AR Tetradrachm
In the name and types of Alexander III. Amphipolis mint. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; monograms in left field and below throne.
Price 537; Mathisen, Administrative –.
Among the most illustrious rulers in history, Ptolemy Keraunos is pretty far down the stack. He grew up in Egypt and was the son of the well-regarded Ptolemy I. However, when Ptolemy grew to realize what a rotten son-of-a-bitch Keraunos was, he gave the throne to Keraunos’ stepbrother, Ptolemy II, who promptly booted Keraunos when he took power.
Ptolemy Keraunos then went on a tour of Eastern Europe, during which time he pissed off pretty much every country. He started with Lysimachos, formerly a bodyguard of Alexander III. As a guest in Lysimachos‘ house, he convinced his host to kill his son Agathokles, which was very unpopular in the kingdom.
281-279 BCE
Æ 21mm, 8,09g
Laureate head of Zeus right.
Rev. Eagle standing on thunderbolt to right; behind and before, two monograms.
SNG ANS -. SNG Copenhagen 255. SNG Kikpe 447
Aware that he was no longer Lysimachos‘ friend, Ptolemy Keraunos pleaded with the powerful Seleukos I Nikator, who – being a nice guy – stormed the Hellespont and killed Lysimachos. Grateful for the help in time of need, Ptolemy Keraunos offered to join Seleukos in prayer, then stabbed him in the back (literally).
Ptolemy Keraunos was now persona-non-grata pretty much everywhere, but he upped the stakes by marrying his half-sister Arsinoe II, then murdering her two youngest children on their wedding day. Arsinoe, who felt this an inappropriate wedding present, fled.
While Keraunos took charge in Macedonia, the Gauls crossed over. Thrilled at the prospect of pissing off some new people, he hurried to the battlefront without waiting for the proper reinforcements. There, the Gauls defeated him and placed his head on a spear to parade around. The world was not saddened by this.
Birth of Ptolemy Keraunos to Eurydike and Ptolemy I Soter.
Ptolemy II Philadelphos exiles Demetrios of Phaleron to Upper Egypt due to his support for Ptolemy Keraunos.
Agathokles is executed by Lysimachos. There are many versions, but one is he was poisoned by Arsinoe II at Lysimachos’ urging. Others implicate Ptolemy Keraunos.
Antigonos II marches against Ptolemy Keraunos to retake Macedonia, but is defeated.
Antiochos I Soter is forced by a rebellion in Syria to make peace with Ptolemy Keraunos and give up Macedonia and Thrace.
September
Seleukos I Nikator is murdered by Ptolemy Keraunos while praying. Antiochos I Soter becomes king of the Seleukid Empire.
Ptolemy Keraunos tricks Arsinoe II into marrying him. He promises her two young sons succession rights, but then murders them on their wedding day.
Arsinoe II escapes from Ptolemy Keraunos and exiles herself to Samothrace.
Pyrrhos makes an alliance with Ptolemy Keraunos, then arrives in Italy to aid Tarentum.
During the Macedonian Interregnum, Antipater Etesias is declared king after the death of Ptolemy Keraunos. He is deposed after 45 days by Sosthenes, a military officer.
Monounios wages a war against Ptolemy Keraunos while allied with Ptolemy Epigonos.
February
Gauls led by Bolgius invade Macedon from the north. Rather than waiting for his full force, Ptolemy Keraunos attacks and is defeated. His head is placed on a spike.