Amyntas I was king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from at least 512/511 until his death in 498/497 BC. Although there were a number of rulers before him, Amyntas is the first king of Macedonia for which we have any reliable historical information. During Amyntas' reign, Macedonia became a vassal state of the Achaemenid Empire in 510 BC.
Silver trihemiobol struck c. 510-480 BC, possibly a civic issue from Aegae. Obv.: goat kneeling right, head reverted; rev.: incuse square with four sections.
Macedonia (ancient kingdom)
Macedonia, also called Macedon, was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, which later became the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by the royal Argead dynasty, which was followed by the Antipatrid and Antigonid dynasties. Home to the ancient Macedonians, the earliest kingdom was centered on the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, and bordered by Epirus to the southwest, Illyria to the northwest, Paeonia to the north, Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south.
The entrance to one of the royal tombs at Vergina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
A silver octadrachm of Alexander I of Macedon (r. 498–454 BC), minted c. 465–460 BC, showing an equestrian figure wearing a chlamys (short cloak) and petasos (head cap) while holding two spears and leading a horse
A Macedonian didrachm minted during the reign of Archelaus I of Macedon (r. 413–399 BC)
A silver stater of Amyntas III of Macedon (r. 393–370 BC)