Elymais. AE drachm. Phraates (early-mid 2nd century AD). Obverse: Facing bust of king, wearing tiara and diadem, anchor and crescent-and-pellet (star?) to right, pellet border. Reverse: Tied diadem, crescent-and-pellet (star?) to either side, pellet border. van't Haaff 14.4.1-1A. This coin: Pars Coins Auction 6, lot 438 (part of group lot) (April 20, 2020). (Note: some historical text is recycled from an earlier post of mine.) Elymais was a Parthian vassal state, located between the east bank of the Tigris and the Zagros Mountains, roughly where the province of Khuzestan is in modern Iran. Very little is known of the history of Elymais, with many of the later kings known only from their coins. Many of the kings bear Parthian names (Orodes and Phraates), but they are apparently not the same monarchs as the Parthian kings of the same name, although the later Elymaean kings do seem to have been an offshoot of the Parthian Arsakid royal family. The extensive coinage consisted of tetradrachms and drachms, initially of good silver but degrading to bronze for the later issues. Many of the bronze coins have survived in large numbers, and often in decent condition, so they are popular with collectors, though relatively few specialize in the series. A comprehensive catalogue of Elymaean coins was published by the late Pieter Anne van't Haaff in 2007, which has become the standard reference for the series. I bought this coin mainly because I did not have this reverse type. The most common Elymais reverses feature just a series of dashes, in various arrangements, but other types are also known. Artemis (both bust and full-length, sometimes with inscription), a smaller king's bust, eagle, Athena, and diadem types can all be found. I also like the rather cartoonish appearance of the portrait on this coin, especially the eyes. This coin was also pleasantly cheap- it was part of a lot of 4 coins that I got for $25, so this coin was just $6.25. Please post your coins of Elymais, cartoonish portraits, or recent "snacks" (inexpensive coins).
Many of my Elymais coins came as groups which tended to be from a rather short period of time but still have a lot of variation. They are fun little coins. Orodes II / facing head of ??? Phraates / Artemis stg. rt. Phraates / dashes Orodes I / Artemis bust Orodes III / Artemis Orodes III / anchor with dashes Orodes IV / Artemis bust left
@Parthicus...Nice coin...Still a reverse type I haven't acquired yet.. Orodes III, 2nd Century A.D., AE Drachm 3.5 grams Obv: Bearded bust facing left, wearing a diademed tiara ornamented with anchor. Pellet and crescent above an anchor to the right. Rev: Radiate and draped bust of Artemis right. Greek legend around bust retrograde van't Haaff 16.1.1-3A
Those Elymais coins look like interesting and tasty snacks. I don’t have any of them, but I have picked up some snack coins too: AMISOS. Pontos. Late 2nd -early 1st Century B.C. Condition: Very Fine Weight: 8.18 gr Diameter: 21 m Price: 8 pounds SYRIA. Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Pseudo-autonomous. Ae (Dated 158/9 AD). Condition: Very Fine Weight: 4.08 gr Diameter: 17 mm Price: 8 pounds Léon IV (775-780), AE follis, Condition: Very Fine Weight: 7.54 gr Diameter: 26 mm Price: 10 pounds Romanus I (920-944), Follis, Ae Condition: Very Fine Weight: 7.99 gr Diameter: 27 mm Price: 8 pounds Anonymous, Class B. Circa 1028-1034. Æ Follis Condition: Very Fine Weight: 10.14 gr Diameter: 29 mm Price: 6 pounds Romanus IV Diogenes, AE Follis, 1068-1071, Condition: Very Fine Weight: 3.10 gr Diameter: 21 mm Price: 6 pounds
These little Elymaean bronzes are charming, and I very much like the diadem reverse on your coin! Here are two of mine: Kingdom of Elymais, Orodes II, early to mid 2nd c. AD, AE Drachm. Obv: Bearded bust of Orodes facing, wearing tiara, no large hair tufts at sides; to right, pellet in crescent and anchor with two crossbars. Rev: dashes. Ref: van't Haaff 13.3.2–1B. 15 mm, 4g. Kingdom of Elymais, Orodes V, late 2nd–early 3rd c. AD, AE Drachm. Obv: Bearded bust of Orodes left with double diadem and tuft of hair on top of head. Rev: Bust of Artemis with beaded tiara left. Ref: van't Haaff 18.1.1-2A. 13 mm, 2.6g. Also, I want to point out that two milennia before your generic hipster barista learned how to spell "man bun," the Kings of Elymais were already cultivating a certain beard- and hairstyle:
