Celtic Eastern Europe Silver Tetradrachm as Greek Philip II Macedon Coin i54000

Description

Item:
i54000
Authentic Ancient  Coin of:
Celtic Tribe of Eatern Europe
Making coins in style of Greek king Philip II - King of Macedon: 359-336 B.C.
Silver Tetradrachm 25mm (14.20 grams)
under unknown Celtic Tribe circa  Early 3rd century B.C.
Reference: Lanz –; CCCBM I –; Pink –
Laureate head of Zeus right.
ΦΙΛΠΠΟΥ,
Youth on horseback right, holding  palm; below belly, Λ above torch; K below raised foreleg.
* Numismatic Note: The Celtic  peoples would issue their own versions of the coins of their neighbors, such as  the Greeks which have their own unique style to behold. Quality ancient Celtic  coin.
The Celts of Eastern Europe imitated  ancient Greek coins of the time period, this one of Philip II. King Philip II of  Macedonia was father of Alexander the Great and his coins referred to his  Olympic victory. The reason they did this as they traded with the Greeks and  their coins were popular and recognized for trade, so they struck their own. You  can see the Cetlic style showing on this coin.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured,  provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of  Authenticity.
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The Celts
(pronounced
/ˈkɛlts/
or /ˈsɛlts/, see
Celtic
pronunciation of
)  were a diverse group of
tribal societies
in
Iron Age
and
Roman-era
Europe
who spoke
Celtic languages
.
Diachronic distribution of Celtic peoples:
core Hallstatt territory, by the 6th century BC
maximal Celtic expansion, by 275 BC
Lusitanian  area of Iberia where Celtic presence is uncertain
the "six Celtic nations" which retained significant numbers of Celtic  speakers into the Early Modern period
areas where Celtic languages remain widely spoken today
The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather
Proto-Celtic
, was the
central European
Hallstatt culture
(c. 800-450 BC), named for  the rich grave finds in
Hallstatt
, Austria. By the later
La Tène
period (c. 450 BC up to the Roman  conquest), this Celtic culture had expanded over a wide range of regions,  whether by
diffusion
or
migration
: to the
British Isles
(
Insular  Celts
), the
Iberian Peninsula
(
Celtiberians
,
Celtici
and
Gallaeci
), much of
Central Europe
, (
Gauls
)  and following the
Gallic invasion of the Balkans
in 279 BC as far  east as central
Anatolia
(
Galatians
).
The earliest directly attested examples of a Celtic language are the
Lepontic
inscriptions, beginning from the 6th  century BC.
Continental Celtic languages
are attested only  in inscriptions and place-names.
Insular Celtic
is attested from about the 4th  century AD in
ogham inscriptions
, although it is clearly much  earlier. Literary tradition begins with
Old Irish
from about the 8th century. Coherent  texts of
Early Irish literature
, such as the
Táin Bó Cúailnge
(
The Cattle Raid of  Cooley
), survive in 12th-century recensions. According to the theory of
John T. Koch
and others, the
Tartessian language
may have been the earliest  directly attested Celtic language with the Tartessian written script used in the  inscriptions based on a version of a Phoenician script in use around 825 BC.
By mid 1st millennium AD, following the expansion of the
Roman Empire
and the
Great Migrations
(
Migration  Period
) of
Germanic peoples
, Celtic culture and
Insular Celtic
had become restricted to
Ireland
and to the western and northern parts  of
Great Britain
(
Wales
,
Scotland
,
Cornwall
and the
Isle of Man
) and northern
France
(
Brittany
).  The
Continental Celtic languages
ceased to be  widely used by the 6th century.
Insular Celtic culture diversified into that of the
Gaels
(
Irish
,
Scottish
and
Manx
), the
Brythonic
Celts (
Welsh
,
Cornish
, and
Bretons
) of the medieval and modern periods. A  modern "
Celtic  identity
" was constructed in the context of the Romanticist
Celtic Revival
in Great Britain (Wales,  Scotland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man) and Ireland. In France a similar revival  of
Breton
is taking place in
Brittany
.
History Behind the Coin
Horse racing was an Olympic event of great prestige and intense competition. It  was a great honor for Philip II of Macedon to gain entry to the games, since  they were open only to Greeks. Prior to that time, the Macedonians were  considered by other Greeks as barbarians. It was an even greater honor for  Philip's horses to win the prize. In 356 BC his entry won the single horse  event, and in 348 the two horse chariot event. Both of these victories were  proudly announced (should we say propagandized) by placing references to them on  the reverses of his coins struck in gold, silver and bronze. Plutarch tells us  that this was indeed his intention: "[Philip] ...had victories of his chariots  at Olympia stamped on his coins."
