Greek: MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Philip III Arrhidaeus (323-317 BC). AV stater (18mm, 8.62 gm, 12h). NGC Choice MS 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style....

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Nearly Pristine Philip III Stater

MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Philip III Arrhidaeus (323-317 BC). AV stater (18mm, 8.62 gm, 12h). NGC Choice MS 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Lifetime issue, Abydus, 323-317 BC. Head of Athena right, hair in four tight corkscrew curls falling straight along neckline, two more curls across left shoulder, wearing triple-crested Corinthian helmet with divergent crest ends pushed back on head, bowl decorated with coiled serpent right / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ, Nike standing facing, head left, wreath in outstretched right hand, stylis cradled in left arm; MH monogram above coiled serpent right in left field. Price P31. Pristine condition and Fine Style dies boasting residual mint luster int he protected areas.

Born ca. 359 BC, Arrhidaeus was the illegitimate son of Philip II, king of Macedon, by a Thessalian dancer. According to Plutarch, a poisoning attempt by Philip's jealous wife, Olympias, left Arrhidaeus intellectually disabled and subject to epileptic fits. When Alexander the Great died in Babylon in June, 323 BC, a council of generals met and determined that Arrhidaeus would be crowned as Philip III, and would reign jointly with the infant Alexander IV. However, neither had any real power, this being held by a succession of Macedonian generals. The new king proved as compliant as the generals had hoped, but in 320 BC, Arrhidaeus married a niece of Philip II's, Eurydice, who had more than enough ambition for the both of them. In 317 BC, she threw her support behind Cassander's successful bid to replace Polyperchon as regent. Cassander, in turn, left her and Arrhidaeus in charge of Macedon while he went on campaign in Asia. Polyperchon joined forces with Alexander's mother, Olympias, and invaded Macedon. Eurydice and Arrhidaeus raised an army to oppose them, but their soldiers refused to fight. Arrhidaeus and Eurydice were captured; Olympias ordered Arrhidaeus to be executed and compelled Eurydice to commit suicide.

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