Trikka Thessaly

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Bing, Nov 7, 2019.

  1. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    A few months ago some of you posted your Trikka examples. Well, I liked them enough to find one for my collection (I'm supposed to be selling, not buying). Anyway, here is the example I purchased from our very own John Anthony.
    Trikka.jpg
    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

    From Wikipedia:
    Trikka or Trikke, was founded around the 3rd millennium BC and took its name from the nymph Trikke, daughter of Penaeus, or according to others, daughter of the river god Asopus. The ancient city was built at a defensive location in between the local hill and the river Lithaios. The city became an important center in antiquity and it was considered to be the birthplace and main residence of the healing god Asclepius. The city exhibited one of the most important and ancient of Asclepius' healing temples, called asclepieia. The city is mentioned in Homer's Iliad as having participated in the Trojan War with thirty ships under Asclepius' sons Machaon and Podalirius.

    Quote from a previous thread by @Pavlos
    "During religious games, the young men of Thessaly participated in bull jumping and bull wrestling. In bull wrestling, participants would jump from a horse, naked wearing a chlamys (type of cloak) and petasos (type of cap), to bring a bull down to the ground. The obverse shows a wrestler bringing down a bull and the reverse shows the horse running free after the leap was made. The game may have originated in Asia Minor and then traveled to Crete, where it is known the people of Thessaly have learned the sport."
     
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    It's a neat coin, congrats.
     
  4. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Ancients are addicting...
     
  5. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    That's a beautiful coin – I particularly like the obverse showing Thessalos being dragged along by the bull. There really is a dramatic sense of motion here.

    Here is mine:
    Magna Graecia – Thessalien, Trikka, hemidrachme, Bullenkämpfer und Pferd.png
    Thessaly, Trikka, hemidrachm, 2nd half of 5th c. BC. Obv: Youthful hero, Thessalos, holding a band with both hands below the horns of the forepart of a bull right. Rev: T PI KAI N, forepart of horse prancing right. 16 mm, 2.86 g. Ref: BCD Thessaly 775.7 (die match); see SNG Copenhagen 262–265; see BMC 1–9; see CNG, e-auction 129, lot 94 (die match). Ex BCD collection, ex Ken Dorney.
     
    Andres2, Marsyas Mike, dadams and 8 others like this.
  6. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Way cool. I like that HeDr. And I like that history of bull jumping. Have nary a bull jumping coin, but definitely want one. And half-horses... well cool. :)

    Here’s a half-horse with BONUS WINGS, from someone you just might be familiar with:

    @Bing Auction #2, Lot #1
    [​IMG]
    LAMPSAKOS, MYSIA THRACE
    AE-10
    OBVERSE: Female head right, hair rolled
    REVERSE: Forepart of winged horse right, ΨΑ above, symbol below
    Struck at Lampsakos, Mysia 399-200 BC
    1.24g, 10mm
    BMC Mysia p. 84, 53 ff. var (symbol
     
  7. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Lovely coin @Bing. I especially like the obverse.
     
  8. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Nice one @Bing . I like that rodeo scene obverse.
     
  9. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    That's an excellent example, Bing. I really enjoy the series, and Thessalian coins in general. Glad to see more being picked up.

    Here's the old x6'er that I now have:

    Thessaly Trikka - x6 Hemidrachm BCD 2595.jpg THESSALY, Trikka
    AR Hemidrachm. 2.87g, 17.2mm. THESSALY, Trikka, circa 440-400 BC. BCD Thessaly II 775.5 (same dies). O: Thessalos, petasos and cloak tied at neck, holding band around head of forepart of bull right; E below bull’s head, V between the legs of Thessalos. R: Forepart of bridled horse right; TP I /KKA I OИ around from upper left (KK retrograde); all within incuse square.
    Ex x6 Collection, CNG E-sale 341 (17 Dec 2014) lot 155; ex BCD Collection, with his tag noting acquisition date Aug 1997 for Sfr 75

    I'm lucky enough to be able to record for my notes some comments on this piece from its two previous owners. :)

    From Steve:

    From BCD [to Steve]:
     
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