ANCIENT COINAGE AND CIRCULATION
OF CURRENCY (IN MACEDONIA) - PART III

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One of the characteristics of coin circulation in Macedonia in the period from the reign of Phillip II (359-336 BC) to the accession to power of Antigonus II Gonatas (277-239 BC), is that the coins of the Macedonian rulers, the coins of the Diadochi and the coins of the king of Eppirus, Pyrrhus were in circulation simultaneously. The coins of the local Paeonian rulers were also circulating.
As previously noted, the Paeonians started minting their coins relatively early; the Derrones, the Laiai and the Syropaeonians emitted their coins at the end of VI century to 480 BC. Once the Paeonian tribes united in one political organization ruled by a king, and came into contact with the reign of Agis (first half of IV century), coin minting began in Paeonia too, this time with coins bearing the names of Paeonian rulers.
The first Paeonian ruler known to mint coins was Lycceius, a contemporary of Phillip II. Lycceius was defeated by Phillip II in 356 BC, which led to the uniting of Paeonia with lower Macedonia under the reign of a central dynasty (Argeads). Lycceius emitted silver coins, according to the reduced Phoenician standard, with tetradrachms weighing about 13 grams, drachmas weighing about 3 grams and tetrobols weighing about 2 grams. Initially he emitted re-minted Damastion coins, but later hired experienced mould carvers from Olynthus, a city on the Chalkidike. Lycceius emitted three types of tetradrachms: Apollo with laurel grove/naked Hercules strangling a nemeic lion with his left hand and swinging a bludgeon with his right; a man's head (Lycceius?)/same reverse; head of Zeus/same reverse.
The drachma types are as follows: Apollo/lion or horse; man's head (Lycceius?)/horse and woman's head (Artemis?)/lion. Tetrobol types: Apollo/horse on a pasture and man's head (Lycceius?)/same reverse and so far unknown specie of lion/wolf. All types include the legend .In the Republic of Macedonia, Lycceius' coins are very rare and were in circulation only in the northern part of the country Thus 13 tetradrachms were included in the joint finding between Skopje and the Bulgarian border, and one tetradrachm from an unknown location can be seen in the archeological museum in Skopje.
Patraus (340/335-315 BC) ascended the Macedonian throne. The sole evidence of his reign are the coins. During his time, the Paeonians took part in the great military campaign of Alexander III to the east. Even though their territory was part of the Macedonian state, they managed to keep some autonomy, including the right to mint coins, which was a result of the wise politics led by the cunning Phillip.
Patraus struck silver coins only (tetradrachms, drachmas and tetrobols) according to the reduced Phoenician standard. Three types oftetradrachms are known. The first two differ in the obverse only: the head of Apollo on one type and a man's head (Patraus?) on the other type. The reverse depicts a galloping Paeonian horseman stabbing a pedestrian who is defending himself with a Macedonian shield. This image is an allusion to the contemporary political events and the efforts of Paeonia (Patraus) to pull away from the authority of the central dynasty. The third coin type has the same image on the obverse as the first type: the head of Apollo, and head of a horse on the reverse. There are two types of drachmas: a man's
head (Patraus?)/eagle; a man's head (Patraus?)/front part of boar jumping to the right. The tetrobols also are divided in two types: a man's head (Patraus?)/eagle; and head of Apollo/eagle. Both tetrobol types, like the secand type drachma, closely resemble the earliest tetradrachms of Alexander III (Zeus/eagle).
All Patraus' coins have the same legend - . Unlike Lycceius' coins, Patraus' coins circulated in Macedonia in great quantities, as evident by the famous joint finding that consisted of 1700-1800 coins found between Skopje and the Bulgarian border.
One tetradrachm found in Lynkestis (region of Bitola-Lerin) witnesses the first known basileus from this region - Teutios. The coin is of the type: head of a bearded man (Zeus or Teutios?) to the left/horseman leaning over the fallen enemy with spear in his right hand and the legend (OY). The coin reverse is similar to the reverse of the first two tetradrachms types by Patraus, which indicates that Teutios was a contemporary of Patraus' (340/335-315).
From 315 to 286/285 Audoleon ruled Paeonia. During his reign Paeonia overthrew the central government and became an independent state. Audoleon is the first Paeonian ruler to be marked on all findings and coins with the royal title - basileus, an imitation of the Diadochi after the year 306 BC.