Philip II of Macedon
, (
Greek
:
Φίλιππος Β' ο Μακεδών
—
φίλος
=
friend
+
ίππος
=
horse
— transliterated
Philippos
382 – 336 BC, was an ancient
Greek
king (
basileus
)  of
Macedon
from 359 BC until his assassination in 336. He was the father of
Alexander the Great
and
Philip III
.
Born in
Pella
, Philip was  the youngest son of the king
Amyntas III
and
Eurydice I
. In his youth, (c. 368–365 BC) Philip was held as a hostage in
Thebes
, which was the leading city of
Greece
during  the
Theban hegemony
. While a captive there, Philip received a military and  diplomatic education from
Epaminondas
, became
eromenos
of
Pelopidas
,  and lived with
Pammenes
, who was an enthusiastic advocate of the
Sacred Band of Thebes
. In 364 BC, Philip returned to Macedon. The deaths of  Philip's elder brothers,
King Alexander II
and
Perdiccas III
, allowed him to take the throne in 359 BC. Originally  appointed
regent
for his infant nephew
Amyntas IV
, who was the son of Perdiccas III, Philip managed to take the  kingdom for himself that same year.
Philip's military skills and expansionist vision of  Macedonian greatness brought him early success. He had however first to  re-establish a situation which had been greatly worsened by the defeat against  the
Illyrians
in which King Perdiccas himself had died. The
Paionians
and the
Thracians
had sacked and invaded the eastern regions of the country, while the
Athenians
had  landed, at
Methoni
on the coast, a contingent under a Macedonian pretender called
Argeus
. Using  diplomacy, Philip pushed back Paionians and Thracians promising tributes, and  crushed the 3,000 Athenian
hoplites
(359). Momentarily free from his opponents, he concentrated on strengthening his  internal position and, above all, his army. His most important innovation was  doubtless the introduction of the
phalanx
infantry corps, armed with the famous
sarissa
, an  exceedingly long spear, at the time the most important army corps in Macedonia.
Philip had married
Audata
,  great-granddaughter of the Illyrian king of
Dardania
,
Bardyllis
. However, this did not prevent him from marching against them in  358 and crushing them in a ferocious battle in which some 7,000 Illyrians died  (357). By this move, Philip established his authority inland as far as
Lake Ohrid
and the favour of the
Epirotes
.
He also used the
Social War
as an opportunity for expansion. He agreed with the Athenians,  who had been so far unable to conquer
Amphipolis
,  which commanded the
gold  mines
of
Mount Pangaion
, to lease it to them after its conquest, in exchange for
Pydna
(lost by  Macedon in 363). However, after conquering Amphipolis, he kept both the cities  (357). As Athens declared war against him, he allied with the
Chalkidian League
of
Olynthus
.  He subsequently conquered
Potidaea
,  this time keeping his word and ceding it to the League in 356. One year before  Philip had married the
Epirote
princess
Olympias
,  who was the daughter of the king of the
Molossians
.
In 356 BC, Philip also conquered the town of
Crenides
and changed its name to
Philippi
:  he established a powerful garrison there to control its mines, which granted him  much of the gold later used for his campaigns. In the meantime, his general
Parmenion
defeated the Illyrians again. Also in 356
Alexander
was born, and Philip's race horse won in the
Olympic Games
. In 355–354 he besieged
Methone
, the last city on the
Thermaic Gulf
controlled by Athens. During the siege, Philip lost an eye.  Despite the arrival of two Athenians fleets, the city fell in 354. Philip also  attacked
Abdera
and Maronea, on the
Thracian
seaboard (354–353).
Map of the territory of Philip II of Macedon
Involved in the
Third Sacred War
which had broken out in Greece, in the summer of 353 he  invaded
Thessaly
, defeating 7,000
Phocians
under  the brother of Onomarchus. The latter however defeated Philip in the two  succeeding battles. Philip returned to Thessaly the next summer, this time with  an army of 20,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry including all Thessalian troops. In  the
Battle of Crocus Field
6,000 Phocians fell, while 3,000 were taken as  prisoners and later drowned. This battle granted Philip an immense prestige, as  well the free acquisition of
Pherae
. Philip  was also
tagus
of Thessaly, and he claimed as his own
Magnesia
,  with the important harbour of
Pagasae
.  Philip did not attempt to advance into
Central Greece
because the Athenians, unable to arrive in time to defend  Pagasae, had occupied
Thermopylae
.
