Lot 4501

Description

Macedon under Romans, Amphipolis (158-149 B.C.), silver tetradrachm, (16.91 g), obv. Macedonian shield, at centre of which is a bust of Artemis Tauropolos to right with bow and quiver at her shoulder, rev. **MAKEDONWN PRWTHS* in two lines, club between, AP monogram above, all within oak wreath, to left a thunderbolt, (S.1386, AMNG 159 [p.54, 41 noted], SNG Ash.3290-2, SNG Cop.1310, Hunter 2, BMC 2 [p.7], Mionnet I, 48 [p.456]). Lightly toned, nearly extremely fine and a scarce variety.

After the defeat of Perseus at the battle of Pydna in 168 BC, the Romans divided Macedonia into four separate autonomous administrative regions (merides), the first (PRWTES) lay east of the Strymon with its capital at Amphipolis, the second (DEUTERAS) between the Strymon and Axios with its capital at Thessalonica, the third between the Axios and Peneos with its capital at Pella, and the fourth included most of Upper Macedonia with its capital at Heraclea Lynci. Livy informs us that initially all commerce between the regions, exploitation of the silver and gold mines and the importation of salt were forbidden. Almost all the coinage of this period is struck in the name of the first region and runs parallel to the mass coinages of Thasos and Maroneia from about 158 BC. No silver is known from the third and fourth regions, and only a small number of rare tetradrachms from the second region. These four regions only lasted until 148 BC when the country was finally united to constitute a Roman Province and proceeded to issue coins under the authority of its legatus pro praetore.