![Attica, Athens, 'New Style' Tetradrachm, c. 118-117 BC [AGC2-96] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AGC2-96-2.jpg)
Description
Roman Republic, Province of Macedonia, Attica, Athens, Silver ‘New Style’ Tetradrachm (16.59g, 28mm, Hellenistic-Attic Standard), magistrates ‘AMMΩNIOΣ’ (“Ammonios”), ‘KAΛΛIAΣ’ (“Kallias”) and ‘ΔIONYΣI’ (“Dionysis”), circa 118-117 BC. Obverse: Head of Athena ‘Parthénos’ (‘the Maiden/Virgin’) facing to the right, wearing necklace, pendent earring, and triple-tailed crested Attic helmet decorated with tendrils, griffin and the protomes of four horses above the visor. Reverse: Athenian Owl with closed wings right, head facing, perched on horizontal amphora inscribed with “M”; “AӨE” above magistrate’s names: “AMMΩNIOΣ” & “ΔIONYΣI” to left inner field, “KAΛΛIAΣ” to right inner field, “ΣΦ” below amphora. Thompson-584-591var (Dionysi magistrate). Well centred with all devices present on flan, typically bold in design, a very nice example, good Very Fine.
The 2nd century BC saw major changes to the Greek mainland due to the ever-increasing power of the Roman Republic – the Third Macedonian War concluded in 168 BC with Roman victory over the Antigonid Kingdom of Macedonia, and later, in 148 BC, the Fourth Macedonian War ended with the defeat of Andriscus of Macedon, the last self-styled King of Macedonia. Instead of leaving the Greece and allowing for Greek autonomy as they had in 168 BC after the Third war, the Senate decided to establish the Roman province of Macedonia, creating a permanent Roman presence in the region which administrated all of mainland Greece. Geographically, this included Macedon itself, Paeonia and parts of Illyria, Thessaly, Epirus to the west, and, after the defeat of the infantile resistance by the Achaean League later in 146 BC, Achaia to the south, which consisted of the Peloponnese, Attica, Boeotia, Euboea, the Cyclades and parts of Phthiotis, Aetolia and Phocis. Only a few territories retained partial autonomy and self-governing, including Athens. After the start of the Principate, Augustus, now the first Emperor of Rome, separated the regions of Achaia and Epirus from the Province of Macedonia in 27 BC, creating the Roman Province of Achaia and Province of Epirus.