Audoleon struck silver tetradrachms, didrachms, drachmas and tetrobols until 306 BC, according to the reduced Phoenician standard. All denominations usually represent: Athena in a helmet/trotting horse and the legend ,. In 306 BC after he has taken the title basileus,
he started minting tetradrachms according to the Attic standard, but with images in imitation of Alexander III tetradrachms: the head of Hercules in lionskin/Zeus on a throne holding a sceptre in his left hand, and the right hand outstretched with an eagle standing on it, and the legend .
Audoleon's coins are found in large quantities in every region in the Republic of Macedonia, in various denominations, which reflects the strong circulation of his coins, a result of the mining abundance in the Paeonian region.
With the reestablishment of the central Macedonian Government over Paeonia by Antigonus II Gonatas, coin minting with the Paeonians was halted.
Once the second Macedonian dynasty of Antigonidas - Antigonus II Gonatas (277-239 BC) was brought to power, up to the reign of the Roman Protectorate in 168 BC, the dominant currency emitted was the one minted by the Macedonian kings. Antigonus II Gonatas developed trade at sea and land, as it is evident by the circulation of his coins. He struck silver coins - tetradrachms and drachmas - and bronze coins. At the beginning of his reign he struck silver coins of the 'alexandrine' type, some with the legend - . Two types of silver coins are identified: I - Macedonian shield, in the centre Pan's head/Athena Alkidemos standing, throwing lightning with the right hand and holding a shield with the left (tetradrachms); and II - head of Poseidon/Athena Alkidemos throwing lightning (drachma). The bronze obverse depicts the following images: the head of Athena with a Corinthian helmet; Poseidon; Hercules or a Macedonian shield in the centre with a monogram; and the reverse depicts a ship; helmet with a plume; Pan crowning a trophy or
Pan raising the trophy. All coins have the legend , BA AN, or just BA. The coins of Antigonus II Gonatas are identified in many findings, a consequehce of the revival of trade that had been ravaged by the Celtic campaign.
Demetrius II (239-229 8C) struck bronze coins only, with the following types: Macedonian shield, mask in the centre/Macedonian helmet; Macedonian shield, monogram in the centre/Macedonian helmet; head of Zeus or Hercules/horseman or Macedonian helmet. The coins have the legend - . The coins of Demetrius II circulated in Macedonia in great quantities.
Instead of his juvenile son Phillip, the country was ruled by his Uncle Antigonus III Doson (229-220 BC). It is presumed that he was minting silver tetradrachms with the head of Poseidon/naked Apollo sitting on a ship's prow with a bow in his right hand and the legend , as well as tetradrachms of the 'alexandrine' type.
Phillip V (220-179 BC), the son of Demetrius II, among other things succeeded in uniting the separated regions of Dassaretia and Paeonia into the Macedonian kingdom in 217 BC. He also went to war with the Dardanians. Phillip V struck gold starers, silver tetradrachms, didrachms, drachmas and hemidrachms and bronze coins. The gold coins were emitted in very small quantities. As for the silver coins he usually struck two types of tetradrachms: I - Phillip's head with a wreath turned to the right/Athena Alkidemos with a helmet, throwing lightning with the right hand and holding a shield with the left; and II - a Macedonian shield, with, in the centre a portrait of his son Perseus or Perseus the Hero with a winged phrygian cap turned to the left/in the centre an oak wreath and bludgeon. All silver denominations have the legend on the reverse. He too depicted his image on the silver coins, but without divine attributes. The bronze coins were minted in various types.
So far, in the Republic of Macedonia in many locations only the bronze coins minted by Phillip V have been found, and one tetradrachm which is kept in the Museum of Macedonia. This indicates the decline of economic power caused by the wars against Rome.
Perseus (187-168 BC) is the last Macedonian king of the Antigonidas dynasty. He led the 3rd Roman-Macedonian War (171-168 BC), at the end
of which he was defeated (battle of Pydna in 168 BC) and taken captive. Macedonia lost its external independence, coin minting was halted and
Roman coins were introduced as the new mean of payment. Perseus struck silver coins- tetradrachms, didrachms, drachmas and bronze coins. Due to the economic crises in his time, he minted coins according to the reduced Attic standard, thus setting the weight of the tetradrachms at 16 grams. The silver denominations are present with one type each - head of bearded Perseus/eagle standing on a lightning bolt, surrounded by an oak wreath (tetradrachm); same obverse/harp, oak wreath around it (didrachms) and same obverse/oak wreath around bludgeon (drachmas). All coins have the legend .
