Thessaly, Mopsion
Circa 350 BCE
Tetrachalkon Æ 20mm, 8.43g
Laureate head of bearded Zeus facing, turned slightly r.; to r., thunderbolt.
Rev. [ΜΟΨΕΙ – ΩΝ] Mopsos, nude, standing facing, his head turned r., raising club in his r. hand and extending his l. to fight a centaur, rearing to l., raising boulder over his head with both hands and preparing to throw it. Moustaka 19. Rogers 412. BCD Thessaly I, 1210.
Ex Helios 2011
Ex A Man in Love With Art VIII
This coin depicts the hero Mopsos, who per legend founded Mopsion, battling a centaur.
Mopsos was a Lapith, an ancient race of people who became famous at the wedding of Pirithous. Things started all right. The centaurs were invited and the ceremony went off fine, but unfortunately centaurs were bad drunks.
When the bride was presented, one of the centaurs attempted to abduct her. Then each centaur tried to abduct a Greek woman. Luckily, Theseus was there. The Athenian hero, along with Mopsos and the Lapiths, defeated the centaurs and reclaimed the women. The centaurs were then banished from Thessaly. Even today, it’s not possible to find a centaur anywhere within Thessaly.
Mopsion itself was named after Mopsos, who also traveled with Jason and the Argonauts. His participation plaque was still visible there in ancient times.
During the Third Macedonian War, the Romans defeated Perseus of Macedon there.