A Danubian Celtic imitative coin of an Alexander the Great silver tetradrachm. The obverse features the profile bust of Herakles facing right in a crude style, and the reverse presents the image of Zeus enthroned on the left, holding an eagle in his right hand and a sceptre in his left. The coin features wear to the surface and some minor earthy encrustations. From the early 5th century BC, the Celtic tribes ruled much of Europe, and their extensive martial history engaged many notable civilisations and peoples. It was under Alexander the Great, the legendary king of the Hellenistic Kingdom of Macedon, that they first encountered coins as payments, and soon began to strike their own coins - originally copies of Greek, Roman and other currencies and later modified the foreign designs according to their own taste and fashion. Owing to the reputation and popularity of both himself and his currency, the coinage of Alexander the Great was a very popular design used by the Celtic tribes in the initial stages of their coin manufacture. Diameter: 2.8cm Weight: 14.65g Provenance: Ex Cambridgeshire private collection, acquired 1970s.