MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Philip III Arrhidaeus (323-317 BC). AV stater (19mm, 8.60 gm, 11h). NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5. Lifetime issue of Lampsacus. Head of Athena right, hair in three loose corkscrew curls and upswept at temple, wearing pendant earring, beaded necklace, and triple-crested Corinthian helmet pushed back on head, parallel crest ends, bowl decorated with leaping griffin right / ΦΙΛΙΠΠOY, Nike advancing left, wreath in outstretched right hand, stylis cradled in left arm; buckle above crescent over A in left field. Price P13A. An exquisite example with highly lustrous surfaces and a halo of shimmering bright luster around the portrait. Ex Heritage Auctions, Auction 3085 (7 August 2020), lot 31029. 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. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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