Pella 287-285 BCE or 274-273 BCE
AE 17mm 4.42g 5h
AMNG III/2, -. HGC 3, 272. SNG Alpha Bank 970
Pella was the capital of the Macedonian kingdom and was the birthplace of Alexander the Great and his father, Philip II. Although very much a backwater city at the time, it was for a period the capital of half the known world at the time.
Pella mint, ca 354-349 BCE
22-24 mm., 13.68g.
Laureate head of Zeus right / ΦIΛΛIΠOY, Philip II, diademed & in kausia, on horseback left, raising right hand
Alexander’s successors, notably Kassander and Antigonos II Gonatas, continued to make Pella their capital and built on it.
Tetradrachm AR 30 mm, 17,12 g
Diademed and horned head of young Demetrios right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ, poseidon standing left resting foot on rock, monograms at either side.
Newell 90
Most likely, the city was founded by Archelaos I and made the capital over Aigai.
Numerous tombs have been found on the site and very few of them have been excavated. In recent years, work has been done on Philip II’s palace, the foundation of which is now a tourist attraction. Remarkable during its time, the city had water pipes and waste disposal.
When the Romans conquered Macedonia, the status of the city disappeared and within a short time it was nearly empty.
Pella is the location of the opening of one of my next novels, currently with a working title of Love, Macedonians, and Dinosaurs.
Pella, circa 393-369 BCE
AR Triobol 1.71g, 13mm, 4h
Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress
Eagle standing to left, head to right; AMY-N-TA around; all within linear border within incuse square.
Westermark, Remarks pl. LXX, 33; SNG Alpha Bank 200-2; SNG ANS 94; HGC 3.1, 830 (‘hemidrachm’).
Ex J. Greiff Collection
Ex Roma
July 20
Alexander the Great is born in Pella, Macedon