Alexander & Bucephalas

244, Lot: 591. Estimate $150. Sold for $180. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

ROMAN. Provincial. Lot of Three (3) Æ of the Koinon of Macedon. All coins from the 3rd century AD, with diameters of roughly 25mm. Includes: Head of Alexander right, wearing lion skin / Alexander standing right, placing harness on rearing Bucephalas // Head of Alexander right, wearing lion skin / Alexander, holding spear, on galloping Bucephalas right; star below // Diademed head of Alexander, looking upward / Alexander, holding spear, on trotting Bucephalas right. Good Fine to VF, dark green patinas, some small areas of bare metal showing on high points.

Bucephalas, the pride and joy of Alexander the Great, was a magnificent black stallion with a white blaze on his forehead. 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.