DOI issue:
Artykuły/Articles
DOI article:Stoyas, Yannis: Wheat-Ears and Owls. Remarks on Thessalian Coins with Countermarks
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57341#0065
WHEAT-EARS AND OWLS. REMARKS ON THESSALIAN COINS...
however this possibility is not beyond doubt.14 An interesting observation involves
another countermarked Thessalian coin15 where is made use of a punch is made use
of in the form of the so-called ‘skew’ pattern - with the obvious influence being
the standardised reverse incuse of the Aiginetan coins,16 likely due to the infiltration
and impact of the currency of Aigina.17
The practice of countermarking intensified to an extent in Thessaly during
the Hellenistic period, especially if the foreign coins circulating in the region18 are
also taken into account. In any case, due to the focus of this essay, only a selective
reference is to be made here. As a characteristic example, the case of bronze coins
of Antigonos Gonatas19 countermarked with a head of Pan20 can be mentioned; more
countermark21 types can be traced such as e.g. a prow22 or a trident.23 Another case is
the countermark of a Boiotian helmet,24 again on coins of Gonatas. A different helmet
type, a bell-shaped helmet with cheek-pieces and rim,25 appears as a countermark on
14 There is definitely a horizontal hasta protruding from the upper left part of the “K”; see also LORBER
1999: 222 (countermark A); 224, 226, 230, no. 4, 236, pl. 20.4. If a monogram was meant, it does not seem to hint
at the words ua/.ov or KaOapov (lack of an alpha), unless quite vaguely.
15 See a silver drachm of the Perrhaiboi, c. 460-440 BC, auctioned in BCD Thessaly I, lot 1232; the two
countermarks appearing on the reverse (particularly the better preserved under the horse’s belly) resemble the reverse
incuse of the Aiginetan coins - especially the post ^9 BC “skew” variety; see KRAAY 1976: 46, fig. 123. For an
analogous countermark see LORBER 1999: 223, countermark E (turtle); 230, no. 1,236, pl. 20.1.
16 This pattern had become current around 500 BC and remained in use as the standard reverse type of
the Aiginetan coins (KRAAY 1976: 44, fig. 117); after c. 479 BC the skew pattern took a more spacious form
with thicker stripes separating the incuse compartments (KRAAY 1976: 46, fig. 123).
17 The economic background for this feature would be that, after the Persians withdrew from Greece in
479 BC, the Persian weight standard was replaced by the Aiginetan for the Thessalian coin issues; KRAAY
1976: 115.
18 For the circulation especially of the Macedonian royal bronzes in Thessaly see LIAMPI 2000, where
some 10,000 coins were taken into account (published material and private collections). Although extremely few
(less than 1%) come from published archaelogical contexts, all of them were “certified to be of Thessalian origin
but without information on the exact place of finding” (LIAMPI 2000: 221 and n. 2).
19 For the impressive presence of bronzes of Antigonos Gonatas in Thessaly see LIAMPI 2000: 220, 224.
20 Head of Herakles r. / horseman r. (private collection, unpublished). It can be suggested that the same
issuing authority (Antigonos) was countermarking its coins at some later stage. There is also a variation of this
countermark with a smaller head of Pan.
21 See LIAMPI 2000: 224, remarking that various countermarks appear on about half of the “head of Athena
/ Pan erecting trophy” coins of Antigonos which have been found in Thessaly; based on this comment and on
the numerical data provided, a bulk of approx. 1,500 countermarked pieces of this kind can be estimated. It has
been also noted that coins of this issue “without countermarks are in fairly good condition, whereas those with
countermarks are so badly worn that only the countermark can be detected”.
22 On Antigonos Gonatas ’ bronze with head of Athena / Pan erecting trophy (private collection, unpublished).
23 Also on Antigonos Gonatas’ bronze with head of Athena / Pan erecting trophy (private collection,
unpublished).
24 For this helmet type, supposedly often used by the Thessalian cavalry, see X., Eq. 12.3: “Kpóvoę ye pqv
KpdrioTOv etvat vopicopsv to pouowupyśę- rovro yap av orayaCei Lia/mra navia to. uneps/ovra rob QGpaicog,
opav ÖE oü Krakusi”.
