Ancient Coin Stories

Perhaps the most common Koinon of Macedon issue was Alexander riding Bucephalus. From the issues I’ve examined, this seems to have been a “common coinage”, or in other words the issues weren’t meant to commemorate anything in particular.

The above example, with Β ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ, indicates it was minted after Severus Alexander restored the second neokoros, which were status symbols for cities and granted/revoked by the emperor himself. Severus Alexander likely did this for an impending campaign against the Sassanians.

The star is included on a number of Koinon issues, but I have yet to ascertain its meaning.

The presence of ΝΕΩ without the B (two) indicates that this was minted during the reign of Severus Alexander, who stripped Beroea of one neokoros, likely because it was bestowed by his predecessor Elagabalus, who was now damnatio memoriae. He later restored it, perhaps in 231 CE. Thus, this coin likely was minted between 222-231 CE.

The above seems to be an example of one of the two above, but with a different obverse and a star below Bucephalus. However, I’m not able to tell whether it reads ΝΕΩ or B ΝΕΩ, which would provide a better idea of the date. Although it’s probably a coincidence, I find it intriguing that the damage was done on this specific text, while the rest is legible. Could this have been scratched out when a neokoros was added or removed? Probably not, but the idea is tempting.

Here we have the nice addition of a lion under Bucephalus. The text Β ΝЄ indicates this was minted after Severus Alexander restored the second neokoros, so roughly after 231 CE. The addition of the lion required the engraver to artistically separate the text.

The above rare example, which reads on the reverse ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ Β ΝΕΩ, ΕΟϹ, is one of the few Koinon of Macedon coins that is dated. The text ΕΟϹ indicates this was minted in 275 of the Action era, or 244/3 CE. That was a common year for Koinon of Macedon coinage to be dated, and likely aligns with a visit by the emperor Philip I for the Alexandreian Games, held yearly in honor of Alexander the Great.

The above has the same theme as its predecessor, only with a different obverse. It too was minted for the Alexandreian Games in 244/3 CE and also mentions the second neokoros.

The above is another example of a coin issued during the second neokoros. It is not dated and differs from the others by the obverse.

This example contains a rarer version of Alexander the Great on the obverse. He faces left, which is uncommon on Koinon of Macedon issues, and one can see his spear and shield. It thus offers a far more engaging image of Alexander.

The reverse contains only ΝΕΩ without the B, indicating it was minted during the reign of Severus Alexander, when the city had only one neokoros.