THRACE. Cabyle. Ca. 225-215 BC. AR tetradrachm (29mm, 16.86 gm, 12h). NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 3/5. Posthumous issue in the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon, under Cavarus. Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied before neck / ΒAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΑΛΕΞANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left on backless throne, right leg drawn back, feet on ground line, eagle in right hand, scepter in left; Artemis Phosphorus standing facing with long lit torch in each hand in inner left field; MENE monogram below strut. Price 889. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 88 (8 October 2015), lot 579; Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction 52 (7 October 2009), lot 10 In 279 BC, the Celtic Gauls swept down into Thrace and Asia Minor, defeating most the Greek armies sent to stop them with ease. They occupied Thrace for the next five decades, replacing the Odrysian rulers with their own succession of kings. The only one of these to strike coinage in his own name was Cavarus (Kavaros), who used Cabyle as his capitol and mint city. The types are those of Alexander the Great, and most of the coins struck under Cavarus have Alexander's name as well; but a few were struck with the name of Cavarus himself. The Gauls of Thrace later mass-migrated into Asia Minor and founded the Galatian Kingdom.

HID09801242017

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