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Tetradrachm - Perseus
| Issuer | Kingdom of Macedonia |
|---|---|
| Year | 178 BC - 174 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Eagle with wings spread standing to the right atop a thunderbolt, a symbol of Macedonian royal power. The legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΕΡΣΕΩΣ flanks the design, reading from right to left and left to right respectively along the outer field. A monogram of ΞΩ appears above the eagle, the control letters ΜΙ are placed to the right, and the letter Φ appears between the eagle's legs as an additional control mark. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΕΡΣΕΩΣ ΞΩ ΜΙ Φ |
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| Additional information |
Perseus was the last king of Macedon, and these tetradrachms were struck during the final years before Rome dismantled his kingdom at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BC. The coinage was almost certainly produced in part to fund military preparations against Rome — Perseus spent years building alliances across the Greek world, and silver coinage was the mechanism through which mercenaries were paid and diplomacy was conducted.
After Pydna, Perseus was taken to Rome and paraded in Aemilius Paullus's triumph. Macedon was abolished as a kingdom and divided into four client republics. No Macedonian royal coinage followed.