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Secondary sourceArtifactc. 320 BC or after

Tetradrachm of Ptolemy I showing Alexander the Great

c. 320 BC or after

A silver coin minted by Ptolemy I showing a posthumous portrait of Alexander wearing an elephant-scalp headdress.

This posthumous coin portrait shows how Alexander's successor Ptolemy I used his memory and image to legitimise his own rule.

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Photograph of a small gold-toned coin against a black background, showing a profile portrait of a helmeted or capped male figure facing right, with curled hair and a detailed neck and shoulder area.
Tetradrachm of Ptolemy I showing the head of Alexander the Great, c. 320 BC or after. Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.

About this source

What it is

This is a silver tetradrachm coin issued by Ptolemy I, one of Alexander's generals, around 320 BC or later. It is held at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The coin shows Alexander wearing an elephant-scalp cap and the horn of Ammon beneath his ear.

Why it matters

This portrait was made after Alexander's death, so it is not a true likeness but an image created for political reasons. The elephant headdress recalls Alexander's campaigns in India, while the ram's horn links him to the god Ammon. Ptolemy, who took control of Egypt after Alexander died, used these symbols on his coinage to connect his own rule to Alexander's legendary conquests.

Look closer

  • Why would Ptolemy want Alexander's image on his own coins years after Alexander's death?
  • What do the elephant cap and horn symbolise, and why combine them?
  • How is this image different from a portrait made during Alexander's lifetime?

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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