A Signed Drachm from Pharsalos

I have always liked ancient coins which are signed by the artists that created them. When this coin from Pharsalos popped up on Forum, believed to be signed on both sides by “Telephantos,” I was immediately intrigued. Before I even had the coin in hand I started to research the city to find any clues about who was this Telephantos? Some interesting history happened in Pharsalos, the name should be familiar to Roman Republic fans.

Pharsalos was one of the main cities in Thessaly. It claimed to be the Homeric Phthia, the birthplace of Achilles. In the Persian Wars, Pharsalos sided with the Athenians. In the early 4th century B.C., the city was a part of the Thessalian League. It was the only city in the league to mint coins with their own unique designs. The reason why it was able to do this is not currently known. The horse that often appears on the city’s coins alludes to the fact that the Thessalians had the best cavalry and bred the best horses. Alexander the Great’s famous horse, Bukephalos, for example, came from Thessaly.

Pharsalos joined the Macedonian Kingdom under Philip II. The area became a theater of war where the Aetolians and the Thessalians clashed with the Macedonians, especially during the Second and the Third Macedonian Wars. After the defeat of the Macedonian Kingdom, Pharsalos and the whole area became a part of the Roman Republic. Pharsalos is famous for being the scene of the final battle between Caesar and Pompey.

The coinage of Pharsalos is the subject of a die study by Stella Lavva (written in German and not an easy book to acquire). I found two reviews in English of her work, both of which had some questions about her dating of the coins, and her supposition that the Celator who signed their coins as “Telephantos” was actually the sculptor “Telephanes.” Her theory was the “Telephantos” was a pen name whose choice had some pointed meaning. OK, what meaning? I was not able to find a translation of “Telephantos” into English using translator apps and web searches. We usually think of the root “Tele” to mean “far”, but “phantos” I was not able to translate satisfactorily. If this is a pen name, then its meaning would probably tell us something interesting about the motivations of the artist.

Another interesting fact is that there are several variations of this design which include “TH” and another set of initials under it, such as “MI”, which are speculated by some to be the apprentices of Telephantos. The BCD collection contained a number of superb specimens, one of which sold for $90,000 hammer. There is one reverse die which includes all of Telephantos signature spelled out in the exergue. My specimen happens to have this die, the BCD collection had one in which the signature is more complete and visible. Some of the design variations include different decorations of Athena’s helmet, including plain hinged cheek-pieces, eagles wings, snake coils, plant leaves, a sphinx leaping (boss level), and Skylla shading her eyes with a hand (legendary!). A subcollection of drachms with all the different helmet decorations would be really satisfying.

The meaning of “raised cheek-pieces” is a hinged flap of metal attached to the rim of the helmet above each side of the face. On the coins, these are shown folded up out of the way, which presumably is more comfortable when going about the peaceful business of being a Goddess. When things get real, the cheek pieces can be folded back down to protect the face.



Thessaly, Pharsalos, AR Drachm, Superb classical style, both dies signed by the master engraver Telephantos, 5.794g, 19.0mm, 195o, Pharsalos (Farsala, Greece) mint, late 5th-mid 4th century B.C.
Obverse: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet with raised cheek-piece, small TH behind neck.
Reverse: F-A-R-S (clockwise from lower right), Thessalian cavalryman on horse prancing right, wearing petasos, chlamys, and chiton, lagobolon over right shoulder in right hand, reins in left hand; TELEFANTO small, retrograde, and low relief in exergue.
References: Lavva 105 (V51/R58); BCD Thessaly II 640 (same rev. die); BMC Thessaly p. 43, 6 & pl. IX, 9 (same); HGC 4 624; BCD Thessaly I -.
The tiny letters on the obverse left and reverse exergue are believed to be the initials and signature of Telephantos.

Please post your coins of Pharsalos!

John

 

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Gorgeous!

The only thing I can contribute with any relevance at all is this one from Thessaly:


Marcus Aurelius. A.D. 161-180
Roman provincial AE diassarion; 25.0 mm, 10.86 g, 1 h
Thessaly, Thessalian League
Obv: ΑYΤ Μ ΑYP ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: KOINON ΘΕCCΑΛΩΝ, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear and holding shield.
Refs: Rogers 95; BMC 79

 

Congratulations Theodosius on purchasing an absolutely fantastic coin.

 

Wow, that is an incredible work of art... huge congratulations!!!

 

I'm envious! That's an absolutely beautiful coin with an intriguing background.

I only have one from Pharsalos, a rather junky bronze...


THESSALY, Pharsalos
AE Trichalkon. 7.1g, 23x20mm. THESSALY, Pharsalos, circa 4th - 3rd century BC. BCD 672.4. O: Helmeted head of Athena facing slightly right, wearing plain necklace with central medallion. R: ΦA to left, upwards, P (retrograde) in field right, ΣA (retrograde) below right, armoured Thessalian horseman in short chiton and wearing Boiotian helmet above which crescent with its horns upwards, brandishing bifurcate flail and riding right on prancing horse decorated with a beaded necklace; below, head wearing Corinthian helmet right.

 

Talk about eye-appeal! That is one gorgeous coin. Extra kudos for it being signed!

 

Ditto!!!!!!

 

WOW!!! Simply magnificent!!!

Without a doubt, that drachm would be the 'flagship' coin of my collection!

Well, I do not seem to have any from Pharsalos....but I'll pile on with a budget example form Larissa, Thessaly

Silver Drachm of Larissa, 350-320 BC; Thessaly
Nymph facing; Horse grazing left
6.11 grams; SNG COP 123

 

VERY VERY NICE John. Gorgeous coin, and thanks for a thoughtful write-up. Gosh, almost convinces me to start focusing on Greek coinage!

I have a more worn, but famous Celator Signature from Mr. Δ of Alexandria...


Egypt Ptolemy I Soter Tet Obv-Rev Delta bankers marks CELATOR DELTA Δ called out

 

Very cool signed Ptolemy!

I did not know about those.

 

Splendid and very, very beautiful coin! Congrats on it!

 

it is a purdy coin~

 

Amazing style and coin!

 

Awesome!

 

Here is my humble larissa baby Thessaly, Larissa AR Drachm ca. 4th century B.C
O. Nymph R. Horse preparing to roll
6.9 gm
Ex. Atlas Numismatics

 

And mine:

 

Nothing humble about that coin! That is a beautiful portrait and horse.

I like the old toning as well.

I have a similar one that is one of my favorite coins of all time.

John

 

Wowie-- it's gorgeous!!