Antigonid Dynasty Coins: A Collector's Guide to Macedon's Last Kings
The Antigonid Dynasty: Kings of Macedon After Alexander
306 to 168 BC, from Antigonus the One-Eyed to Perseus, the final royal house of independent Macedon.
The Antigonid dynasty was the final royal house to rule an independent Macedon.
Founded in the wars that followed Alexander the Great's death, the dynasty survived generations of conflict against rival successor kingdoms, Greek leagues, Celtic invasions, and finally Rome.
Its coinage traces the transformation of Macedon from the fragmented world of the Diadochi to the final defeat at Pydna in 168 BC.
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Antigonus I, "the One-Eyed," was one of Alexander's most powerful generals and one of the original Diadochi. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, Antigonus controlled large territories in Asia Minor and Syria and eventually claimed the royal title in 306 BC.
He came closer than almost any successor to rebuilding Alexander's empire, but was defeated and killed at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC. Much of his coinage continued Alexander-type designs, especially Herakles-and-Zeus tetradrachms, making attribution dependent on mint, symbols, and chronology rather than on a portrait of Antigonus himself.
Demetrius I Poliorcetes
Antigonus's son Demetrius, known as "the Besieger," was one of the most dramatic rulers of the Successor period. He won a major naval victory at Salamis in Cyprus in 306 BC and became famous for massive siege operations against Rhodes.
His silver coinage includes some of the most celebrated designs of the Hellenistic world, especially Nike standing on the prow of a warship, directly referencing naval victory. His bronze issues provide a far more accessible entry into his reign and the early Antigonid story.
Antigonos II Gonatas
After decades of instability, Antigonos II Gonatas established durable Antigonid rule in Macedon in the third century BC. His reign followed invasions, rival claimants, and the Celtic incursions that destabilized the region.
His most famous silver tetradrachms feature a Macedonian shield with the head of Pan at the center and Athena Alkidemos on the reverse. Bronze coinage is more affordable and carries the same military and dynastic symbolism that came to define the dynasty.
Philip V and the Wars With Rome
Philip V ruled from 221 to 179 BC and became Rome's greatest Macedonian rival. He allied with Hannibal during the Second Punic War and later fought Rome directly in the Macedonian Wars.
His defeat at Cynoscephalae in 197 BC forced Macedon to surrender territory, reduce its military, and pay indemnities. Philip nevertheless rebuilt the kingdom's finances and manpower during the final decades of his reign.
His coinage includes impressive silver tetradrachms and smaller bronze denominations with Macedonian military and royal imagery.
Perseus and the End of the Kingdom
Perseus, son of Philip V, became the last Antigonid king in 179 BC. His efforts to restore Macedonian influence brought him into conflict with Rome in the Third Macedonian War.
At Pydna in 168 BC, the Macedonian phalanx initially pressed the Roman army but lost cohesion on broken ground. Roman units penetrated the gaps and destroyed the formation at close range. Perseus surrendered, and Rome abolished the monarchy.
His tetradrachms, with a realistic royal portrait and eagle reverse, are the final major silver coinage of independent Macedon.
From Alexander's successor wars to Pydna, Antigonid coinage records the entire last chapter of Macedonian kingship.
How to Build an Antigonid Collection
- Antigonus I Monophthalmus, Alexander-type tetradrachm attributed by mint and chronology
- Demetrius I Poliorcetes, Nike-on-prow silver or more affordable bronze
- Antigonos II Gonatas, Pan shield tetradrachm or bronze
- Philip V, tetradrachm or Macedonian shield bronze
- Perseus, portrait tetradrachm or bronze from the final years of the kingdom
Bronze coins make the full dynasty far more achievable. Silver adds the major artistic masterpieces but can become expensive quickly, especially for attractive tetradrachms of Demetrius, Antigonos II, Philip V, and Perseus.
For collectors interested in the transition from Alexander's empire to Roman domination, few dynasty sets are more historically coherent. The Antigonids begin as Successor generals, become kings of Macedon, fight Rome, and disappear as an independent monarchy after Pydna. Their coins preserve every stage.
Hold what the greats held.
Browse Greek and Hellenistic Coins at Kinzer Coins
Authentic ancient Greek coins from Macedon, the Successor kingdoms, and the Hellenistic world, NGC-certified where available, guaranteed authentic, with 30-day returns.
Browse Greek Coins