25 For the bell-shaped helmet (Glockenhelrri) type in genere see DINTSIS 1986: 143-147.
63
however this possibility is not beyond doubt.14 An interesting observation involves
another countermarked Thessalian coin15 where is made use of a punch is made use
of in the form of the so-called ‘skew’ pattern - with the obvious influence being
the standardised reverse incuse of the Aiginetan coins,16 likely due to the infiltration
and impact of the currency of Aigina.17
The practice of countermarking intensified to an extent in Thessaly during
the Hellenistic period, especially if the foreign coins circulating in the region18 are
also taken into account. In any case, due to the focus of this essay, only a selective
reference is to be made here. As a characteristic example, the case of bronze coins
of Antigonos Gonatas19 countermarked with a head of Pan20 can be mentioned; more
countermark21 types can be traced such as e.g. a prow22 or a trident.23 Another case is
the countermark of a Boiotian helmet,24 again on coins of Gonatas. A different helmet
type, a bell-shaped helmet with cheek-pieces and rim,25 appears as a countermark on
14 There is definitely a horizontal hasta protruding from the upper left part of the “K”; see also LORBER
1999: 222 (countermark A); 224, 226, 230, no. 4, 236, pl. 20.4. If a monogram was meant, it does not seem to hint
at the words ua/.ov or KaOapov (lack of an alpha), unless quite vaguely.
15 See a silver drachm of the Perrhaiboi, c. 460-440 BC, auctioned in BCD Thessaly I, lot 1232; the two
countermarks appearing on the reverse (particularly the better preserved under the horse’s belly) resemble the reverse
incuse of the Aiginetan coins - especially the post ^9 BC “skew” variety; see KRAAY 1976: 46, fig. 123. For an
analogous countermark see LORBER 1999: 223, countermark E (turtle); 230, no. 1,236, pl. 20.1.
16 This pattern had become current around 500 BC and remained in use as the standard reverse type of
the Aiginetan coins (KRAAY 1976: 44, fig. 117); after c. 479 BC the skew pattern took a more spacious form
with thicker stripes separating the incuse compartments (KRAAY 1976: 46, fig. 123).
17 The economic background for this feature would be that, after the Persians withdrew from Greece in
479 BC, the Persian weight standard was replaced by the Aiginetan for the Thessalian coin issues; KRAAY
1976: 115.
18 For the circulation especially of the Macedonian royal bronzes in Thessaly see LIAMPI 2000, where
some 10,000 coins were taken into account (published material and private collections). Although extremely few
(less than 1%) come from published archaelogical contexts, all of them were “certified to be of Thessalian origin
but without information on the exact place of finding” (LIAMPI 2000: 221 and n. 2).
19 For the impressive presence of bronzes of Antigonos Gonatas in Thessaly see LIAMPI 2000: 220, 224.
20 Head of Herakles r. / horseman r. (private collection, unpublished). It can be suggested that the same
issuing authority (Antigonos) was countermarking its coins at some later stage. There is also a variation of this
countermark with a smaller head of Pan.
21 See LIAMPI 2000: 224, remarking that various countermarks appear on about half of the “head of Athena
/ Pan erecting trophy” coins of Antigonos which have been found in Thessaly; based on this comment and on
the numerical data provided, a bulk of approx. 1,500 countermarked pieces of this kind can be estimated. It has
been also noted that coins of this issue “without countermarks are in fairly good condition, whereas those with
countermarks are so badly worn that only the countermark can be detected”.
22 On Antigonos Gonatas ’ bronze with head of Athena / Pan erecting trophy (private collection, unpublished).
23 Also on Antigonos Gonatas’ bronze with head of Athena / Pan erecting trophy (private collection,
unpublished).
24 For this helmet type, supposedly often used by the Thessalian cavalry, see X., Eq. 12.3: “Kpóvoę ye pqv
KpdrioTOv etvat vopicopsv to pouowupyśę- rovro yap av orayaCei Lia/mra navia to. uneps/ovra rob QGpaicog,
opav ÖE oü Krakusi”.
25 For the bell-shaped helmet (Glockenhelrri) type in genere see DINTSIS 1986: 143-147.
63