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Primary sourceArtifactca. 318–316 BCE

Tetradrachm of Alexander the Great (c. 318-316 BCE)

ca. 318–316 BCE

A silver tetradrachm struck in Alexander's name after his death, showing his portrait with a lion-skin headdress.

A posthumous coin bearing Alexander's image, part of evidence for how his portrait was used by his successors.

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Photograph of a silver-toned ancient coin on a light grey background. The coin shows a profile portrait of a man with curly hair wearing a lion-skin headdress, facing right, with a laurel wreath border along the edge.
Tetradrachm of Alexander the Great, ca. 318–316 BCE. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

This silver tetradrachm, struck around 318-316 BCE by the Seleucid dynasty, carries a portrait of a curly-haired man wearing a lion-skin headdress, identified with Alexander the Great. It is held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Why it matters

Coins like this were issued after Alexander's death by his successors, who used his image to link themselves to his authority and achievements. Comparing coins over time shows how his portrait was adapted and reused as a political symbol across the empire he had built.

Look closer

  • What features of the portrait (hair, headdress, wreath) stand out to you?
  • Why would a new ruler choose to put a dead king's face on their own coins?
  • What does the spread of this image across many coins tell us about Alexander's lasting influence?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Alexander the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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