Howdy. It's been a little while since stepping into the Ancients forum. Hope everyone is having a good 2026. I purchased this coin because I thought it was in exceptional condition compared to others that I had looked at. There is no shortage of these as many can seen in all the sites selling ancients. One question for those that are able to read the inscriptions in the reverse, is that these appear to have the names of magistrates on them. Would anyone be able to identify a magistrate name in the reverse of this coin?
The Thessalian League AR Double Victoriatus (or stater) is a silver coin minted in Thessaly, Greece, primarily between 196-146 BC and extending to 27 BC. It features a laureate head of Zeus on the obverse and Athena Itonia advancing right, holding a spear and shield, on the reverse. These coins typically weigh between 5.8g and 6.1g and measure roughly 21-23mm, often bearing magistrate names. These coins were a, "stable" currency in the region before "final" Roman control, often featuring high-quality,, "classical" style portraits of Zeus.
Mint/Issuer: Thessalian League, with many coins produced in Larissa, the seat of the League.
Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus facing right.
Reverse: Athena Itonia in a fighting pose (Promachos) moving to the right, brandishing a spear and holding a shield.
Inscriptions: Often includes the ethnic \(\Theta \)E$\Sigma\Sigma$A$\Lambda\Omega$N (of the Thessalians) and names of magistrates (e.g., Philokros, Epikrates, Alexadros).
Context: These were issued during the period of Roman influence, often described as a, "double victoriate" a "stater" or a "type" similar to a "drachm" in style.
Common References: BCD Thessaly II, McClean 4869-75, SNG Alpha Bank.
IN NECESSARIIS UNITAS - IN DUBIIS LIBERTAS - IN OMNIBUS CARITAS
THE MAN IN THE ARENA, Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne Paris on April 23, 1910: "
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
My coin website:
https://fairfaxcoins.com
Posted 01/27/2026 10:57 pm
