Kings of Macedon. Pella. Demetrios I Poliorketes 306-283 BC.
Tetradrachm AR

27 mm, 16,93 g

Diademed and horned head of young Demetrios right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ, poseidon standing left resting foot on rock, monograms at either side.

Very Fine

Newell 90, obv. die LXXXI; HGC 3, 1014a.

Ex CNG E-Auction 484, Lot 164. Demetrios I Poliorcetes, also known as "The Besieger of Cities," was one of the most dynamic and colorful figures of the Hellenistic period. Born around 337 BC, he was the son of Antigonos I Monophthalmos, one of Alexander the Great's most powerful generals. Demetrios grew up during the turbulent years following Alexander's death, a time when the empire was torn apart by the Wars of the Diadochi as Alexander's successors vied for power. Demetrios earned his epithet "Poliorcetes" due to his exceptional skills in siege warfare, most notably demonstrated during the Siege of Rhodes in 305-304 BC. Tasked by his father with capturing the strategically important island city of Rhodes, Demetrios employed massive siege engines, including the famous Helepolis, a gigantic siege tower. Although he ultimately failed to take the city, his engineering feats were so impressive that the Rhodians erected the Colossus of Rhodes in honor of their victory and as a symbol of their resilience. In 306 BC, following the defeat of Ptolemy I at the naval Battle of Salamis (not to be confused with the earlier and more famous Battle of Salamis during the Greco-Persian Wars), Demetrios and his father Antigonos declared themselves kings. This bold move marked the beginning of the Antigonid dynasty. Demetrios ruled as king of Macedonia from 294 BC to 288 BC, during which he sought to consolidate his power in Greece and expand his influence across the Hellenistic world. However, Demetrios's reign was marked by fluctuating fortunes. He was ambitious and energetic but also faced significant challenges, including opposition from other Diadochi such as Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy. In 288 BC, he was driven out of Macedonia by a coalition of rivals and forced into a series of military campaigns and political maneuvers to regain his lost territories. Demetrios eventually fell into captivity in 285 BC under Seleucus I, where he lived out his final years in relative comfort until his death in 283 BC. Despite his mixed success, Demetrios left a lasting legacy, particularly in the field of military engineering and as a symbol of the volatile and adventurous spirit of the Hellenistic age. His son, Antigonos II Gonatas, later succeeded in reestablishing the Antigonid dynasty in Macedonia, which would endure until the Roman conquest in 168 BC.