I got this drachm from eBay last year (dec), nothing special but always wanted a coin from Parthia. The seller attributed it to Orodes I, 80-75 BC. 3.86g I don't know anything from this region, so can anyone tell me more about this coin?
Even the experts don't know much about the Parthians (other than they were Persian rivals to the Romans, because the Romans wrote about them). Orodes I on your coin might not even be Orodes I, but Sinatruces. Or not. Did they give you a Sellwood catalogue reference? Most of the time that's more reliable than the king's name... I have a drachm of Mithradates III, Orodes I's predecessor. Although he might in fact be Orodes I, or Sinatruces, or an unnamed son of Mithradates III, or some usurper no-one knows anything about. Mithridates III Drachm, 87-80BC Silver, 4.01g. Bearded bust left wearing tiara (T31i) with six-pointed star; pellet ended torque; circular border of pellets. Beardless archer wearing bashlyk and cloak seated right on throne, holding bow in right hand; no border (Sellwood 31.6). The reverses on these are all very similar, with a seated archer. They differ on such things as how many legs the chair has or what symbols there are underneath. Like many, this one has a 7-line Greek inscription: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΣ / ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ / ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ / ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ / ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ / ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ / ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ, VASILEOS MEGALOU ARSAKOU AUTOKRATOROS FILOPATOROS EPIFANOUS FILELLINOS, Of the Great King Arsakes, Ruling by his own authority, Loving his father, Illustrious, Loving the Greeks. Rather than name the king, they name King Arsakes, the first Parthian ruler in 247-217BC. Which is not very helpful, and is part of the reason no-one really knows which king was which. This website is good for working out which coin is which: http://www.parthia.com/parthia_ident_drachm.htm
Your coins wear almost match mine. Mithradates III (87 - 80 B.C.) AR Drachm O: Diademed bust of king left, wearing tiara decorated with 6 pointed star. R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡ−ΣΑΚΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ, 7-line legend around archer. Rhagai mint 3.74g 20mm Sellwood 31.6 (Orodes I); Sunrise –; Shore 123 (Orodes I)
I mentioned in another thread there was a webinar last week by Doug Mudd, a curator at the ANA entitled "Parthia: The Forgotten Empire" discussing Parthian history and coins. Quite excellent and it will be on youtube, don't know when. Here are some of mine: KINGS of PARTHIA. Phraates IV 38/7-2 BC. AR Drachm (4.12 gm; 20 mm). Mithradatkart mint. Diademed bust left, wart on forehead; behind, eagle flying left, crowning Phraates with wreath / Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow. Sellwood 52.32-3 var. KINGS of PARTHIA. Sinatrukes. 93-69 BC. AR Drachm (4.22 gm; 20 mm). Bust left, wearing tiara / Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow. Sellwood 33.4 (Gotarzes I); Shore 114 (Gotarzes I); Assar, Genealogy, fig. 26; Sunrise 302. KINGS of PARTHIA. Orodes II. Circa 57-38 BC. AR Drachm (20.5mm, 3.98 g, 12h). Ekbatana mint. Struck circa 40 BC. Diademed and draped bust left; star to left, to right, crescent above star / Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow; monogram below bow; behind throne, symbol above anchor symbol. Sellwood 48.8; Sunrise –; Shore 260. I think its interesting the reverse is in the Greek language.
Nice coin! It appears that you created this thread while I was working on mine. So we posted two Parthian threads almost simultaneously, something that probably doesn't happen in Cointalk very often!
