FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board
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The Members' Gallery => Topic started by: S.B.C. on November 29, 2020, 04:32:11 pm
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Hello, after several years of collecting world coins and ancient coins, I found my passion in collecting coins of Central Greece and the Peloponnese. I would like to introduce my gallery here step by step.
The first coin I want to introduce is the following - a Hemidrachm from the city of Pherai in Thessaly.
Next to Larissa, Pherai was the foremost town in Thessaly, and one of the most ancient. It was situated a little to the west of Mt. Pelion. From a rocky height on the northern side of the city gushed forth the famous fountain Hypereia, which is represented on the coins as a stream of water flowing from the mouth of a lion’s head, and perhaps also, under the form of the horse of Poseidon, issuing from the face of a rock, or bounding along with loose rein.(1)
Ennodia, this distinctively Thessalian goddess’ name seems to mean “by the road” or “roadside” and may reflect a habitual location of her cult or perceived area of influence.(2) Literary sources associate her with appropriate interests (the dead, witchcraft, etc.). The extension of her cult is chiefly due to migrant Pheraians who had settled for various reasons in other cities of Thessaly, by Thessalians who had settled in passing in Pherai and became acquainted with the goddess or who had private business with Pherai and became acquainted with the goddess, as well as by Thessalians abroad who had settled in Macedonia and elsewhere. It is obvious that the growth of the military and political power of Pherai from the Archaic period and afterwards, but especially in the period of the tyrannies of Lykophron, Jason, Alexander and his successors (end of the fifth century to 344), favorably influenced the spread of her cult.(3)
The hemidrachm shows the wreathed head of Ennodia left and torch to right on the obverse and ΦΕΡΑΙΟYN, the nymph of Hypereia left, touching the top of lion's head fountain right, from which water pours forth; to lower left, ΑΣ/ΤΟ within wreath on the reverse.
The coin is from the BCD Collection with his handwritten roun tag noting: „Near Itea Hoard“.
The Itea hoard dates from 290 to 270 BC and was found around 1983 in several sections. It consisted of more than 1,500 silver coins. Around 640 of them are kept in the Numismatic Museum in Athens.(4)
Sources:
(1) HEAD, BARCLAY, Historia numorum: a manual of Greek numismatics. Oxford, 1887
(2) DUBOIS, “Zeus Tritodios“
(3) CHRYSOSTOMOU, Η θεσσαλική θεά Εν(ν)οδία ή φεραία θεά, Athens, 1998, p. 104-133, a Hellenistic dedication from Pherai
(4) WARTENBERG, U., JESSOP PRICE, M. and McGREGOR, K.A., Coin Hoards VIII: Greek Hoards
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166746 (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166746)
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Welcome, and congratulation 👍
Joe/Q.
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Welcome. I hope you enjoy the discussion and gallery.
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Thank you all for the warm welcome!
I would like to show you my second coin. It is a Hemidrachm from the city of Trikka in Thessaly.
Trikka was named after the fountain-nymph Trikka, a daughter of the river-god Peneios, on the left bank of whose stream the city stood. The town is mentioned by Homer as subject to Podaleirios and Machaon, sons of Asklepios, who led the Triccaeans in the Trojan war. At Trikka was the most ancient and illustrious of all the temples of Asklepios in Greece, and to this sacred place the sick had recourse from all parts. (1)
It shows a youthful hero, Thessalos, naked but for cloak and petasos over his shoulders, holding a band with both hands below the horns oft he forepart of a bull leaping right (Taurokathapsia), border of dots on the obverse and TPI-KKAI-ΩN from middle left up right and circular, forepart of a briddled horse prancing right all in incuse squarewith rounded edges and corners; slight die shift and bankers mark on the reverse.
In Greek mythology, Thessalos is the son of Heracles and Chalkiope. He was the father of Antiphos and Pheidippos.
The coin is from the BCD Collection with his handwritten round tag noting: „Ex Superior 30 May 1995, part of lot 7353“
The lot 7353 was part of the Lewis L. Egnew Collection. He has been collecting coins since 1927, and greek silver coins since 1939. The first collection was sold in 1951 and he started a new one from which this coin comes. Egnew concentrated on smaller denomination pieces, those that people would have used in their everyday lives. (2)
Sources:
(1) HEAD, BARCLAY, Historia numorum: a manual of Greek numismatics. Oxford, 1887
(2) SUPERIOR STAMP & COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE, The May 30, 1995 Sale
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-166968
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Again a nic addition 👍😉
Q.
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After a longer break, I will try to be more active. Finally, I had the time to upload the rest of a silver lot:
Larissa Hemidrachm
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179646 (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179646)
Ainianes Hemidrachm
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179647 (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179647)
Lamia Hemidrachm
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179648 (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179648)
Pelinna Drachm
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179649 (https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=179649)
A bigger lot of Thessalian bronze coins will follow.
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I really like the Larissa portait
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Welcome S.B.C. Wonderful coins. Congrats.
I am confident that you will find this forum very educational and the galleries splendid, both to look at and as a resource. You have a great start and so far a theme close to my heart: Thessaly. Well, in particular the city of Larissa.
Tracy
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Welcome, your coins are very nice. I also enjoy the history you provided on the first two. I have a very small collection of Thessaly bronzes in my gallery.
Virgil