Coins from Thessaly
Thessaly was home to extensive Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures around 6000 B.C. - 2500 B.C. In Archaic and Classical times, the lowlands of Thessaly became the home of baronial families, such as the Aleuadae of Larissa or the Scopads of Krannon.

In the 4th century B.C. Jason of Pherae transformed Thessaly into a significant military power. Shortly after, Philip II of Macedon was appointed Archon of Thessaly, and the region was associated with the Macedonian Kingdom for the next centuries.

Later Thessaly became part of the Roman province of Macedonia.
Thessaly
(1) Alexander (Tyrant)
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An AE Chalkous struck 369-359 BC in Pherai
Obverse: forepart of butting bull right

Reverse: forepart of horse right; AΛEΞAN / ΔPOY

Diameter: 14 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.5 g
No notes for this coin
BCD Thessaly II 708.2; HGC 4, 584
Greek (Other Greek)
(2) Ekkarra
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An AE unit struck c. 325-320 BC in Ekkarra
Obverse: laureate head of Zeus left

Reverse: Artemis standing left, leaning on scepter; EKKA_PPEI

Diameter: 13 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 1.9 g
No notes for this coin
Liampi, Ekkarra 47 (V13/R25); BM 1933.2.14.325
Greek (City Coinage)
(3) Halos
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An AE Dichalkon struck 300-200 BC in Halos
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right

Reverse: Phrixos on ram right, cloak flying; AΛE_Ω_N

Diameter: 12.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2 g
No notes for this coin
BCD Thessaly II 86.4 corr., SNG Cop 64 var., Rogers 242 var.
Greek (City Coinage)
(4) Krannon
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An AE unit struck 350-300 BC in Krannon
Obverse: Horseman riding left; Λ E

Reverse: Bull butting right; trident above; IΠ / KPAN

Diameter: 14.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.74 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 190; SNG Cop. 42. BCD Thessaly I 1084.2
Greek (City Coinage)
(5) Larissa (Thessaly)
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An AR Drachm struck 356-342 BC in Larissa (Thessaly)
Obverse: head of nymph Larissa facing slightly left

Reverse: horse grazing right; ΛΑΡΙΣ / ΑΙΩΝ

Diameter: 18 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 5.5 g
No notes for this coin
Lorber Hoard, Phase L-III; cf. SNG Cop 121; BMC Thessaly p. 29, 57; BCD Thessaly 1432; SGCV I 2120
Greek (City Coinage)
(6) Larissa (Thessaly)
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An AE unit struck 356-342 BC in Larissa (Thessaly)
Obverse: head of nymph Larissa facing slightly left

Reverse: horse grazing right; ΛΑΡΙΣ / ΑΙΩΝ

Diameter: 16 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.5 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 282; BCD 383.3
Greek (City Coinage)
(7) Larissa (Thessaly)
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An AR Drachm struck c. 400-365 BC in Larissa (Thessaly)
Obverse: Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left

Reverse: ΛAPI–ΣAIΩN, mare and her foal standing right

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 5.56 g
No notes for this coin
No references provided for this coin
Greek (City Coinage)
(8) Magnetes
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An AE unit struck 197-146 BC in Demetrias
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus left

Reverse: Centaur holding branch right, owl below; MAΓNHTΩN

Diameter: 20.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 8.75 g
No notes for this coin
SNG Cop 160, BMC 34.8-9
Greek (City Coinage)
(9) Marcus Aurelius
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An AE Diassarion ? struck 161-180 AD in Thessaly
Obverse: M AYΡ ANTΩNEINOC, Head of Marcus Aurelius facing right, wearing laurel wreath

Reverse: KOINON ΘECCAΛWN, Athena Itonia advacing right with javelin and shield

Diameter: 24 mm
Die Orientation: 6 H
Weight: 8.58 g
No notes for this coin
SNG Copenhagen 345
Roman Provincial (Adoptive Emperors)
(10) Melitaea
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An AE Dichalkon struck Late 4th cent. in Melitaea
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right

Reverse: Bee upwards, wings outstretched, M - [E] above, Λ - I below

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.1 g
Reported to have been found in Bulgaria, c. 2001. VF
BCD-459, Rogers-396
Greek (City Coinage)
(11) Pelinna
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An AE Chalkous struck c. 425-350 BC in Pelinna
Obverse: Horseman left, striking at fallen Hoplite with javelin

Reverse: Warrior advancing left, holding shield ΠEΛINNA_ION

Diameter: 14 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.05 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 427; BCD Thessaly 520; SNG Copenhagen 186-7 var
Greek (City Coinage)
(12) Phalanna
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An AE unit struck c. 400-344 BC in Phalanna
Obverse: head of Apollo right

Reverse: head of Nymph Phalanna right, hair in sakkos ΦAΛANNAIΩN

Diameter: 19.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 6.6 g
No notes for this coin
SNG Cop 203 ff.; BMC Thessaly p. 41, 4 ff.
Greek (City Coinage)
(13) Phalanna
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An AE Chalkous struck 350-300 BC in Phalanna
Obverse: male head right

Reverse: head of Nymph right wearing sakkos; ΦΑΛΑΝΝΑΙΩΝ

Diameter: 12.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.3 g
No notes for this coin
Papaevangelou-Genakos 6; Rogers –; BCD Thessaly II 586.2.
Greek (City Coinage)
(14) Pharkadon
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An AR Obol struck 480 - 400 BC in Pharkadon
Obverse: Horse prancing right

Reverse: ΦΑΡ-ΚΑΔO, Athena standing right, holding spear and shield; all within incuse square.

