AR Drachm 16mm, 4.21 g, 12h
Abydos mint. Struck under Kalas or Demarchos, circa 325-323 BCE
Price 1503; ADM II Series I
Demarchos was a satrap of Phrygia. When the previous satray, Kalas, died (of something), he was replaced by Demarchos. After Alexander the Great died, this satrapy was given to Leonnatos.
Wow. That’s a tremendous amount of information concerning the life of one individual. So, let’s look at the coin itself.
In left field, used as a mint mark, is the image of Hermes. Well, that’s pretty cool. Here my wife was asking for an Hermes and…we have one! And this one’s authentic too. None of that fake French stuff.
After all, do you know who nearly destroyed Macedon years later? Yes. The Gauls. They used to copy the ancient coinage of Alexander and Philip, and today they create purses and scarves. If you can, take a look at this image of Hermes (just to the left of the throne). Do you see him carrying a purse or wearing a scarf? Yup. Those are fakes too.
It’s a shame we don’t know much more about Dokimos. He would have had a real Hermes too…
Rough estimate for the death or removal of Kalas as satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia. Demarchos becomes satrap.
Demarchos removed as satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia in favor of Leonnatos.