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KINGS of MACEDON. Kassander. As regent, 317-305 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 14.24 g, 9h). In the name and types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 316-311 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth, holding palm frond and rein, on horseback right; dolphin below, pellet-in-Π below raised foreleg. Le Rider pl. 46, 9 & 19; Troxell, Studies, Group 9, 331–2; HGC 3, 988. Faintly toned, underlying luster. Choice EF.
Ex Cederlind 120 (12 September 2000), lot 33.
Kassander was the son of Alexander III’s regent in Macedon, Antipater. By the end of Alexander’s reign, Antipater had fallen under suspicion of treason, and thus the Macedonian king treated Kassander, who was with him in the East, disfavorably. Thankfully for Kassander, Alexander died before dealing with Antipater. At Triparadeisos, Kassander was named chiliarch, while his father remained regent in Macedon. Although Kassander wanted to succeed his father, when Antipater died, the regency was given to Polyperchon instead. In response, Kassander allied himself with the powerful Antigonos Monophthalmos, who supported him in establishing a power base in Piraios and the Peloponnesos. From these bases, Kassander launched invasions against Polyperchon, and eventually succeeded in overthrowing the regent in 317 BC. Kassander quickly established his firm dominion over Macedon, and had Alexander’s mother, Olympias, put to death. He also married Thessalonike, the daughter of Philip II, to ingratiate himself with the families who had long ties to Alexander’s father, and who exerted much power over the local countryside. His consolidation of power also included the murder of Alexander III’s wife, Roxane, and the young Alexander IV in 310 BC. His success in controlling Macedon, though, was seen as a threat by Antigonos, who still had the Macedonian throne as his own goal. In response to Kassander’s rise in Macedon, Antigonos proclaimed that the Greek cities were free from Macedonian control, an act that ingratiated him to them. Antigonos used their gratitude to foment dissent againt Kassander throughout Greece and Peloponnesos. Antigonos also allied himself to Polyperchon, who had sought refuge in the Peloponnesos, and now supported his attempts to overthow Kassander. Although he lost power in Greece, Kassander maintained his control of Macedon thoughout the Diadochi Wars. He died of dropsy in 298 BC.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 129 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 13-14 May 2025. This lot is in Session One, which will begin 13 May at 9 AM ET.
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