Philip V had the distinction of being the last real Greek king to wage a major battle before complete domination by Rome. With Rome busy fighting Carthage, Philip V gathered the troops and attempted to gain territory in the Aegean with only Rhodes and Pergamum remaining hostile. Unfortunately the great naval battle between the powers resulted in a loss by Philip.

This battle did not ultimately decide the fate of Macedon. Philip continued his course and attempted to overpower the emerging Roman armies. He eventually signed a peace treaty with Rome but his enemies at Pergamum continued to create tensions and suspicion between Rome and Macedon. Infighting within the family between Philip’s two sons resulted in one son being executed by his father. Philip died only a year later and was replaced by his elder son Perseus who ruled as the last king of Macedon.

Philip V was routinely compared to Alexander the Great. He was evidently a very attractive young man and commanded the attention that Alexander had some 100 years earlier.

This coin has an illustrious pedigree going back to 1909. It was part of the Lockett collection and was a duplicate auctioned off by the British Museum. This practice of trading duplicates was common in the early 1900’s and continued well into the 1970’s.