Beginning about 1000 BC, the two plains of Thessaly were united in a federation under a single chief. The Thessalian League was created in the late sixth century BC by Aleuas the Red. Although the Thessalians were a dominant state in Greek affairs early in its life, the state became weak following the outbreak of internal rivalries in the fifth century BC. In the aftermath of the Lamian War, Thessaly was effectively partitioned between Macedon and the Aetolian Confederacy, and was relegated to a setting for competing militaries, including the Romans. Following the Roman Republic’s defeat of Macedon, T. Quinctius Flamininus, the victorious general, headed a senatorial commission to establish a protectorate in Greece. As a diplomatic gesture, he pronounced that those Greek areas (including Thessaly) which were formerly under Macedonian control were now free. Flamininus then revived an independent Thessalian League, which had been under the control of the Macedonian king since the time of Philip II. Reorganized along the pre-Macedonian model, this new version was autonomous and included neighboring Thessalian districts as members. When the rest of Greece was reduced to the status of a Roman province, the Thessalian League continued to exist as an ally of Rome. Although the Thessalian League appeared to exist in some form or other throughout the Roman Empire, it had become a ceremonial body that provided positions for the local elite and its history became interwoven with that of Thessaly proper. A series of coins comprised solely of silver coinage in three denominations (stater, drachm, and hemidrachm/obol), was the first truely Thessalian League "federal" coinage. All issues bore the ethnic ΘΕΣΣΑΛΙΩΝ, along with the responsible magistrates' names, and were likely minted at Larissa, the capital of the League. Unfortunately, this federal coinage was the last Thessalian coinage to ever be minted. The above information gathered from various internet sources. This is my first and only coin of the revived Thessalian League: THESSALIAN LEAGUE, AR Drachm Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right, ΓAYANA (magistrate) behind Rev: Athena Itonia standing right, with shield and about to hurl spear, ΘEΣΣA - ΛΩN to sides, bunch of grapes on vine right, Π-O / Λ-Y (magistrate) across lower fields Struck at Larissa 196-146 BC 4.0g, 16 mm BMC 36
I don't recall seeing that denomination before, sweet! I don't have any Thessalian League coins to post but one should be in the mail soon
Excellent coin! I've been looking for a nice bronze of this type that suits my budget, but the hunt continues. It's nice to see a drachm. And thank you for the informative essay.
Thanks for the Thessalian League information. Posts like this are really helpful to me. Here is my Thessalian League stater: THESSALIAN LEAGUE THESSALI, Larissa AR Stater, 196-146 B.C. 6.14 grams, 21 mm Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right crowned with oak Rev: Athena Itonia advancing right brandishing a horizontal spear in right hand and shield in left hand. ΘΕΣΣΑ to left, ΛΩΝ to right, ΦIΛ-ΩN* above, and ποΛοΧοΣ below magistrates Hippolochos and Philon Grade: Well centered about EF with gentle toning and attractive obverse field flow lines. Other: Good style similar to Sear 2232, BMC 3,34. BCD Thessaly II 869.2 [Double Victoriatus = 1.5 Denarii]. Ex La Galerie Numismatique (Heritage Jan 2013) lot 61035 From Eye-Appealing Coins April 2013
Nice => that's a sweet new addition, Big Bro (congrats) ... sweet write-up, my friend ... I'm really not too sure if I have any Thessalian League coins (I have a bunch from Thessaly ... but that doesn't sound like that means I have a bunch of Thessalian League coins ... or does it?) Cheers
I have one but I have not found the right conditions to photograph these dark bronze coins. Trichalkon 6.33g, 19.9mm O: laureate head of Apollo right R: Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear with right, shield on her left arm, monogram in inner right Thessaly mint 196-27BC
Those glossy black bronzes are a bitch to photograph. That's actually a very decent image of a very nice coin.
