Alexander Stater
Dublin Core
Title
Alexander Stater
Subject
Gold
Description
Obv.: Athena head, coiled snake on Corinthian helmet with flowering crests.
Rev. : Nike (Victory) standing, wreath in right hand, stylis in left hand; mint symbols.
Significance:
The types of Athena and Nike would have appealed to Greeks everywhere. The stylis, or mast, is usually the symbol of a naval victory. While Nike clearly recalls the successes of Alexander in battle, it could also have been copied from an actual monument in Athens. Alexandrian gold staters were widely minted and show many variations in style according to the capabilities of the engravers.Monogram of Nu and Omega in left field.
Additional Information:
The gold stater type coinage of Alexander III of Macedon are one of the most recognizable types minted within his reign, with all examples portraying the divine figures of Athena and Nike. The use of gold within Macedonian minting of coinage was a relatively new development, with Phillip II, the father of Alexander the Great, who used the mines of Macedonia to develop the circulation of this currency. It has been suggested that the imagery of Phillip II s gold coinage, however, was not in line with Alexander s mindset and goals, who instead chose to portray deities with warlike connotations. The presence of Nike on the gold staters of Alexander, in particular, highlighted the king s desire to be viewed as synonymous with victory. Alexander additionally incorporated Athena into the commemoration of victory within his campaigns, dedicating to her spoils from his victory over the Persians at Granicus in 334BC in the name of the Corinthian League, formed by Phillip II after the Battle of Charonea in order to unite with the Greek states in war against the Persians.
Rev. : Nike (Victory) standing, wreath in right hand, stylis in left hand; mint symbols.
Significance:
The types of Athena and Nike would have appealed to Greeks everywhere. The stylis, or mast, is usually the symbol of a naval victory. While Nike clearly recalls the successes of Alexander in battle, it could also have been copied from an actual monument in Athens. Alexandrian gold staters were widely minted and show many variations in style according to the capabilities of the engravers.Monogram of Nu and Omega in left field.
Additional Information:
The gold stater type coinage of Alexander III of Macedon are one of the most recognizable types minted within his reign, with all examples portraying the divine figures of Athena and Nike. The use of gold within Macedonian minting of coinage was a relatively new development, with Phillip II, the father of Alexander the Great, who used the mines of Macedonia to develop the circulation of this currency. It has been suggested that the imagery of Phillip II s gold coinage, however, was not in line with Alexander s mindset and goals, who instead chose to portray deities with warlike connotations. The presence of Nike on the gold staters of Alexander, in particular, highlighted the king s desire to be viewed as synonymous with victory. Alexander additionally incorporated Athena into the commemoration of victory within his campaigns, dedicating to her spoils from his victory over the Persians at Granicus in 334BC in the name of the Corinthian League, formed by Phillip II after the Battle of Charonea in order to unite with the Greek states in war against the Persians.
Source
Purchased from BA Seaby Ltd, London, with funds from Mrs B Fletcher and the Alumni Association of The University of Queensland Inc, 1980.
Date
336 - 323 BC
Identifier
C.014
Files
Citation
“Alexander Stater,” RD Milns Antiquities Museum Online Exhibitions, accessed May 2, 2024, https://uqantiquitiesonlineexhibitions.omeka.net/items/show/52.