Taxing - not fighting - Parthia: an Antoninus Pius Sestertius

I found a very cruddy sestertius of Antoninus Pius on eBay for $19.99. I don't mind low-grade sestertii, but this one was too awful even for me. Furthermore, the reverse seemed to be the usual "gods standing around" (as Doug puts it).

But there was something unusual about that long vertical thing in his (her?) right hand. It turns out to be a quiver with arrows and bow. The figure is Parthia. Not Parthia defeated, sitting on the ground beneath a trophy, hands bound. Rather this is Parthia armed, standing presenting a crown. It is RIC 586 and supposedly rare.

Because of the unusual reverse, I bought it. Information on this issue is scarce online, but fortunately Charles S (is he a CT person?) on FORVM had one - a much nicer one, with some interesting information on it

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=4280&pos=28

From the Charles S FORVM write-up:

"Part of a series celebrating Antoninus' remission of half of the special tax (aurum coronarium) normally levied on the provinces at the time of the accession of an emperor. Remark from Sear: "The remarkable inclusion of a rival state in this series commemorating provincial tax relief would seem to suggest that the Parthians were subject to some form of financial obligation to the Roman government consequent of Trajan's capture of Ctesiphon in AD 115 and the loss of the celebrated golden throne of the Arsacids""

This may be an example where numismatic evidence is the only evidence for something otherwise not attested in the written sources.

Do any of you have other examples of this "series celebrating Antoninus' remission of half the special tax"? I'm guessing there are other provinces in the series? Here is my poor example with Parthia:


Antoninus Pius Æ Sestertius
(139 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[ANTONI]NVS A[VG PIVS P P], laureate head rt. / [PARTHIA] [COS II (in ex.)] S [C ], Parthia standing left, holding crown, bow & quiver on ground.
RIC 586 (R); Cohen 572; BMCRE IV 1191; Strack 792
(24.39 grams / 30 mm)

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Thanks for posting this. I collect Roman coins with references to Parthia but was not aware of this type, now I have something new to search for!

 

Believe me, Parthicus, it was new to me too!