My collection includes only two coins of Persis, both added this year. Persis was a puppet state of the Parthian Empire most famous for the fact that its last king overthrew the Parthians and founded what we now call Sasanian. I believe this coin is from Ardashir IV (AKA Ardaxsir and Artaxerxes) father of A V who became Ardashir I of the Sasanian Empire. The reverse is said to show Mancihr his father and all this should be confirmed when I can read the legends. That is what attracted me to this coin. Compared to many I have seen, the legends are on flan and clear. I do not own the books required to collect these coins and probably should not have bought it but it serves as a decent example of a civilization of which I spent most of my life in total ignorance. Does anyone have a link that would cast light on the coins of Persis in general or this one in particular? I would like a letter by letter reading of the legend. AR hemidrachm 1.36g
I have one coin of Persis but know little (almost nothing) about it. Too many coins, not enough time (especially when I can spend 10+ hours studying one coin into too much detail)..
I don't have any good sources for Persis coins....but I want THAT coin for my collection!!! I don't have any of these but I want one. Few are as nice as this! Yours has legends!!!
Assuming the script is the same used by not much later Sassanids the I would say yes the legend is readable. (not necessary by me)
Interesting...I have a Parthian coin with Greek on it. An Elymais coin with jibberish and Sassanid coins with Pahlavi. Was Aramaic the language in use at this time? Maybe someone can help clarify this for me.?
Prince Y - uncertain king c.90 BC AR hemidrachm SGI 5956var. Supposedly there is an Aramaic legend around the reverse diadem but mine shows the tail of one letter. That is what you get when you buy a back of the list cheapy. I can't recall seeing one of these with full legend but I did not go searching either. See: http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=321863
I have a single coin from Persis, which I bought because I was playingPersis by Horsay in band. Still no pictures... I really need to get to that