Diameter: 12 mm
Die Orientation: 6 H
Weight: 0.87 g
From the BCD Collection Minor porosity
BCD Thessaly I 1271 var. (ethnic), BCD Thessaly II 606 var. (arrangement of ethnic); HGC 4, 297
Greek (City Coinage)
(15) Pharkadon
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An AR Hemidrachm struck c. 420-400 BC in Pharkadon
Obverse: Thessalos, wearing petasos and chalmys, right restraining bull with cord around bull's forehead held in both hands

Reverse: forepart of galloping horse right; Φ_A_P_K / AΔ_O

Diameter: 15 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.8 g
No notes for this coin
BCD Thessaly II 603; BMC Thessaly p. 42, 1; SNG Cop 209; HGC 4 292
Greek (City Coinage)
(16) Pharsalos
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An AR Hemidrachm struck c. 450-400 BC in Pharsalos
Obverse: helmeted head of Athena right

Reverse: head of horse right; Φ A / P Σ

Diameter: 15 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.87 g
No notes for this coin
Lavva 75 (V38/R44)
Greek (City Coinage)
(17) Pherai
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An AE unit struck c. 404-369 BC in Pherai
Obverse: head of Nymph Hypereia right, wearing wreath

Reverse: head of lion right, spouring water from mouth; ΦEPAI

Diameter: 11.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 1.55 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 513; SNG Copenhagen 241
Greek (City Coinage)
(18) Skiathos
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An AE unit struck c. 350-344 BC in Skiathos
Obverse: young male (Hermes?) head left wearing tania

Reverse: Kerykeion and Herma?; ΣKI / AΘI

Diameter: 12 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.7 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 574; SNG Copenhagen
Greek (City Coinage)
(19) Skotussa
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An AE unit struck c. 394-367 BC in Skotussa
Obverse: head of young Herakles left wearing lion's skin

Reverse: horse forepart right; Σ_KO ΦΠA

Diameter: 13.5 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.2 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 541, fig. 299; Nomos 4, 1337; SNG Copenhagen 255.
Greek (City Coinage)
(20) Skotussa
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An AR Hemiobol struck c. 400-350 BC in Skotussa
Obverse: head of Herakles right wearing lion's skin

Reverse: forepart of bridled horse right; ϟ_KO

Diameter: 8 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 0.5 g
No notes for this coin
BCD Thessaly II 742; SNG Alpha Bank 266
Greek (City Coinage)
(21) Thessalian League
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An AE unit struck c. 150-100 BC in Thessaly
Obverse: head of Apollo right

Reverse: Athena Itonia right throwing spear holding shield; ΘEΣΣA / ΛΩN, ΦIΛOK, A / Σ _ OP, (ΓA)

Diameter: 18 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 6.68 g
Philok.. and Asor.. magistrates
Rogers 21; Sear #2238; Lindgren II 1413
Greek (Leagues and Federations)
(22) Thessalian League
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An AR Stater struck 47-46 BC in Thessaly
Obverse: Head of Zeus right, wearing laurel wreath; [I]TAΛO[Σ] behind

Reverse: Athena Itonia advancing right; [Δ]IO-KΛHΣ above spear, N-I in inner fields

Diameter: -
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 6.26 g
No notes for this coin
McClean 4797-8; SNG Copenhagen 277
Greek (Leagues and Federations)
(23) Thessalian League
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An AR Drachm struck 130 - 100 BC in Thessaly
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right; HP monogram behind

Reverse: Athena Itonia right; Π-I across central field

Diameter: 17.5 mm
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 4.14 g
Her-|Pi- (Magistrates)
BCD Thessaly 889.3 (this coin)
Greek (Leagues and Federations)
(24) Thessalian League
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An AE unit struck c. 150-100 BC in Larissa (Thessaly)
Obverse: laureate head of Zeus right

Reverse: Athena Itonia advancing right holding spear and shield; ΘEΣΣA_ΛΩN

Diameter: 15 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.6 g
No notes for this coin
Cf. BCD Thessaly II, 910.1-6; Rogers 52-54.
Greek (Leagues and Federations)
(25) Trikka
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An AR Hemidrachm struck c. 480-400 BC in Trikka
Obverse: naked Thessalian youth standing right, restraining forepart of unruly bull prancing right

Reverse: forepart of bridled horse prancing right, within incuse square TPI_KK_AI (retrograde)

Diameter: 16 mm
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 2.56 g
No notes for this coin
SNG Oxford 3933; BCD Thessaly II 768; BCD Thessaly I 1351
Greek (City Coinage)