Here's my latest addition to the Parthicus Collection Mark II: Parthian Kingdom. AE tetrachalkon (17mm, 3.91g). Phraates III (70-57 BC). Obverse: Facing bust of king, wearing diadem and necklace with central pendant. Reverse: Horse facing right, 7-line Greek legend. Sellwood 35.15, Shore 167. CNG eAuction 397, lot 248; ex Nisa Collection. Phraates III succeeded to the Parthian throne about 70 BC. At the time, both Tigranes the Great of Armenia and Mithradates VI of Pontus were fighting Roman expansion in the East. Phraates initially stayed out of the conflict, but in 65 BC he temporarily allied with Pompey the Great to support Tigranes the Younger's attempt to take the Armenian throne. However, Pompey decided to acknowledge Tigranes the Great and took the younger Tigranes prisoner. Pompey also captured some Parthian vassal lands (Gordyene and Osroene), which Phraates did not have the strength to contest. Little else is known about Phraates' reign, as it didn't include enough Romans for later historians to care about. In 57 BC, Phraates was murdered by his two sons, Mithradates III and Orodes II. Phraates III used several distinct bust types on his coinage, of which my favorite is this facing bust of Sellwood type 35. Used on both silver drachms and various bronze denominations (but sadly not on tetradrachms), it shows a very artistic and expressive portrait in the unusual frontal view. The reverse shows a horse, a very typical reverse type on Parthian bronzes and fitting for these horse-mounted archers.
Wow. What a striking pose and great portrait. He almost looks like a French musketeer or Puritan Roundhead from 16 or 17 centuries later! I guess it's the hair, beard, and costume. Has a real 17th century AD look more than a 1st century BC look, to my eye. Perhaps it's because I'm used to ancient coin portraits of the first century BC looking more Roman (i.e., mostly beardless during that era, and usually shown in profile).
Yes, I had both a bronze and the silver drachm versions (though the drachm was heavily worn and pierced). Now that I have a good quality bronze version, I'm not so worried about getting a silver again. Interesting, I never noticed that but the resemblance is quite striking. I still wonder why Phraates III decided to issue this facing portrait (he was the first Parthian king to issue facing portrait coinage). Maybe the celators did it to test their artistic skills?