Great coins, all. Here are four tets from this guy (Phraates of Elymais): Phraates AE tetradrachm, early to mid 2nd century AD Van't Haaff 14.7.1-1B.a (this coin) Ex-Van't Haaff Collection Phraates BI tetradrachm, early to mid 2nd century AD Van't Haaff 14.8.1-1 variant (unique; two dots below crossbars; long beard) Published in KOINON: The International Journal of Classical Numismatic Studies, Vol. 1 ("A Catalog of New Varieties," Part IV, p. 151) Phraates AE tetradrachm, early to mid 2nd century AD Van’t Haaff 14.7.1-1B.a variant (pellet to left of anchor) Phraates AE tetradrachm, early to mid 2nd century AD Van’t Haaff 14.7.1-2
I don't have an Elymais bronze - the variety and quality shared already is amazing. Although not exactly "snack-sized" - here's a tetradrachm of Kamnaskires III that I was happy to find had low interest at auction. Kingdom of Elymais, Kamnaskires II and III, Tetradrachm, 1st century BC Obv: bust of Kamnaskires II left with long beard, star and crescent moon above anchor behind head. Rev: garbled legend on four sides around diademed head of Kamnaskires III left with short beard Size: 15.41g, 30mmx25mm (a very oval flan) Note: very uncertain about attribution, other interesting links and resources in this introduction - with thanks to posters in this thread.
Adding another coin (quick snack?) to this thread for anyone who missed it Kings of Elymais, Phraates, c. AD 100-150, Æ Drachm Obv: Facing bust wearing tiara; anchor to right, crescent with dot above Rev: Artemis standing right, holding bow and plucking arrow from quiver Note: purchased under the influence of a thread by @Parthicus
Found this one in my local dealer's junk box, rolling around beneath a bunch of worn Victorian UK pennies, holed Canadian tokens, and Panamanian nickels - $0.50, so I didn't try to haggle with him over the price. Elymais Æ Drachm Orodes III (c. 150 A.D.) Uncertain Mint Facing narrow bust with long beard and diademed tiara; pellet within crescent right above anchor with two bars / Series of dashes Alram 478 (var.); de Morgan 46 (3.74 grams / 16 x 14 mm)
Quoting @Bob L. here “The well-known Elymaean anchor motif, perhaps inspired by anchors’ appearances as a dynastic insignia on a number of Seleucid coins”
i have the same coin. although, it was inherited through my mother. i’ve been trying to find the history of this coin for years but i never found it. I would like to have a bigger collection.
Was catching up on a lot of posts and stumbled here. Heres my little stick man coin, as I like to call it:
A handful of AE drachms of Elymais, plus one AE tetradrachm I know nothing about those kings of Elymais... These coins were probably minted in Susa (Iran), capital of Elymais which was the ancient Elam. Many represent on the reverse the goddess Artemis Nanaia, a very ancient Sumerian female deity, Nanaya. Two views of Susa (today called Shush) in January 1969. The ancient high city is now a desert tepe (hill), on which lay the broken columns of the huge Achaemenid palace of Darius. It was the political centre of the gigantic Persian Empire that extended from Greece and Egypt to India and central Asia. The Elamite city lays underneath. I don't know what the city looked like 600 years later under the kings of Elymais. The modern town is at the foot of the tepe. Its most remarkable monument is the tomb of the prophet Daniel, the building with a white pointed dome... But the craziest monument is the huge brick castle on the highest place of the tepe. It is a 19th c. fortress built with materials picked up on the spot (including many bricks with cuneiform inscriptions !) by the French Archaeological Mission under Jacques de Morgan, c. 1890. The region was not safe back then, archaeologists could be attacked by nomadic tribes and security was their biggest concern. This is why they built this fortress.
I will revive this post again to share this coin - like the OP coin - that I picked up this weekend. Phraates, Elymais. I like it for all of its off center, hand struck, worn, ugliness. Kings of Elymais, Phraates, early to mid 2nd century AD, Æ Drachm Obv: Diademed bust left, wearing tiara with pellet-in-crescent; to right, pellet-in-crescent above inverted anchor with single crossbar Rev: Diadem; on either side, pellet-in-crescent. van't Haaff Type 14.4.1-1A.
