Ancient Coin Stories

TheAetolian Leaguewas for some time a major player in Greece. However, many have never heard of it. The most likely answer is branding. While their ally against theGaulsAntigonos II Gonataswas a master of branding (after all, he had his MBA – Macedonian Business Administration), by which he minted coins with the image of Pan to recall the victory over theGauls the Aetolians were less imaginative. Therefore, most of us have forgotten them.

This is sad because their capital was Thermos. Yes. Now I’m not saying they were the first to get the copyright, but an army capable of carrying small containers that insulate liquids must have had some advantage, particularly in the hot summers of Greece.

Back in Alexander‘s and Philip‘s days, the Aetolians were perceived as ancient hicks. They were mostly farmers and herders and were considered backwards. That upset the Aetolians. They wanted to marauder around, annihilate cities, and cause general mayhem to their neighbors like the rest of the civilized world. Therefore, they banded together and did exactly that.

Their first major foray was shortly after the death of Alexander the Great in the Lamian War. Of all the Greeks, the Aetolians hated the Macedonians perhaps the most. They couldn’t stand all the posters and radio announcements that broadcast the latest Macedonian victory. So, when Alexander was out of the picture, they joined together withAthensin revolting againstAntipater

Together with the brilliant Athenian general Leosthenes, they were initially successful. At Thermopylae, they defeatedAntipaterand forced him to Lamia, where they put him under siege. What happened next, though, is puzzling.

The Aetolians announced that they had some business to take care of back home and abandoned their Athenian colleagues. What business did they have to take care of? Was it a business retreat? Did some of their goats get lonely? Like so many questions, the answers are lost in the dust of history.

What we do know is the Athenians didn’t fare so well without their allies. Leosthenes was killed in a freak foray,Antipaterescaped Lamia, then defeated the Athenians. While the Aetolians weren’t part of this defeat, it didn’t bode well for them, becauseAntipaterwas still pissed, and he now had one of Alexander‘s top generals in Krateros at his disposal.

Krateros envaded Aetolia, and rather than face a superior force head-on, the Aetolians resorted to guerrilla warfare with devastating effect. Unfortunately for them, Krateros was crafty.

He ceased chasing the Aetolians into the mountains, but occupied all of the lowland forts. Then winter came. Yes, Krateros knew the Starks. The goal was to freeze the Aetolians to death.

Krateros nearly accomplished this, until dissension elsewhere in Greece forcedAntipaterto come to an agreement with the Aetolians so he could recall Krateros to more important engagements. It was there that Krateros was killed in an “upset for the ages” by Eumenes, who previously was a clerk for Alexander the Great.