The old Thessalian League was revived under Roman rule. This koinon (commonwealth of cities) continued to serve administrative functions even when the entire region was incorporated into the Roman Province of Macedonia in 146 BC. During much of the Imperial period, Thessaly was a quiet provincial region that was largely left to govern itself. Most prominently featured on the coins of the Koinon of Thessaly was Athena Itonia, whose cult was second in importance only to that of Zeus in Thessaly. The first month of the calendar of the Thessalian koinon was named Itonia in honor of the goddess, and during this month, festivals and games dedicated to Athena were held across Thessaly. I have only two coins of the Koinon of Thessaly, each issued under Roman imperial rule. Post your coins of Thessaly! Domitian and Domitia, AD 81-96. Roman provincial Æ 19.6 mm, 5.13 g, 6 h. Thessaly, Koinon of Thessaly, First emisson, c AD 82. Obv: ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑΝΟΝ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΑ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΙ, laureate head of Domitian, right. Rev: ΔΟΜΙΤΙΑ ΣΕΒΑΣΣΤΗN, draped bust of Domitia, right. Refs: RPC II 278; Sear 891; BMC 7.7,76; Rogers 88 var. Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-180. Roman provincial Æ 25.2 mm, 10.79 g, 5 h. Thessaly, Thessalian League, AD 161-180. Obv: AYT M AYP AN-TѠNЄINOC, laureate head, right. Rev: KOINON ΘΕCCΑΛѠΝ, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear and holding shield. Refs: RPC IV.1, 4565 (temporary); Rogers 95; BMC 79; SNG Evelpidis 1680-81; Mionnet Suppl. III 61.
Yeap, for Thessaly Roman rule was relatively peaceful and the indigenous culture was respected. But you could say that for most of Greece really, and that is probably why the whole region evolved into the Byzantine Empire a few centuries later. My example is from the heart of the league revival by the Romans:
Gray coins RC!!! All of my koinon is of the Macedonian type. But I do have somethings from thessaly: EPEIROS, Epeirote Republic Circa 234-168 BC. Æ 22mm (6.48 gm). Laureate head of Zeus left / APEI-PWTAN and thunderbolt; within oak wreath. Franke pg. 226ff; SNG Copenhagen 128; BMC Thessaly pg. 91, 46-47; Laffaille 340. Good VF, glossy greenish brown patina Thessaly, Gyrton 3rd century B.C. AE trichalkon (18.07 mm, 4.93 g, 4 h). head of hero Gyrton right / ΓYPT/ΩИIΩN, bridled horse prancing left. BCD 83.4; Rogers 228. VF.
Nice coins, @Roman Collector ... and FUN thread! DOUBLE VICTORIATUS Thessaly AR Stater Double Victoriatus 21mm 5.7g 50 BCE Zeus - Athena Itonia spear shield Roman Republic Provincial SNG Cop 299var
Thessaly, Koinon of Thessaly under Augustus. Pseudo-autonomous AE15. Strategos: Megalokles Obv. Head of Zeus, THESSALO Rev. Head of Apollo, MEGALOKLEKLEI Burrer 109-111. Thessalian League. Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AE20. Sosandros Sosandrou, magistrate. AE20, 9.0gm. Sosandrou Sosandros , magistrate. Bare head right / Athena standing left, holding Nike and resting hand on shield; spear resting against her arm; monogram in left field. Rare. Rogers 69. RPC 1425 var. Thessaly, Koinon of Thessaly. Hadrian. Æ20 AD 117-138. Æ Diassarion (20mm, 5.80 g, 6h). Nikomachos, strategos. AΔPIANON KAICAPA ΘЄCCAΛOI, laureate bust right, wearing drapery on far shoulder / (monogram)OX NIKO-MAXOY, Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear held in her right hand, shield on her left arm. Thessaly, Koinon of. Septimius Severus AE21. Obv: AVT L CEP CEBHPOCP, laureate head right. Rev: KOINON QECCALWN, Athena Itonia standing right brandishing javelin & shield.
THESSALY, TRIKKA AR Hemidrachm OBV: Youth, petasos and cloak tied at neck, wrestling forepart of bull right REV: Forepart of horse galloping right; T-PI-KK-A-I around; all within concave incuse Circa 420-400 BC 2.7g, 17mm SNG Cop 265 ex: JAZ Numismatics THESSALY, LARISSA AR Trihemiobol OBVERSE: Head of nymph Larissa three-quarter facing left in necklace, hair confined by fillet & floating loosely, with ampyx in front REVERSE: ΛAPI (Laris) above, horse feeding right. Struck at Larissa 395-344 BC .75g, 10mm SNG Cop 135 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 Thessaly 196-146 BC 4.0g, 16 mm BMC 36
