Larissa Thessaly AR Drachm c. -370 to -360 Aleuas Eagle

Name: Larissa Thessaly AR Drachm c. -370 to -360 Aleuas Eagle
SKU: 278107104340
Availability: InStock

Larissa, Thessaly, AR Drachm, c. -370 to -360

Lorber, Thessalian 94; BCD Thessaly 185 (same dies); HGC 4, 438; BMC 12 (same dies); Gulbenkian 473 (same dies); Jameson 2469 (same dies).

Obv: Head of Aleuas facing slightly left, wearing conical helmet; labrys and AΛEYA to right.

Rev: Eagle standing left, head right, on thunderbolt; EΛΛA to left, ΛAPIΣAIA to right.

5.92 g

19.1 mm

Ex. Gasvoda Collection. Ex. MACM inventory MMoCA5C; Ex. CNG, Triton XIII (5 January 2010), lot 119(Hammered at 4000$US).

Rare.

It is well known that the Aleuas drachms were struck from a single pair of dies. A number of theories surround this enigmatic issue, unique in Larissan coinage. The issue therefore must have been rather special and produced on a specific occasion. There are still unresolved differences of opinion concerning the exact date of issue and the purpose of this puzzling coin. This writer, believing that we should also take into account the possibility that such an extraordinary issue was hoarded more than the other types of coin in circulation, thus displaying less wear for a given period of time, suggests a date of minting circa 360 BC or even a little earlier.

This drachm features a striking portrait of Aleuas I, the Red-Haired (Ἀλεύας ὁ Πυρρός), depicted in a conical helmet adorned with wings and ear flaps, facing three-quarters to the left. Aleuas I was the semi-legendary progenitor of the Aleuads, the influential family that ruled over the Thessalian Larissa. His identity is clearly indicated by the inscription ΑΛΕΥ, while the reverse displays the ethnic ΛΑΡΙΣΑΙΑ alongside the unusual inscription ΕΛΛΑ. AIt has been suggested that ΕΛΛΑ refers to Hellanokrates, a name known to have been used by the Aleuads. According to Aristotle, a Larissaean aristocrat of this name was involved in the assassination of the Macedonian King Archelaos I around 399 BC (Aristot. pol. 5.1311b). Although it is unclear whether this Hellanokrates issued this very rare type several decades later, or one of his descendants, the combination of Aleuas’ portrait, the signature of the Aleuad aristocrat, and the use of the dative case (instead of the usual genitive) suggests that our Hellanokrates may have financed the coin’s emission as a form of public benefaction to his city. If this interpretation is correct, ΛΑΡΙΣΑΙΑ / ΕΛΛΑ can be understood as 'Hellanokrates [to the] Larissaeans'.

______________________________

3,700.00$

In stock