Ancient Greece - 306-283 BCE Kingdom of Macedon Demetrius I Poliorcetes AR Tetradrachm NGC Choice AU

The dramatic coinage of Demetrius I Poliorcetes is unlike any other issues of the ancient Greek world. Obverse presents Nike standing left on prow of galley left, sounding trumpet in right hand, cradling stylis in left arm. Reverse: ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ-ΒΑ-ΣΙΛΕΩ-Σ, Poseidon, nude, striding left, seen from behind, net draped over extended left arm, preparing to throw trident held in right hand; ΞΩ monogram in left field, dolphin left above eight pointed star in right field. WINGS sticker for superior quality.

Marble bust of Demetrius I Poliorcetes. Roman copy from 1st century AD of a Greek original from 3rd century BC. Photo: wikipedia.

Demetrius I Poliorcetes was the son of Alexander the Great's general Antigonus I Monophthalmus ("the One-Eyed"). Demetrius became known as the "Besieger of Cities" because of his famous--yet mostly unsuccessful--attempts to conquer Rhodes and other important cities.

In 313 BC Demetrius was named governor of Syria and Phoenicia. In 307 BC he was called a "savior god" by the citizenry of Athens, for he freed them from Cassander. The year 306 BC saw Demetrius lay siege to Salamis in Cypress; he defeated Ptolemy and was named king. Wars continued and three years later (302 BC) he was named commander-in-chief of the united Hellenic states. Wars continued led by Demetrius non-stop until an alliance was formed against him by Lysimachus, Seleucus, Ptolemy, and Pyrrhus. In 288 BC, he was defeated by them, fleeing to Greece. Wars continued, but Seleucus defeated Demetrius in 285 BC and made him an honorable captive in Syria, where he died in 282 BC at the age of 46.