Getas, King of the Edones - Circa 470-465 BC

Coin 2. AR Oktadrachm (27.76 gm). GIT[A] retrograde, L+ in exergue, Naked herdsman (perhaps Hermes) standing left conducting a pair of oxen, the one in the foreground with its head lowered, the one in the background with its head raised; small trefoil pattern before the herdsman's face / Four-spoked wheel within incuse square. Tatscheva pg. 626, 1 = ACGC 483 = Wartenberg, "Calymna Calumniated - a Nineteenth Century Misattribution," in Studies in Greek Numismatics in Memory of Martin Jessop Price, pl. 77 var. (obverse type right, same reverse die); Svoronos -; SNG Copenhagen -; BMC Macedonia -; SNG ANS -; . Unpublished variety with the oxen standing left.

The Edoni were a Macedonian tribe most likely located along the Strymon river, in the area of Mount Pangaeus, probably near the location of Amphipolis.  Except for his coinage, king Getas is unknown to history. In 437 the Edones were defeated by Athens, after which the Athenians founded the city of Amphipolis.

The Edoni struck only Oktadrachms, no fractional issues are known. Tatscheva illustrates 9 specimens, struck from 8 obverse dies and 9 reverse dies and the specimen illustrated from the Dekadrachm hoard was struck from another pair of dies. The large number of dies suggests a relatively large issue, perhaps extending over several years. Their large size, made them prime candidates for melting and re-use and also made them more difficult to loose, thus accounting for there relatively low survival rate today. Almost always found in eastern hoards, these large silver coins were most likely struck to pay tribute to the Persian empire. All of the coinage struck by the Edoni were in the name of King Getas.

The dating of Getas' coinage is varied. Svoronos and Kraay (Archaic and Classical Greek Coins) dated them to circa 480, but more recent evidence from the Asyut Hoard and Dekadrachm Hoard suggests a later date. There were no Getas Oktadrachms in the Asyut Hoard and there were 3 Getas coins in the Dekadrachm Hoard and they were some of the freshest coins in the hoard.

Getas was one of the first Kings to strike coins in his own name, and was the first to call himself BASILEWS on his coinage.

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