Alexander Harnessing Bucephalas

229, Lot: 277. Estimate $100. Sold for $200. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

MACEDON, Koinon of Macedon. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Time of Severus Alexander, AD 222-235. Æ 26mm (12.04 g, 6h). Diademed head of Alexander the Great right / Alexander standing right, nude but for cloak flowing out behind him, placing harness on Bucephalas rearing left. SNG Copenhagen 1357-8. Fine, dark grey-green patina with light earthen deposits.

Bucephalas was a magnificent black stallion with a white blaze on his forehead, and was the pride and joy of Alexander. Originally, Phillip II was going to purchase the horse for himself, but finding it too unmanageable, he made a wager with his son that if he could tame and ride the horse he could keep it. Alexander, noticing that Bucephalas was afraid of his own shadow, turned the steed into the sun. As his shadow now fell behind him, Bucephalas was quickly calmed and Alexander was able to ride him. From that day, Bucephalas carried Alexander into most of his victorious battles. When the horse finally died in 326, Alexander had a state funeral for him and built a city in India where he died, naming it Bucephala.