THESSALY. Larissa. Circa 420 B.C. AR drachm. 5.84 gm. 19 mm. Thessalos standing left, nude but for chlamys and petasos flying in air behind him, wrestling bull leaping left / A bridled horse leaping right; ΛΑΡΙ ΣΑΙΑ above and below. BCD Thessaly I 1128. BCD Thessaly II 174 (same obverse die). HGC 4, 420. SNG Copenhagen 108. Near Extremely Fine; fine style; choice coin, well centered, with a clear strike, fresh surfaces, and golden iridescent hues in the light old toning. A most beautiful example of this issue.

Ex Edward J. Waddell (8/2002) (tag included).

Larissa in Thessaly, inhabited since Paleolithic times, its name meaning "citadel," was an important agricultural center and in antiquity was particularly renowned for its horses. The form of bull fighting depicted on this coin–the taurokathapsia–was popular at games throughout the ancient Greek world, and especially prominent on the 5th century B.C. coinage at Larissa.