Perseus Macedonian King 179BC Ancient Greek Coin Eagle Hero Perseus i31734

Item: i31734

Authentic Ancient

Coin of:

Greek – Perseus – Macedonian King: 179-168 B.C. –

Bronze 18mm (6.04 grams) Struck in Macedonia 179-168 B.C.

Reference: Sear 6807, SNGCop 1279, Forrer/Weber 2222, var.

Head of the hero Perseus right, wearing winged cap terminating in bird’s head,

harpa before.

Eagle, wings open, standing left on thunderbolt, head right; BA above, ΠEP

monogram to left,
 IΩ monogram to right.

* Numismatic Note: It is interesting to note that the same

hero, Perseus whom, according to mythology, founded Macedonia has the same name
as the last king of Macedonia. 

The eldest son of Philip V, Perseus was the last king of

Macedon. He inherited a kingdom already largely dependent on Rome, but his

policies aroused Roman suspicions and armed conflict became inevitable. At the

battle of Pydna, in 168 B.C., Perseus lost his kingdom and he died two years

later as an exile in Italy.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured,

Authenticity.

Perseus(Περσεύς), the

legendary

founder of

Mycenae
and

of the

Perseid dynasty

there, was the first of the mythic heroes of

Greek mythology

whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters

provided the

founding myths

of the

Twelve Olympians

. Perseus was the Greek hero who killed

Medusa
and

claimed

Andromeda

, having rescued her from a sea monster. According to legend, he

was a son of Zeus.

Perseus (Greek:

Περσεύς) (ca.

212 BC
–

166 BC
) was the

last king (Basileus)

of the

Antigonid dynasty

, who ruled the

successor state

in

Macedon

created upon the death of

Alexander the Great

. He also has the distinction of being the last of the

line, after losing the

Battle of Pydna

on 22 June 168 BC; subsequently Macedon came under

Roman

rule.

 Reign

In 179 BC

Philip V of Macedon

died. In the previous year Philip had his pro-Roman son

Demetrius executed. Perseus had been jealous of Demetrius’ success as ambassador

to Rome
and had

convinced their father to have him poisoned as a potential usurper. The Romans

favored Demetrius, and Perseus’ role in killing Demetrius did not endear him to

Rome when he took the throne.

One of his first acts on becoming king was to renew the

treaty with Rome. Yet, Perseus’ other actions troubled Rome. His interference in

the affairs of his neighbors, his ousting of Roman ally

Abrupolis

from his territories, his armed visit to

Delphi
, his

avoidance of the Roman ambassadors to Macedonia, and his dynastic marriages all

gave Rome cause for concern. Soon Rome and Perseus went to war in the

Third Macedonian War

(171-168 BC). Although Perseus had some initial

success, the war ended with the King’s surrender to the Roman general

Lucius Aemilius Paullus

after his decisive defeat at the

Battle of Pydna

, and his eventual imprisonment in Rome with his half-brother

Philippus

and son Alexander.^[1]

Blaise Pascal mentions in his Pensées (Lafuma 15) that Perseus was blamed for

not committing suicide, supposedly after his defeat and capture at Pydna. The

Antigonid kingdom was dissolved, and replaced with four republics.

Andriscus of Macedon

broke off the Roman rule for about a year, but was

defeated in 148 BC by the Romans. In 146 BC, the four republics were dissolved,

and Macedon officially became the

Roman province of Macedonia

.

On

178 BC
he had

married Laodicea, daughter of

Seleuco IV

from

Syria

. Perseus’ one son, Alexander, was still a child when Perseus was

conquered by the Romans, and after the

triumph

of Aemilius Paullus in

167 BC
, was

kept in custody at

Alba

Fucens
, together with his father. He became a skillful

toreutes

, learned the

Latin
language,

and became a public notary.