had coordinated a joint invasion of Macedonia, and his own troops — long resentful of his Persian-style court and increasingly erratic demands — were defecting en masse. These Amphipolis tetradrachms were struck in the final window before his position in Macedonia collapsed entirely; within months he would abandon the kingdom and cross into Asia, where Seleucus would eventually take him prisoner. He died in captivity in 283 BC, reportedly drinking himself to death.