Denomination:  AR Drachm (19mm, 4.08 g, 12h)  Kolophon mint         Date: 305-281 BCE

Description:  KINGS of THRACE, Macedonian. Lysimacho. In the types of Alexander III of Macedon. Kolophon mint. Struck circa 299/8-297/6 BC.

Obverse: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin. Reverse: Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre; forepart of lion left above crescent; pentagram below throne.

Lysimachos was one of Alexander the Great's body guards who became governor of Thrace and in 305 BC declared himself King.  In the division of the empire after Alexander's death, he was entrusted withThraceand adjoining territory in the Euxine, and in the Battle of Ipsos in 301 B.C. he acquired northwesternAsia Minor. 

He first issued coins with the types used by Alexander featuring Hercules and Zeus. Alexander is depicted here with a ram’s horn is because he was known to be obsessed with the quality of thetempleofAmun.  (Amun was later merged with Zeus during the Ptolemy dynasty.)  The ram’s horn was used as a symbol to connect the Gods with the heavens, so by featuring it on the coin, Lysimachos deified Alexander, identifying him as the son of Zeus-Ammon.

Kolophon was an ancient city in Ionia. Founded around the turn of the first millennium BC, it was likely one of the oldest of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. In ancient times it was located between Lebedos and Ephesus.