Hostilities with Athens did not yet take place, but Athens  was threatened by the Macedonian party which Philip's gold created in
Euboea
. From  352 to 346 BC, Philip did not again come south. He was active in completing the  subjugation of the
Balkan
hill-country to the west and north, and in reducing the Greek cities of the  coast as far as the
Hebrus
. To  the chief of these coastal cities, Olynthus, Philip continued to profess  friendship until its neighboring cities were in his hands.
In 349 BC, Philip started the siege of Olynthus, which, apart  from its strategic position, housed his relatives
Arrhidaeus
and Menelaus, pretenders to the Macedonian throne. Olynthus had  at first allied itself with Philip, but later shifted its allegiance to Athens.  The latter, however, did nothing to help the city, its expeditions held back by  a revolt in Euboea (probably paid by Philip's gold). The
Macedonian
king finally took Olynthus in 348 BC and razed the city to the  ground. The same fate was inflicted on other cities of the Chalcidian peninsula.  Macedon and the regions adjoining it having now been securely consolidated,  Philip celebrated his
Olympic Games
at
Dium
. In 347 BC, Philip advanced to the conquest of the eastern districts  about Hebrus, and compelled the submission of the
Thracian
prince
Cersobleptes
. In 346 BC, he intervened effectively in the war between Thebes  and the Phocians, but his wars with Athens continued intermittently. However,  Athens had made overtures for peace, and when Philip again moved south, peace  was sworn in Thessaly. With key Greek city-states in submission, Philip turned  to
Sparta
; he  sent them a message, "You are advised to submit without further delay, for if I  bring my army into your land, I will destroy your farms, slay your people, and  raze your city." Their
laconic
reply: "If". Philip and Alexander would both leave them alone.  Later, the Macedonian arms were carried across Epirus to the
Adriatic Sea
. In 342 BC, Philip led a great military expedition north  against the
Scythians
, conquering the Thracian fortified settlement Eumolpia to give it  his name,
Philippopolis
(modern
Plovdiv
).
In 340 BC, Philip started the siege of
Perinthus
. Philip began another siege in 339 of the city of
Byzantium
.  After unsuccessful sieges of both cities, Philip's influence all over Greece was  compromised. However, he successfully reasserted his authority in the
Aegean
by defeating an alliance of Thebans and Athenians at the
Battle of Chaeronea
in 338 BC, while in the same year, Philip destroyed
Amfissa
because the residents had illegally cultivated part of the Crisaian plain which  belonged to
Delphi
.  Philip created and led the
League of Corinth
in 337 BC. Members of the League agreed never to wage war  against each other, unless it was to suppress
revolution
.  Philip was elected as leader (
hegemon
)  of the army of invasion against the
Persian Empire
. In 336 BC, when the invasion of Persia was in its very early  stage, Philip was assassinated, and was succeeded on the throne of Macedon by  his son
Alexander III
.
Assassination
The murder occurred during October of 336 BC, at
Aegae
, the  ancient capital of the kingdom of Macedon. The court had gathered there for the  celebration of the marriage between
Alexander I of Epirus
and Philip's daughter, by his fourth wife
Olympias
,
Cleopatra
. While the king was entering unprotected into the town's theater  (highlighting his approachability to the Greek diplomats present), he was killed  by
Pausanias of Orestis
, one of his seven bodyguards. The assassin immediately  tried to escape and reach his associates who were waiting for him with horses at  the entrance of Aegae. He was pursued by three of Philip's bodyguards and died  by their hands.
The reasons for Pausanias' assassination of Phillip are  difficult to fully expound, since there was controversy already among ancient  historians. The only contemporary account in our possession is that of
Aristotle
,  who states rather tersely that Philip was killed because Pausanias had been  offended by the followers of
Attalus
, the king's father-in-law.
Fifty years later, the historian
Cleitarchus
expanded and embellished the story. Centuries later, this  version was to be narrated by
Diodorus Siculus
and all the historians who used Cleitarchus. In the  sixteenth book of Diodorus' history, Pausanias had been a lover of Philip, but  became jealous when Philip turned his attention to a younger man, also called  Pausanias. His taunting of the new lover caused the youth to throw away his  life, which turned his friend, Attalus, against Pausanias. Attalus took his  revenge by inviting Pausanias to dinner, getting him drunk, then subjecting him  to sexual assault.
