Description:
These 4th century BC, King Philip II coins were minted in the city of Amphipolis. Located near the Aegean Sea in Macedonia, this ancient Greek city was founded in 436 BC by the Athenians to help protect their rich gold and silver mining operations nearby. In 357 BC, Philip II conquered Amphipolis and took control of the mines, which was to be vital funding for his future military campaigns.
Known for his great military skills, Philip introduced the phalanx infantry corps, which were armed with the famous sarissa, an exceedingly long spear. Philip conquered many of the Greek city states and he became the undisputed leader of the Greeks. In 336 BC, when Philip was planning the invasion of Persia, he was assassinated. However, he had laid the foundation for his son, Alexander the Great, who became one of the most successful military commanders of all time, conquering much of the known world.
The obverse side of these ancient coins feature a youth galloping on horseback with Philip’s name in Greek above. The reverse shows the head of Apollo, who in Greek mythology was the patron god of archers, the god of light and the sun; music, poetry and the arts. He was the son of Zeus and as the patron of Delphi, Apollo was the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle. Medicine and healing were associated with Apollo and he was seen as a god who had the ability to cure.
