Kingdom of Macedonia Philip II 359-336BC Gold Stater (8.58g) NGC XF 4/5 Strike 3/5 Surface Lifetime Issue. Lovely well centered, bold strike of the best style.
The obverse with an exquisite head of Apollo, a laurel wreath running through the wild curls of his hair.
The reverse shows Philip II in a two horse chariot, the horses rearing and braying as Philip grips the reins in his left hand and raises his goad with his right. The inscription below reading:
ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ "Of Philip"
Although he is often only remembered for being the father of Alexander the Great. PhilIp II was a accomplished king, and military general often taking Alexander with him at an early age to learn the art of war. Philip II was the one that set the stage for Alexander’s victory over Darius III (the last Persian king), and the conquest of the Persian Empire.
When Philip II took the throne of the Kingdom of Macedon at a time when Macedonia was a poorly organized, economically insignificant, and militarily weak kingdom. The reign of Philip II (359-336 BC) saw the rise of Macedonia, when the kingdom grew to control most of Greece. However, Philips’s popularity was limited among the expanded Kingdom’s Greek population, due to his Macedonian heritage. Macedonians spoke a different language and were considered less cultured than true Greeks. In addition to military success, Philip II also enjoyed success through his impressive horse teams.
The fastest way to spread current news and political messages during this period was through coinage. Minting coins commemorating his Olympic success, Philip was producing propaganda which supported his claim as a true Greek and solidified his favor with the gods.