Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 124 23 Jun 2021
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Pherai, Alexander tyrant, 369 – 358 BC.
Hemidrachm circa 369-358, AR 2.94 g. Head of youthful Jason l., wearing petasos. Rev. ΑΛΕΞΑ – ΝΔΡΕΙΟΝ Horse's lower leg with hoof r. Traité IV, 617 and pl. CCXCIV, 18 (these dies?). BCD Thessaly 1, 1312 (this coin).
Extremely rare and undoubtedly the finest of very few specimens known. A spectacular
portrait of excellent style struck in high relief and a very interesting reverse
type. Light iridescent tone and good extremely fine
Ex Nomos sale 4, 2011, BCD, 1312.
In 370/69 BC, Jason, the powerful tyrant of Pherai and tagos of the Thessalian League was assassinated. Upon his death, Jason's ambitious brothers Polydoros and Polyphron immediately assumed power jointly as his successor, thereby setting aside Alexander, Jason's son and rightful heir. By 369 BC, the obstacles between Alexander and power were reduced by half after Polyphron poisoned his brother. They were completely removed late in the same year after Alexander took up a spear and killed his uncle. Thereafter he is said to have worshipped the spear that killed Polyphron as a god. With his uncles out of the way, Alexander at last assumed tyranny at Pherai and the leadership of the Thessalian League, but the evil character of his rule was already established. This bloody succession created deep division among the cities of Thessaly and ultimately caused the Thessalian League to break into two opposing leagues, one led by Alexander as tagos and another, led by the Aleuadai family of Larisa, that refused to recognise the legitimacy of Alexander. This development led to a conflict between Alexander and his opponents that dragged on through most of his rule in Thessaly. The instability caused by Alexander in Thessaly frequently caused Alexander II of Macedon and the Boiotian League to intervene on behalf of Larisa. Although the tyrant of Pherai managed to arrest and hold hostage the famous Boiotarch Pelopidas in 368/7 BC and encompassed his death in battle in 364 BC, he was ultimately defeated and forced to give up his claim to lead the Thessalian League. In 362 BC, having lost much of his power in Thessaly, Alexander of Pherai took up a life of piracy, leading a fleet of ships to plunder the island and coastal cities of the Aegean Sea. He is known to have terrorized the Cycladic Islands and even plundered the port of Athens, before he was driven from the sea by the Athenian fleet. At last, even his family tired of Alexander's violence and began to plot his death. In 358 BC, a conspiracy involving his wife (who was also his half-sister) and three brothers was hatched and the tyrant was murdered in his own bed. Alexander's corpse was thrown into the street and his brothers assumed power in Pherai. In little more than a decade Alexander had squandered all of the gains that his father, Jason, had made, taking Pherai from the pinnacle of power as one of the leading cities of mainland to that of a secondary regional challenger for influence in Thessaly.
Hemidrachm circa 369-358, AR 2.94 g. Head of youthful Jason l., wearing petasos. Rev. ΑΛΕΞΑ – ΝΔΡΕΙΟΝ Horse's lower leg with hoof r. Traité IV, 617 and pl. CCXCIV, 18 (these dies?). BCD Thessaly 1, 1312 (this coin).
Extremely rare and undoubtedly the finest of very few specimens known. A spectacular
portrait of excellent style struck in high relief and a very interesting reverse
type. Light iridescent tone and good extremely fine
Ex Nomos sale 4, 2011, BCD, 1312.
In 370/69 BC, Jason, the powerful tyrant of Pherai and tagos of the Thessalian League was assassinated. Upon his death, Jason's ambitious brothers Polydoros and Polyphron immediately assumed power jointly as his successor, thereby setting aside Alexander, Jason's son and rightful heir. By 369 BC, the obstacles between Alexander and power were reduced by half after Polyphron poisoned his brother. They were completely removed late in the same year after Alexander took up a spear and killed his uncle. Thereafter he is said to have worshipped the spear that killed Polyphron as a god. With his uncles out of the way, Alexander at last assumed tyranny at Pherai and the leadership of the Thessalian League, but the evil character of his rule was already established. This bloody succession created deep division among the cities of Thessaly and ultimately caused the Thessalian League to break into two opposing leagues, one led by Alexander as tagos and another, led by the Aleuadai family of Larisa, that refused to recognise the legitimacy of Alexander. This development led to a conflict between Alexander and his opponents that dragged on through most of his rule in Thessaly. The instability caused by Alexander in Thessaly frequently caused Alexander II of Macedon and the Boiotian League to intervene on behalf of Larisa. Although the tyrant of Pherai managed to arrest and hold hostage the famous Boiotarch Pelopidas in 368/7 BC and encompassed his death in battle in 364 BC, he was ultimately defeated and forced to give up his claim to lead the Thessalian League. In 362 BC, having lost much of his power in Thessaly, Alexander of Pherai took up a life of piracy, leading a fleet of ships to plunder the island and coastal cities of the Aegean Sea. He is known to have terrorized the Cycladic Islands and even plundered the port of Athens, before he was driven from the sea by the Athenian fleet. At last, even his family tired of Alexander's violence and began to plot his death. In 358 BC, a conspiracy involving his wife (who was also his half-sister) and three brothers was hatched and the tyrant was murdered in his own bed. Alexander's corpse was thrown into the street and his brothers assumed power in Pherai. In little more than a decade Alexander had squandered all of the gains that his father, Jason, had made, taking Pherai from the pinnacle of power as one of the leading cities of mainland to that of a secondary regional challenger for influence in Thessaly.