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GREEK HEAD OF HERAKLES ALEXANDER THE GREAT SILVER COIN PENDANT IN 14KY GOLD 336 - 323 B.C. A masterpiece in jewelry! This attractive piece perfectly captures the spirit of ANCIENT GREECE with beauty and artistic style that only that magnificent kingdom of long ago can lay claim to. The bold, smooth polished 14K yellow gold setting displays a GENUINE ancient Greek silver drachm featuring the head of Herakles wearing a lion's skin headdress. This was the mythological representation of the ruler Alexander III, otherwise known as Alexander the Great. As one of the greatest leaders of the ancient world, the image and legend of Alexander lasted even into the Roman period! Alexander was born 356 B.C. in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was the son of Philip II, king of Macedonia, and of Olympias, a princess of Epirus. His tutor was Aristotle, who trained him in rhetoric and literature and stimulated his interest in science, medicine and philosophy. In the summer of 336 B.C., his father was assassinated and Alexander ascended to the Macedonian throne. At this time, Alexander (and his kingdom) was extremely vulnerable with considerable unrest at home and abroad. This was all put to rest by a string of events that immediately elevated Alexander III to being known as Alexander the Great. In 335B.C., as general of the Greeks, Alexander carried out a successful campaign against the Thracians defeating them swiftly. On his return he crushed in a single week, the threatening Illyrians and then hastened to Thebes, which had revolted. He took the city by storm and razed it, sparing only the temples of the gods and the houses of the Greek lyric poet Pindar, and selling the surviving 8000 inhabitants, into slavery. Alexander's promptness in crushing the revolt of Thebes brought the other Greek states into instant and unconditional submission. It is said that while visiting Athens to seal a pact, Alexander visited the Oracle at Delphi despite it being a day when prophecy was forbidden. In his attempts to drag the priestess to the place where she gave her Oracles, she screamed, "My son, you are invincible!" This event would never be forgotten and had profound influence on Alexander's boldness and self image for the rest of his short life. Alexander was a great military mind having been the son of a great warrior and tactician. By the time Alexander had come to rule, he had already taken part in numerous battles with his father. Alexander's father, Philip II, developed the PHALANX, the most notable and effective weapon of ancient Greece. The phalanx was a box formation for infantry soldiers from 8 to 36 men deep. The men in the front carried spears of about four to six meters (12 to 18 feet), that were usually held in an upright position so tight that it created a wall. This wall of spears helped hide what was going on with the units behind the formation. When held horizontally, enemies could be killed at a safe range from the formation. The phalanx was revolutionary for its time and was a very potent weapon. It was only surpassed when the Romans developed the legion, another infantry formation with different weapons and armor. Alexander was able to put together a very impressive army and his military accomplishments are legendary and endless, it seems. He was an expert at organizing his units for complex battle maneuvers, hiding the true numbers that make up of his forces, and managing his army during the ever-changing flow of battle. Near the point of his death he began to believe he was a god and promoted himself as such to his kingdom. He claimed he descended from Herakles (Hercules) and began minting coins that depicted himself as Herakles. His mother even told him that a serpent had impregnated her rather then his father (whom she passionately despised shortly after his birth) adding to his thoughts that he was a god. Before his death, Alexander the Great had some of his cities worship him as a god. With his accomplishments and influence on the classic ancient world that lasted long after his untimely death at the age of just 33, no mortal truly came closer to being a "god" than Alexander the Great! A true masterpiece combination of fine jewelry craftsmanship and GENUINE ancient art! HIGHLY recommended and one of a kind. Overall diameter is 22 mm. CPG022 SOLD COMES WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY / HISTORY SHEET *** shown with optional CHAIN C, not included |
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