Greek Troas Alexandria Troas

Alexandria Troas [ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΑ ΤΡΩΑΣ] - Alexandria - TROAD - TRO - COL AVG TROA​

Alexandria Troas was founded with the name Antigioneia, by Antigonos I Monophthalmos at around 310 BC. It was situated on the coast of Asia Minor, southwest of the ancient city of Troy. Its inhabitants came from the nearby cities of Kebren, Kolone, Neandria, Hamaxitos and Skepsis. The city was expanded by Lysimachos, King of Thrace, almost a decade after it was founded. He also renamed the city Alexandria in honour of Alexander the Great. The city remained prosperous well into Roman Times. This tetradrachm was most probably issued during the cities period of autonomy following Antiochos III of Syria defeat by the Romans at the battle of Magnesia in 189 BC. Apollo Smintheus is represented on both sides of this tetradrachm and also being named on the reverse. His designation may have originated from sminqoV (mouse), with which the Greek may associated disease. In the Iliad, Homer has Apollo Smintheus bring the plague to the Greeks as a punishment for Agamemnos’s arrogance toward Chryse, the god’s high priest. Apollo’s temple was built at Chryse in the territory of Hamaxitos, one of the cities from which the original population of Alexandria came from. The statue of Apollo, sculpted by the great Parian, shows Apollo standing with a mouse at his feet. The dating of the coins of Alexandria Troas does not present any problem of arrangement, as the date from the foundation of the city [300 BC] is shown on the reverse of the coins. The first known issue up to date was 164 BC [137 year after the foundation].