Alexander the Great is one of the most famous historical figures. Born in 356 BC, he succeeded his father, Philip II, when he was just 20 years old. In just 10 years from his ascension to the throne, he built one of the largest empires of the Ancient World, as his kingdom stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River. Despite his childhood in Macedonia, Alexander strongly aligned himself to Greek culture and mythology, confirming his right to rule as leader of the Greek people. His silver coinage pays homage to two infamous Greek deities; Zeus and Herakles. Alexander also affirmed his philhellenism through the retaking of the famous city of Troy in his first military expedition. He died in Babylon, which he intended to make the capital of his empire, in 323 BC, at just 33 years of age. Alexander’s successors continued his tradition of coin minting, continuing to use his coinage to cement their own legitimacy. Antigonos I was Alexander’s successor in Macedon, founding the Antigonid dynasty which ruled until the Roman Empire took control.
For more information about Alexander the Great, please check out our blog post: An Introduction to the Coins of Alexander the Great.
