According to Greek mythology, Larissa was founded by Acrisius, who was killed accidentally by his grandson, Perseus.
In the late 5th century, Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage. The obverse depicted the nymph of the local spring, Larissa, for whom the town was named; probably the choice was inspired by the famous coins of Kimon depicting the Syracusan nymph Arethusa.
The reverse depicted a horse in various poses. The horse was an appropriate symbol of Thessaly, a land of plains, which was well known for its horses. Usually there is a male figure; he should perhaps be seen as the eponymous hero of the Thessalians, Thessalos, who is probably also to be identified on many of the earlier, federal coins of Thessaly.
In the late 5th century, Larissa ceased minting the federal coins it shared with other Thessalian towns and adopted its own coinage. The obverse depicted the nymph of the local spring, Larissa, for whom the town was named; probably the choice was inspired by the famous coins of Kimon depicting the Syracusan nymph Arethusa.
The reverse depicted a horse in various poses. The horse was an appropriate symbol of Thessaly, a land of plains, which was well known for its horses. Usually there is a male figure; he should perhaps be seen as the eponymous hero of the Thessalians, Thessalos, who is probably also to be identified on many of the earlier, federal coins of Thessaly.
Modern location: Larissa, Greece
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
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
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
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.5 g
No notes for this coin
Rogers 282; BCD 383.3
(0).jpg)
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
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 5.56 g
No notes for this coin
No references provided for this coin
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
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.6 g
No notes for this coin
Cf. BCD Thessaly II, 910.1-6; Rogers 52-54.