circa 350-300 BCE
Æ 10 mm, 0,97 g
Crested helmet left
Civic monogram
SNG Ashmolean –; SNG Copenhagen 64
Way before Captain America tangled with terror, there was Achilles, son of a sea nymph and a king.
Although a large mouse corporation will attempt to insist they own the copyright, it was Achilles who first started the Avengers, as is evidenced by this ancient coin.
These relatively rare bronzes clearly show the ancient Avengers logo. Where exactly they were minted is still debated, with most attributions stating a small town in the Troad where Achilles’ tomb was located. Recent studies have offered another town called Achaion. For this debate, it doesn’t matter, since the coin clearly demonstrates the Avengers logo and proves that Achilles was truly an Avenger.
Indeed, Achilles was a major hero in those days along with his Robin-like sidekick Patroklos. Together, they pillaged their way across the Troad until Patroklos was killed in a case of mistaken identity by Hector, which led Achilles to kill the Trojan hero in retribution and drag his body from a chariot around Troy. After that, everyone was merry and sat around the camp fire singing songs while Hector’s body was incinerated.
During a battle between Deryklidas of Sparta and Pharnabazos with Tissaphernes, men from Priene and Achilleion fighting with the Spartans fled. Hamaxitos and Larissa-Ptolemais thus receive their freedom again.
Alexander the Great crosses from Sestos to Abydos. He then visits Troy and returns to Abydos. On his way, he sacrifices at the tomb of Achilles at Achilleion.
Alexandria Troas founded by Antigonos I Monophthalmos from the cities of Neandria, Skepsis, Hamaxitos, Kolone, Kebren, Larissa-Ptolemais, and Achilleion.
Around this time, Lysimachos combined Achilleion with other communities around Ilion.
Emperor Caracalla holds funeral games at the Tomb of Achilles at Achilleion on his way to Parthia.