KASSANDER w/ Mythical HERCULES & Young Horseman, c 300 BC, 20mm

Description

IMPERIAL ROMAN COIN
Kingdom of Macedonia
359 – 148 BC
The ancient kingdom of Macedonia encompassed parts of the modern day countries of Albania, Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkish Thrace. It became the major power in Greece when Philip II united the Greek city-states.
His son, Alexander the Great, vastly expanded the Empire to include eastern Asia and Persia.
The Romans conquered the Empire at the end of the protracted Macedonian Wars (215-168 BC).
Kassander, King of Macedonian Kingdom 305-297 B.C.
Cassander (
Κάσσανδρος
) was king of Macedon from 305 BC until his death from dropsy (severe edema) in 297 BC.
In his youth, he was taught by Aristotle in the same class as Alexander the Great, Ptolemy and Lysimachus.
A devotee of Alexander the Great, he often depicted himself is similar ways by wearing a Heraclean lionskin pelt. A brutal murderer, he gained control of all of Macedonia and Greece by killing off all possible threats to his throne.
He rebuilt the city of Thessalonica, naming it after his wife.
HERAKLES (Hercules)
This coin depicts the mythical Greek hero, Hercules, on the obverse wearing his lionskin headdress. The reverse depicts his club, bow and case, all symbols of his hunting abilities. Hercules' attributes included strength, courage, ingenuity, and sexual prowess.  His myth tells the story of his father, Zeus, King of the Gods, having an illicit affair with Hercules’ mortal mother.  The queen of the gods, Hera, was so angered that she unsuccessfully tried to prevent his birth.  Hercules grew up to perform the famous "Twelve Labors of Hercules".
The
Nemean lion
was a vicious mythical monster who lived a Nemea.
It could not be killed with the weapons of mortals because its fur was impervious to attack.
Its claws were sharper than any of mortals’ swords and could cut through any armor. It was eventually killed by Hercules in his “1
st
labor”.
KASSANDER
AE  (20 mm, 5.87 gm)
OBV:  Head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin headdress
REV:  BAΣIΛEΩΣ [KAΣΣANΔΡOY], Youth on horseback pacing right
Macedonian mint      SNG Cop 1142ff.
As usual, the pictures really don't do justice. Let me know if you have questions.
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