Lot 3408
Thraco-Macedonian Tribes. The Edones. King Getas, c. 480-460 BC. AR Oktadrachm (28.02g), struck c. 476-473 BC. Extremely Rare! Herdsman wearing petasos, guiding two bulls right, groundline. Reverse: Textured quadripartite square with inscription around; ΓETA B - AΣIΛE - ΩY HΔΩ - NEΩN, all within shallow incuse square. TatschevaType III, 6-7; AMNG III, p. 144, 1 var. (legend); Traité pl. XLV, 6; Weber 1853; SNG ANS --. Boldly struck, with slight doubling at right, which in no way diminishes the vigorous archaic art of this rarity. Metal lightly matte and granular, but quite fine for coins from this region. Slightly toned. Choice Very Fine.
Estimated Value $12,500 - 15,000.
The Edones were a Thraco-Macedonian group living east of the Strymon River and near Mt. Pangion, with its enviable precious metal deposts. Little is known of their history, but like other groups in the area, their tribes were headed by chieftens who employed the nominal title of Basileus. These tribes often formed regional alliances, with their coinage struck to a common weight standard, and utilizing mythological coin types which held broader appeal and associations for the combined populations.
After the end of the Persian Wars, with that eastern threat safely removed for the time being, Alexander I of Macedon began to extend his control over the Thraco-Macedonian region. To indicate his authority, he now added his name to his perviously uninscribed "horseman" issues. During this period, the Edones were still striking the herdsman types, a device which had appeared in the area on coins of the late 6th century BC., and which had never been employed by the Macedonians. King Getas now added his name and title to these issues to clearly show Alexander his status a ruler independant of the Macedonians, and likewise to make clear the sovereignty of Edononian lands in the face of Macedonian territorial ambitions.
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