The bronze coins are minted in various types that have different images on the obverse; such as: the head of Perseus in phrygian helmet and wings; the head of Hercules in lionskin and Macedonian shield; and on the reverse, eagle with spread wings standing on a lightning bolt (sl. 21 ); horseman or harp. All types have the legend and the monogram ER. Perseus, like his father Phillip V, included his image on some coins, but without the attributes of a divine being. Perseus' coins were circulating in almost all regions of Macedonia, but with lesser intensity. The bronze coins are the most present, with the exception of the tetradrachm found near Kumanovo.
With the circulation of coins by Phillip V and Perseus on the territory of Macedonia, other so-called Macedonian autonomous coins from different parts of the Macedonian kingdom were emitted. Due to the economic crises and the need for more money for wars, Phillip V allowed separate regions to exploit the mines and emit their own coins, which was forbidden by Phillip II.
These regions produced coins from 187/185 to 168 BC.
There are different opinlong as to which regions received the right to emit their
own coins. Three are known for sure: Edonia with the mint at Amphipolis, Amphaxitis with the mint at Thessao Ionica and Bottiaea with the mint at Pella. All coins emitted from the Edonia, Amphaxitis and Bottiaea regions share one characteristic, which is the legend or MAKE on the reverse. Unlike the coins of Edonia, the emissions of Amphaxitis and Bottiaea, apart from the aforementioned writing in the legend, contain the full name of the region - or the monogram (ampha) i.e. (vbot).
The mints at Amphipolis (Edonia), Thessalonica (Amphaxitis) and Pella (Bottiaea) minted silver and bronze coins in various types and variations, many of which have been discovered and are kept in the museums in the Republic of Macedonia.
Apart from Edonia, Amphaxitis and Bottiaea, it is thought that the regions Paroreia and Doberos, as well as the city Lychnidos (Ohrid) emitted autonomous coins.
It is not yet confirmed where were the coins of the region Paroreia with the monogram ?AP were minted. Only one type of the bronze coins from this region is identified - head of Zeus/eagle standing on lightning bolt and monogram. Several samples of this coin are found in Macedonia.
The bronze coins are of one type: head of Zeus/lightning and the legend with the monogram AP, and it is presumed that the region Doberos minted them, but it is not clear where were they minted.
Apart from the autonomous coins of the aforementioned regions, one more type of coins, also known among the numismatics as the autonomous coins, was minted in Amphipolis, Pella and Thessalonica. Those are the bronze coins, with representations mainly similar to the coins of Phillip V,
Perseus and the autonomous coins of the Macedonian regions, but bearing the name of the city in genitive (singular or plural) in the legend. The coins minted in Amphipolis have the legend or and ; the coins of Pella, ; the coins of Thessalonica or ; and the coins minted in the city of Lychnidos, the legend .
In the city of kychnidos (Ohrid) only one type of bronze coin was minted - the Macedonian shield with a four-sided star in the centre/ship's prow on the right and the legend . So far in the Republic of Macedonia four coins have been found in Dassaretia and five samples near Prilep. It is presumed that these coins were minted after 168 BC, i.e. during the rule of the Roman Protectorate over Macedonia.
After the conquering of Macedonia in 168 BC by the Romans, a circulation of coins of the Macedonian merides begins. Once they occupied Macedonia, the Romans intended to break down the territorial integrity of the country by applying the principle 'divide and rule' (divide et impera). The country was divided into four autonomous regions or merides, among which mutual political and economic relations were forbidden. According to the findings, three of the merides minted coins.
The first meris with the capital Amphipolis, minted only silver tetradrachms in two types: Zeus or Macedonian shield/Artemis Tauropolos or bludgeon in oak wreath with the legend . The second meris had its capital in Thessalonica, and also minted silver tetradrachms only of the following type: Artemis Tauropolos/bludgeon in oak wreath and the legend . It is presumed that the third meris, with its capital in Pella did not mint coins. The fourth meris, with its capital at Pelagonia, minted bronze coins of two types: head of Athena in Corinthian helmet/Dioskuroi - horsemen and Zeus/bludgeon in oak wreath, all with the legend . Coins of all three merides are found in the Republic of Macedonia.
The coins of the merides were minted until the year 148 BC when after the uprising of the Pseudo-Phillip i.e. Andriscus, Macedonia finally became Roman province. A new period of coinage and coin emissions characteristic of the Roman period has began.

Ministry of information of Republic of Macedonia.

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