MACEDONIA UNDER ROMAN RULE
The Four Regions | Silver Tetradrachm
Amphipolis Mint | 167–149 BC
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Coin Details
•Region: Macedonia (under Roman administration)
•Period: After the Roman victory over Perseus (Battle of Pydna, 168 BC)
•Date: 167–149 BC
•Mint: Amphipolis
•Denomination: Tetradrachm
•Material: Silver (AR)
•Diameter: 31 mm
•Weight: 16.94 g
•Condition: Good Very Fine
•References: SNG Copenhagen 1314; AMNG III 176; HGC 3.1, 1103
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Obverse
Macedonian shield decorated with the bust of Artemis Tauropolos facing right.
The detailed military shield reflects Macedonian martial identity, while Artemis Tauropolos — a protective and war-associated deity — symbolizes divine guardianship over the region.
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Reverse
Legend: ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ ΠΡΩΤΗΣ (“Of the Macedonians of the First [Region]”)
Club (symbol of Herakles) with monograms above and below, all within an oak wreath.
A thunderbolt appears in the field.
The oak wreath references Zeus and royal Macedonian symbolism. The club recalls Herakles, mythic ancestor of the Macedonian kings.
This coin was issued after Rome defeated King Perseus and dissolved the Macedonian monarchy, dividing the territory into four semi-autonomous republics — making this coinage historically significant as a transitional political issue.
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Historical Significance
After the fall of the Antigonid dynasty in 168 BC, Rome reorganized Macedonia into four independent regions (merides), forbidding intermarriage and land ownership across regions.
This tetradrachm represents the First Region, centered around Amphipolis.
It is one of the earliest examples of Roman-controlled but locally administered Greek coinage — a powerful symbol of Rome’s expanding influence in the Hellenistic world.