Macedonian Coin | King Philip II

History of the Artifact The bronze coins struck under King Philip II of Macedon feature a head of Apollo on the obverse with his hair bound in a ‘taenia’ - a headband or ribbon traditionally worn at Greek festivals. The reverse features a youth prancing on a horse which some believe may depict King Philip II as he won the horseback race at the 106th Olympics in 356 BC, the quadriga race at the 107th in 352 BC and the biga race at the 108th in 348 BC, so the rider on his reverses may be himself. King Philip II of Macedon, commonly known as Philip II, was a significant figure in ancient history during the Hellenistic period. He reigned from 359 to 336 BC and was the father of Alexander the Great. Philip II is renowned for his military and political achievements, particularly for transforming Macedonia into a powerful and centralized kingdom. Philip II's most notable accomplishment was his development of the Macedonian phalanx, an effective military formation that contributed to his milit