A Phraates IV drachm with dark toning

Parthian Kingdom. Mithradatkart mint. AR drachm (3.77 g, 19 mm). Phraates IV (38- 2 BCE). Obverse: Bearded and diademed bust of king left with prominent forehead wart, crescent before, eagle behind crowning him with wreath. Reverse: Archer seated right, holding bow before, Mithradatkart mintmark below bow, eagle behind throne, blundered used-to-be-Greek legend around. Reverse shows signs of being double-struck. Sellwood 54.14, Shore 301. This coin: Pars Coins Bargain eSale 33, lot 75 (April 10, 2025).

(Historical section contains reused text.)

Phraates IV (reigned 38-2 BCE) was a son of the king Orodes II (57-38 BCE). Orodes' preferred heir was Pakoros, but unfortunately Pakoros was killed in battle in 38 BCE, forcing the distraught Orodes to choose another heir. Phraates, however, would prove a poor choice, promptly murdering his father and his surviving brothers (to prevent any other claimants to the throne) and exiling various of their supporters. In 36 BCE, the Roman triumvir Marc Antony led his troops through Armenia and into the Parthian client state of Media Atropatene, but Phraates attacked Antony's rear and forced him to retreat through Armenia and into Syria, suffering heavy losses along the way. Antony returned in 34 BCE, and captured the king of Armenia by treachery, but he was forced to withdraw in 33 BCE to deal with Octavian. Not long after this, a Parthian nobleman named Tiridates attempted to usurp the throne and had some success, but was ultimately forced to flee to the Romans (carrying as hostage a son of Phraates). In 20 BCE, a peace conference with the Romans resulted in the return of the son, as well as the gift of a Roman slave-girl called Musa who quickly became the favorite courtesan, and then wife, of Phraates. She bore a son who was known as Phraatakes (Little Phraates). In 2 BCE, Phraatakes and Musa conspired to kill Phraates and seize the throne.

While this is hardly a high-grade coin, it has several interesting features. I like the dark toning, and the wear on the devices (in my opinion) does not detract from their attractiveness. Mithradatkart, the mint of this coin, was a fortified citadel at the city of Nisa, in what is now Turkmenistan, in the eastern part of the Parthian realms and far from their capitals and largest cities in Mesopotamia and western Iran. Mithradatkart issued a large volume of coinage (mostly silver drachms, with some bronzes and a few minor silvers as well) under the Parthians. While this was initially of the same quality as at the main drachm-issuing mint of Ekbatana, during the reign of Phraates IV we see a decline in both silver purity and artistic quality. On this coin this is most evident in the reverse legend, which has degenerated from easily-readable Greek to complete nonsense. (The top two lines are supposed to read "Basileos basileon", but you would never know that just from this specimen.) There are a number of varieties of this drachm type, with various monograms and symbols behind the archer's throne. It is possible that the eagle may be commemorating a specific military victory by Phraates, but since the drachms don't have dates we can't be sure. Nonetheless, this is a pleasing and interesting coin, and the final bid of just $32 was quite reasonable. Please share your coins of Phraates IV, or whatever else is related.

 

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Nice addition.


Phraates IV (38 - 2 B.C.)
AR Tetradrachm
O: Diademed and draped bust left, wart on forehead, wearing pointed beard and torque with no end visible; all within pelleted border.
R: BACILE[WS] BACILEWN ARSAKO U EUERGETOU DIKAIOU EPIFANOUS FILELLHN[OS], Phraates seated right on throne, Tyche standing left before him, presenting a palm and holding cornucopiae; year between throne legs, [month in exergue]
Seleukeia on the Tigris mint.
30mm
15g
Sellwood 51