Hello All, I have two different Orodes II tets, snapped them-up a while back, it is a pitty that one got damaged and is the most rare one of them. I think somebody hit it while digging, cry, cry... Have a nice evening all !! PCW-PA1066-PARTHIAN KINGS. Orodes II 57-38 BC. BI Tetradrachm (11.93 gm; 30mm x 27mm). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Diademed bust left, wart on forehead, neck torque ends in sea horse / Orodes seated left, holding scepter and Nike, who crowns him with wreath
Actually, that damage isn't bad at all. It just took a little off the border of the obverse. It could have been much, much worse.
Wow Mastenoob big coin's, you got all the details on the one. i like both.. I think i have one..smaller.. may not be the same guy..
I agree ---the 'damage is so minimal and localized it doesn't detract from the coin at all. My only Orodes: [
The Orodes from Zee is a Elym. coin, different Orodes, I think....as happens a lot..city names, kings names, Alexander, Dimitris and so on....
Nice pick-ups, Cyrrhus. Congrats. Sounds like you got an amazing deal too. My three Orodes II tets (the last two aren't as pretty as the first, but they are ex-David Sellwood Collection, which is a nice pedigree)
Very nice coins, love them thanks for sharing !! Why is the goddess handing over a palm leaf of some sort? Also recognition as king? or does it have another meaning?
Not sure of the symbolism/iconography there, but I would imagine you're right (recognition of authority and right to rule). There's a sharper pic of the first coin at parthia.com: http://parthia.com/coins/pdc_53345.jpg
this explains more: In the dessert region you are king if you own a few oasis I think.....it is a palm leaf... A In Assyrian religion, the palm is one of the trees identified as the Sacred Tree[2]connecting heaven, represented by the crown of the tree, and earth, the base of the trunk. Reliefs from the 9th century BC show winged genii holding palm fronds in the presence of the Sacred Tree.[3] It is associated with the goddess Ishtar and is found on the Ishtar Gate. In ancient Mesopotamia, the date palm may have represented fertility in humans. The Mesopotamian goddess Inanna, who had a part in the sacred marriage ritual, was believed to make the dates abundant.[4] Palm stems represented long life to the Ancient Egyptians, and the god Huh was often shown holding a palm stem in one or both hands. The palm was carried in Egyptian funeral processions to represent eternal life.[5] The Kingdom of Nri (Igbo) used the omu, a tender palm frond, to sacralize and restrain.[6] The palm was a symbol of Phoenicia and appeared on Punic coins. In ancient Greek, the word for palm, phoinix, was thought to be related to the ethnonym. In Archaic Greece, the palm tree was a sacred sign of Apollo, who had been born under a palm on the island of Delos.[7]The palm thus became an icon of the Delian League. In recognition of the alliance, Cimon of Athens erected a bronze statue of a palm tree at Delphi as part of a victory monument commemorating the Battle of the Eurymedon (469/466 BC).[8]In addition to representing the victorious League, the bronze palm (phoinix) was a visual pun on the defeated Phoenician fleet.[9] From 400 BC onward, a palm branch was awarded to the victor in athletic contests, and the practice was brought to Rome around 293 BC.[10]
also something about the palm leaf on page 29 http://www.academia.edu/1485067/Parthian_Aspects_of_Objects_from_Grave_IV_Tillya_Tepe
those are both nice cy...the chip on the second doesn't really distract..any further and it would. i'm in the same boat as MZ when it comes to orodes ii...
