Paeonian Rhapsody

[kirispupis]

Recently, I was ecstatic to have completed (for now) my collection of Paeonian kings around the time of Philip II, Alexander III, and the Diadochi. 

Let's see your Paeonians!

Lykkeios has the misfortune to become king right when a guy named Philip was starting to make his name in neighboring Macedon. For most of his reign he was a vassal of Philip.

Kings of Paeonia, Lykkeios
circa 359-335 BCE
AR Tetradrachm 22 mm, 13.19 g, 6 h
Astibos or Damastion
Laureate head of Apollo to right.
Rev. ΛYKK-EIOY Herakles standing left, strangling the Nemean lion; to right, bow and quiver.
Paeonian Hoard 72. Peykov E1030

 

Patraos easily minted the most coins (or at least coins that are still around) of the Paeonian kings. The most common misconception is that the rider is Ariston, who rode with Alexander the Great. This has been thoroughly disproven, partly on the basis that it would have been exceedingly foolish back then for a king to put his brother on a coin and also because the shield of the overrun soldier on many copies is Macedonian. Patraos may have been the son of Lykkeios, but we don't really know.

Kings of Paeonia, Patraos
AR Tetradrachm 12.46g, 24mm, 1h.
Uncertain Paeonian mint (Astibus or Damastion?) circa 335-315 BCE
Laureate head of Apollo to right / Warrior on horse rearing to right, spearing enemy who defends himself with raised shield; bukranion to left, ΠATPAOY (retrograde) around.
Paeonian Hoard I, 227 (same dies). 

 

Audoleon was the son of Patraos and a participant in the Game of Diadochi. He allied with Kassander at one point and opposed Demetrios I Poliorketes. A statue was erected for him in the Athenian Agora.

Kings of Paeonia, Audoleon AR Drachm
Astibos or Damastion mint(?), circa 315-286 BCE
2.97g, 14mm, 1h.
Head of Athena facing slightly to left, wearing triple crested helmet
Horse trotting to right; AYΔΩΛEΩN-TOΣ around, monogram below.
Peykov E4400; AMNG III/2, 7 var. (position of monogram); SNG ANS 1057 corr. (monogram not star on rev.); HGC 3.1, 154

 

Leon was a son of Audoleon and steered Paeonia during some difficult times. His coinage is extremely rare and this is the only one I've seen come up for sale. Per a paper by Pavlovska, it's either unique or the second known specimen for this denomination.

Kings of Paeonia, Leon
Æ 13mm 1.91g, 6h 278-250 BCE
Wreathed head of Dionysos(?) to right / Head of lion to left; ΛEΩN to left, sword to right.
Cf. AMNG III/11, p. 206
Ex Roma 2017

 

Leon's son Dropion also minted coins. Per Pavlovska, they are not as rare as those of Leon (97 specimens known to her vs 10 of Leon), but are all in museum collections.