Larissa
Triobol circa 479-465, AR 2.59 g. Head of Jason l., wearing petasus. Rev. ΛAR – IΣA retrograde within incuse square. Herrmann Group I, b1 (wrong weight listed). De Luynes 1831 (these dies). BCD Thessaly I –. BCD Thessaly II, –.
Extremely rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Struck in high relief
and with a lovely iridescent tone, flan crack at three o’clock on obverse,
otherwise extremely fine
Ex Triton sale XIV, 2011, 102.
Jason, the leader of the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece, was a Thessalian hero hailing from the city of Iolchos. One mythological tradition elevated him from the status of a local hero to progenitor of the entire Thessalian people as the father of Thessalos, the eponymous hero from which the Thessalians derived their name. Jason almost certainly appears here in his role as the ancestor of all Thessalians since he is not known to have had specific mythological or cult connections to Larissa. He is an interesting choice for the coinage of Larissa, for just as he was the ancestral head of the Thessalians as a whole, Larissa desired to be the head of the Thessalian cities and peoples through the domination of the Thessalian League.
Price realized | 4'750 CHF |
Starting price | 4'000 CHF |
Estimate | 5'000 CHF |