Extremely Rare Iolkos Bronze

239, Lot: 74. Estimate $100. Sold for $900. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THESSALY, Iolkos. Mid 4th century BC. Æ (14mm, 1.86 g, 6h). Female head right, hair tied at back of head / Prow left. Liampi, Iolkos 2 (O2/R1). Near VF, heavy dark green patina with some cleaning marks. Extremely rare, the sixth example known.

Not much is known of the city of Iolkos- it is usually given just passing reference by contemporary authors. It was, however, a very important city in the mythological history of Greece. The Greeks believed that the early race that inhabited the Aegean were the Minyans. According to Strabo (9.2.40), Iolkos may have been founded as a colony of the Minyans. Homor relates the story of the birth of Pelias (Odyssey, 11.253), saying that he was the son of Poseidon and Tyro, and was a servant of Zeus. It was at this city that Pelias supposedly sent Jason and the Argonauts on their journey (Strabo, 9.5.15). Because of the early connections the city had with the Minyans, the Argonauts are sometimes referred to as the Minyae (Strabo 9.2.40).

As Iolkos seems to be best known in antiquity for being the departure place of Jason, the depiction of a prow of a ship on the reverse of its coins makes sense. The city must have been an important port in the Greek world. In addition, Homer’s comment that Pelias was a great breeder of sheep suggests that the city may also have been known for its livestock.