A Persian symbol on Alexander I's tetrobols?

considerations on coin inconography

Abstract

This essay aims to reconsider some theories about the economic impact of the Persian presence in Macedonia between the end of the 6^th century B.C. and the first twenty years of the 5^th century B.C. After a brief introduction on the chronological and typological problems of the North-Aegean monetary issues, specifically of the so-called ‘Thraco-Macedonian’ coinage – which probably includes the first issues of the Temenid royal authority –, the discussion focuses on a recent essay by Johannes Heinrichs and Sabine Müller. A detailed review of their interpretations about four tetrobols, which are ascribed to Alexander I of Macedon and represent a knight on the obverse, is here offered: since the authors believe that the knight carries a Persian akinakes in his right hand, they presume that the four tetrobols have to be recognized as part of a very limited monetary production in the context of Xerxes’ expedition against Greece in 480/479 B.C., whose organisation was strongly supported by Alexander as a loyal collaborator of the Persians. The second part of this essay is devoted to a reassessment of their interpretations. After some clarifications on chronological difficulties, the discussion focuses on the iconographic analysis of the knight represented on the four tetrobols, concluding that it is impossible to distinguish a Persian akinakes or any object at all: on the basis of comparisons with other Macedonian coins, the purpose is to show that the knight is portrayed as holding the reins with his right hand and that under his hip no short sword (Kurzschwert) is represented, but rather the fold of his clothes (Gewandfalte), which is a characteristic element of all the Macedonian coinage.