Parthian Kingdom. Seleukia on the Tigris mint. AR or billon tetradrachm (14.28 g, 24 mm). Vardanes I (c.38- 46 CE). Dated Apellaios 355 SE (= November 43 CE). Obverse: Diademed bust of king left, with "royal wart" on forehead. Reverse: King seated right, receiving palm branch from Tyche who holds a cornucopia, standard Greek text around, date 355 between king's and Tyche's heads, month Apellaios in exergue. Sellwood 64.21, Shore 350. This coin: Stephen Album Auction 51, lot 1715 (January 23-26, 2025). Vardanes I was a son of Artabanos IV, and was probably named king shortly after his father's death in 38. He set off to quell a rebellion at the city of Seleukia, but also had to contend with his brother Gotarzes II, who also made a claim for the throne. The two brothers reached an agreement that let Vardanes keep the throne, and he proceeded to crush the rebellion. He then prepared to invade Armenia (as so many Parthian kings attempted), but instead ended up subduing the border regions before declaring victory and returning home. There is evidence (mostly numismatic) that Gotarzes then became co-ruler with his brother for a period, before Vardanes was assassinated during a hunting party, leaving Gotarzes as sole ruler. Parthian tetradrachms usually bear both year and month date, but since the month is at the bottom of the reverse it is often not clearly struck or missing altogether. Thus I always like to buy tetradrachms with both year and month readable. This coin is dated to the month Apellaios in the year 355 Seleukid Era (= November, 43 CE). This date is part of the apparent overlap with his brother, and I also have a tetradrachm of Gotarzes II with the same year and month date: Please post your coins of Vardanes I, or Gotarzes II, or whatever else is related.
