Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 116 1 Oct 2019
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Larissa
Obol circa 500-479, AR 0.69 g. Head of nymph Larissa l., hair bound with ribbon. Rev. Λ – Α – R – Ι all within a quadripartite incuse square. BCD Thessaly I, 1101 (this coin). BCD Thessaly II, 347.1 (this reverse die). cf. Lanz sale 97, 2000, 217 (these dies).
Very rare. A bold portrait of fine style, lovely old cabinet tone and about extremely fine
Ex Nomos sale 4, 2011, BCD, 1101.
This early obol of Larissa depicts a female head, probably intended to represent Larissa, the nymph of the local spring from which the Thessalian city derived its name. In mythology she was considered to be an Argive princess who gave birth to three sons by Poseidon: Achaios, Phithios, and Pelasgos. These traveled to Thessaly, where they drove out the barbarian inhabitants and divided the land among themselves. Their territories became the historical Thessalian districts of Achaia, Phthiotis, and Pelasgiotis. This genealogy provided a mythological underpinning for the historical attempts by the city of Larissa to claim leadership over the other cities and peoples of Thessaly. It served to legitimize claims to hegemony not only over the cities of Pelasgiotis, of which Larissa was the most powerful, but even over those of Achaia and Phthiotis.
Obol circa 500-479, AR 0.69 g. Head of nymph Larissa l., hair bound with ribbon. Rev. Λ – Α – R – Ι all within a quadripartite incuse square. BCD Thessaly I, 1101 (this coin). BCD Thessaly II, 347.1 (this reverse die). cf. Lanz sale 97, 2000, 217 (these dies).
Very rare. A bold portrait of fine style, lovely old cabinet tone and about extremely fine
Ex Nomos sale 4, 2011, BCD, 1101.
This early obol of Larissa depicts a female head, probably intended to represent Larissa, the nymph of the local spring from which the Thessalian city derived its name. In mythology she was considered to be an Argive princess who gave birth to three sons by Poseidon: Achaios, Phithios, and Pelasgos. These traveled to Thessaly, where they drove out the barbarian inhabitants and divided the land among themselves. Their territories became the historical Thessalian districts of Achaia, Phthiotis, and Pelasgiotis. This genealogy provided a mythological underpinning for the historical attempts by the city of Larissa to claim leadership over the other cities and peoples of Thessaly. It served to legitimize claims to hegemony not only over the cities of Pelasgiotis, of which Larissa was the most powerful, but even over those of Achaia and Phthiotis.