Item number: G10

Year: 200-100 BC

Material: Gold and Silver

Size: 24.5 x 22.7 x 4.4 mm

Weight: 5.8 g

Provenance: Marko Todorovic 2017

This ring from North Macedonia dates to the Hellenistic period, circa 200–100 BC. It features an engraved portrait of Alexander the Great, celebrated as one of history’s greatest generals. Crafted from high-purity silver and gold, the ring highlights the unparallelled prestige and status associated with Alexander the Great.

The uniqueness of this ring lies in its design, which features a frontal portrait of Alexander the Great. Unlike most rings of the time that typically depict side-profile engravings, this piece presents Alexander’s full face, showcasing his refined facial features and distinctive curly hair in exquisite detail. Although the ring was created more than a century after Alexander’s death, it reflects his enduring legacy as a revered and iconic ruler.

Alexander III of Macedon, also known as Alexander the Great, was born in 356 BC in the capital of the Kingdom of Macedon, Pella. His father, King Philip II of Macedon, sought to groom him as his successor and enlisted the renowned philosopher Aristotle to educate him when Alexander was 13 years old. In 336 BC, during the wedding of his daughter, King Philip II was assassinated by one of his bodyguards. After inheriting the throne, Alexander blamed the assassination on King Darius III of Persia, laying the groundwork for his subsequent invasion of the Persian Empire.

After securing his power and quelling unrest in the Balkan Peninsula, Alexander invaded the Persian Empire in 331 BC. He achieved a decisive victory at the Battle of Gaugamela, which crippled the Persian forces and forced King Darius III to flee. In the final years of his life, Alexander faced rebellions in various regions and the loss of close friends, which caused him considerable anxiety. Ultimately, he died in 323 BC, likely from illness, leaving behind a legacy of conquest that changed the course of history.

物件編號: G10

年代: 公元前 200-100 年

材質: 黃金, 銀

尺寸: 24.5 x 22.7 x 4.4 mm

重量: 5.8 g

來源: 馬爾科·托多羅維奇 2017

這枚來自北馬其頓的戒指，時代落於公元前200至100年的希臘化時代，這枚戒指刻畫被譽為最偉大將軍的亞歷山大大帝肖像，戒指本身使用純度極高的銀和金製作而成，凸顯出亞歷山大大帝顯赫的地位。

這枚戒指的獨特之處在於，它是以亞歷山大大帝的正面肖像作為設計。相較市面上的戒指大多以側臉角度去雕塑，能看到正面刻畫出亞歷山大的輪廓和精緻五官，和極具特色的捲髮。儘管戒指的年代距離亞歷山大大帝逝世已超過一百多年，但仍然看出他依舊是偉大的君主。

馬其頓亞歷山大三世又稱亞歷山大大帝，公元前356年出生於馬其頓王國首都佩拉，父親是馬其頓國王腓力二世，在亞歷山大13歲時，父親有意栽培他為繼承人，並找尋了當時知名的哲學家亞里斯多德來教導亞歷山大，公元前336年父親腓力二世在舉行女兒的婚禮時，遭到近身護衛官刺殺身亡。亞歷山大大帝繼承王位後，將此事件怪罪於波斯國王大流士三世，並為之後入侵波斯帝國埋下了伏筆。在鞏固了權利及平定在巴爾幹半島的騷亂後，亞歷山大隨即在公元前331年入侵波斯帝國，並在波斯門戰役大敗波斯軍導致波斯無力反擊，迫使波斯統治者大流士三世展開逃亡。在亞歷山大生命的最後幾年，多處地方發生叛亂和好友離世都讓亞歷山大焦慮不止，最終在公元前323年病逝。