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Tetrachalkon
| Issuer | Larissa |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 350 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Three-quarter facing head of the nymph Larissa, turned slightly to the left, rendered in high relief with finely detailed features characteristic of Thessalian coinage of the early fourth century BC. The hair is elaborately arranged in loose, flowing locks framing the face, with additional curls falling at the sides. The facial modeling is naturalistic and of high artistic quality, with almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and slightly parted lips. The entire portrait is set within a plain, slightly irregular field typical of hammered bronze coinage. No legend or inscription appears on the obverse. |
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| Reverse description | A bridled horse trotting vigorously to the right, depicted in profile with animated, high-stepping forelegs and a flowing mane and tail, conveying a strong sense of movement characteristic of Thessalian equestrian iconography. The horse is rendered with careful anatomical detail, including musculature and a bridle strap clearly visible. A grain ear appears in the lower field beneath the horse, referencing the agricultural prosperity of the Thessalian plain. The ethnic legend ΛΑΡΙΣΑΙΩΝ, identifying the issuing city of Larissa, is distributed in the field around the horse. The design is set within a plain, slightly irregular border consistent with hammered bronze fabric. |
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| Additional information |
Larissa dominated the Thessalian plain through the fourth century largely on the back of its aristocratic cavalry clans — the Aleuadae chief among them — whose wealth funded civic coinage and whose political maneuvering repeatedly drew in outside powers, including Macedon. Bronze fractional issues like this tetrachalkon circulated within a regional economy built on grain and horse-breeding, serving local market exchange that silver drachms were too valuable to facilitate. The HGC 4 and BCD references place this type within a well-documented but still debated chronological sequence tied to Larissa's shifting alliances during the Thessalian League's turbulent mid-century reorganization.