When Pausanias complained to Philip the king felt unable to  chastise Attalus, as he was about to send him to Asia with Parmenion, to  establish a bridgehead for his planned invasion. He also married Attalus's  niece, or daughter,
Eurydice
. Rather than offend Attalus, Phillip attempted to mollify Pausanius  by elevating him within the bodyguard. Pausanias' desire for revenge seems to  have turned towards the man who had failed to avenge his damaged honour; so he  planned to kill Philip, and some time after the alleged rape, while Attalus was  already in Asia fighting the Persians, put his plan in action. Other historians  (e.g.,
Justin
9.7) suggested that Alexander and/or his mother
Olympias
were at least privy to the intrigue, if not themselves instigators. The latter  seems to have been anything but discreet in manifesting her gratitude to  Pausanias, if we accept Justin's report: he tells us that the same night of her  return from exile she placed a crown on the assassin's corpse and erected a  tumulus to his memory, ordering annual sacrifices to the memory of Pausanias.
The entrance to the "Great Tumulus" Museum at
Vergina
.
Many modern historians have observed that all the accounts  are improbable. In the case of Pausanias, the stated motive of the crime hardly  seems adequate. On the other hand, the implication of Alexander and Olympias  seems specious: to act as they did would have required brazen effrontery in the  face of a military machine personally loyal to Philip. What appears to be  recorded in this are the natural suspicions that fell on the chief beneficiaries  of the murder; their actions after the murder, however sympathetic they might  appear (if actual), cannot prove their guilt in the deed itself. Further  convoluting the case is the possible role of propaganda in the surviving  accounts: Attalus was executed in Alexander's consolidation of power after the  murder; one might wonder if his enrollment among the conspirators was not for  the effect of introducing political expediency in an otherwise messy purge  (Attalus had publicly declared his hope that Alexander would not succeed Philip,  but rather that a son of his own niece Eurydice, recently married to Philip and  brutally murdered by Olympias after Philip's death, would gain the throne of  Macedon).
Marriages
The dates of Philip's multiple marriages and the names of  some of his wives are contested. Below is the order of marriages offered by  Athenaeus, 13.557b-e:
Audata
, the  daughter of
Illyrian
King
Bardyllis
. Mother of
Cynane
.
Phila, the sister of
Derdas
and  Machatas of
Elimiotis
.
Nicesipolis
of
Pherae
,
Thessaly
,  mother of
Thessalonica
.
Olympias
of
Epirus
, mother of
Alexander the Great
and
Cleopatra
Philinna of
Larissa
,  mother of Arrhidaeus later called
Philip III of Macedon
.
Meda of Odessa
, daughter of the king Cothelas, of
Thrace
.
Cleopatra, daughter of Hippostratus and niece of general
Attalus of Macedonia
. Philip renamed her
Cleopatra Eurydice of Macedon
.
Archaeological  findings
On November 8, 1977, Greek archaeologist
Manolis Andronikos
found, among other royal tombs, an unopened tomb at
Vergina
in  the Greek prefecture of
Imathia
. The finds from this tomb were later included in the traveling  exhibit
The Search for Alexander
displayed at four cities in the
United States
from 1980 to 1982. Initially identified as belonging to Philip  II, Eugene Borza and others have suggested that the tomb actually belonged to  Philip's son,
Philip Arrhidaeus
. Disputations often relied on contradictions between "the  body" or "skeleton" of Philip II and reliable historical accounts of his life  (and injuries).
The initial 'proof' that the tomb may belong to Philip II was  indicated by the greeves (leg armor to protect the tibia ('shin') bone), one of  which indicated that the owner had a leg injury which distorted the natural  alignment of the tibia (Philip II was recorded as having broken his tibia).
What is now viewed as final proof that the tomb indeed did  belong to Philip II and that the surviving bone fragments are in fact the body  of Philip II comes from forensic reconstruction of the scull of Philip II by the  wax casting and reconstruction of the scull which shows the damage to the right  eye caused by the penetration of an object (historically recorded to be an  arrow). See John Prag and Richard Neave's report in Making Faces: Using Forensic  and Archaeological Evidence, published for the Trustees of the British Museum by  the British Museum Press, London: 1997.
Cult
The
heroon
at
Vergina
in  Greek Macedonia (the ancient city of Aigai - Αἶγαι), is thought to have been  dedicated to the worship of the family of Alexander the Great and may have  housed the cult statue of Philip. It is probable that he was regarded as a hero  or deified on his death. Though the Macedonians did not consider Philip a god,  he did receive other forms of recognition by the Greeks, such as at
Eresos
(altar  to Zeus Philippeios),
Ephesos
(his statue was placed in the
temple of Artemis
), and at Olympia, where the
Philippeion
was built. Moreover, Isocrates wrote to Philip that if he  defeated Persia, there was nothing left for him to do to but become a god  while
Demades
proposed that Philip be regarded as the thirteenth god. However, there is no  clear evidence that Philip was raised to divine status like that of his son
Alexander
.
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