Ancient Greek - Young Greek God Aries and Nymph Phalana - AE Bronze - Circa 350 BCE
$375
Denomination: AE Trichalkon
Date: Circa 350 BCE
Mint: Thessaly
Description: THESSALY, Phalanna. Obverse: Male head right /ΦAΛANNAIΩN. Reverse: Head of nymph right, wearing sakkos.
History: THESSALY, Phalanna. From the plains of Thessaly came a tribe of Greek warriors so renowned for their horses and cavalry that the powerful city-state Athens wanted them as allies, mad Philip II of Macedonia made them the mainstay of his army. Sheltered by Mount Olympus, Thessaly was also home of the great heroes Achilles, who fought in the Trojan War, and Jason, who claimed the Golden Fleece. The fertile plains provided grains for its horses and room for its cavalry to train.
Struck over 2,300 years ago in the town of Phalanna, in northern Thessaly, this bronze coin features the head of a young man with short hair on the obverse. (Some believe he is Ares, the god of War.) The reverse shows the nymph Phalanna with her hair in a bun.
RM164-1 Phalanna
