Antigoneia 305-300 BCE
29mm 16.33g
Head of young Herakles facing right, wearing a lion’s skin. / ALEXANDPOY, Zeus enthroned left, holding an eagle and a sceptre, X on left, M on right, Ph below throne.
Price 3195, Müller 804
Antigonos Monophthalmos actually founded several cities named after himself. This is the one in Syria, founded on the Orontes river. There was another one in the Troad that was eventually renamed Alexandria and became a major city in the area.
Antigoneia, Syria, was intended to be Antigonos‘ capital city. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long. In 301 BCE, Antigonos died in the battle of Ipsos. After that, Seleukos I Nikator moved all the inhabitants to his own new city of Antioch nearby.
The city of Antigoneia did continue to exist, but was far less powerful.
307 BCE
Antigonos Monophthalmos founds Antigoneia in Syria.