An extremely rare gold coin issued by the illegitimate son of Alexander the Great
It sold at auction for $99,450. One of three known examples
This is an extremely rare gold stater from Pergamon, Mysia, issued sometime after 336 BC. This historically significant coin was supposedly issued by Heracles of Macedon (c. 327-309 BC), the alleged illegitimate son of Alexander the Great, who grew up in Pergamon. It is very likely that he commissioned the coin before his assassination in 309
Heracles of Macedon was identified as the son of Alexander III the Great by Parsine, daughter of satrap Artabazus of Phrygia. Heracles was named after the Greek mythological hero of the same name, from whom the Argides claimed descent. It cannot be determined whether he was Alexander's son or not
Heraclius lived in obscurity until Alexander IV (the legitimate son of Alexander the Great) was killed by Cassander in 310 BC or 309 BC. At that point, Polyperchon, the Macedonian regent who had been replaced by Cassander and had disappeared for the previous six years, began championing Heracles as Alexander's true heir, and Polyperchon began raising an army. Instead of fighting, Cassander negotiated with Polyperchon. By offering Polypercone various bribes such as Cinquere and a large number of talents, Cassander convinced him to kill Heracles, Polyperchon retired into obscurity once again
The reverse of the coin shows Alexander the Great as Heracles, wearing the skin of the Nemean lion. The reverse has a crowned Corinthian helmet at the bottom left next to an armed palladion figure. The Palladion was a cult image of Pallas Athena. It was based on the legend of the wooden statue of Pallas Athena that Odysseus and Diomedes stole from the castle of Troy. It was said that Troy could not be arrested while he protected this statue so Diomedes and Odysseus made their way to the castle at Troy by a secret passage and carried it off. In this way the Greeks were then able to enter Troy and lay waste to it using Trojan Horse deception
Treasures and history of civilizations
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