Laconia. Las. Plautilla. Augusta AD 202-205. Struck AD 202-205
Assarion Æ

23 mm, 4,24 g

ΦΟVΛΒΙΑΝ ΠΛΑVΤΙΛ[...], draped bust of Plautilla right / ΛΑ-[...]N, Asklepios standing facing, his head to left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff.

nearly very fine

Cf. BCD Peloponnesos 994.2.

Las was one of the most ancient towns of Laconia, situated upon the western coast of the Laconian gulf. It is the only town on the coast mentioned by Scylax between Taenaros and Gythium. In the time of Pausanias the town lay in a hollow between the three mountains, Asia, Ilium, and Cnacadium; but the old town stood on the summit of Mt. Asia. The name of Las signified the rock on which it originally stood. It is mentioned by Homer (Il. ii. 585), and is said to have been destroyed by the Dioscuri, who hence derived the surname of Lapersae. (Strab. viii. p.364; Steph. B. sub voce Λα.).