Bronze AE 17 mm, 5,71 g
Minted 323-319 BCE under Asandros
Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, bow-in-bowcase and club; grain ear below.
Price 2102
Although Asandros is not often mentioned, he was a decent player in the Era of the Diadochi. He rose in the ranks thanks to his brother Parmenion, who was Alexander’s chief general during the Battle of the Granicus.
Parmenion, however, was executed by Alexander in 330 BCE due to an unfortunate circumstance. His son, Philotas, also a major player under Alexander, had been told of an assassination plot, but had failed to relate it to Alexander, despite meeting with him several times for other reasons. When the plot was finally uncovered, Philotas’ silence concerning it was immediately suspect, and he was tortured and killed.
Aware that Parmenion controlled many soldiers and most of their finances, Alexander could take no chances on his general’s reaction to his son’s death. He ordered riders to race to Ekbatana and kill him before the news arrived.
Asandros’ reputation was hurt by this, but he eventually recovered to receive the satrap of Lydia, then after his death Caria. He sided with Antipater against the supporters of Perdikkas, though he was defeated in battle by them.
Asandros next joined together with Ptolemy and Kassander against Antigonos, but that may not have been wise given Asandros was right on the front lines. Twice Antigonos defeated him. After the first time, Antigonos forced him to sign a treaty to submit to him, but Asandros tore it up shortly after Antigonos left.
After Antigonos’ second attack, Asandros disappears from the historical record and was most likely killed.