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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Parthicus, post: 2886683, member: 81887&quot;]I recently won this coin at a CNG auction:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]692991[/ATTACH] </p><p>Sasanian Kingdom.&nbsp; AR obol (14.5mm, 0.70g).&nbsp; Ardashir I (c.224-240 AD).&nbsp; Obverse: King&#039;s bust right in Sasanian-style crown, legend in Pahlavi script around &quot;Mazdisn bagi Artashatr malkan malka Airan minuchetri meni&quot; (&quot;the Mazda-worshipper, the divine Ardashir, King of Kings of Iran, descended from the gods&quot;).&nbsp; Reverse: Zoroastrian fire-altar, legend around &quot;Nura zi Artashatr&quot; (&quot;Fire of Ardashir&quot;).&nbsp; CNG Auction 407, lot 247 (2017).</p><p><br /></p><p>Ardashir I was the founder of the Sasanian or Neo-Persian dynasty.&nbsp; He was (depending on the source) either the son or the grandson of a Persian nobleman named Sasan, for whom the dynasty would eventually be named.&nbsp; At the time, Persis was merely one of the parts of the Parthian kingdom, where a local ruler was allowed some autonomy as long as he remained loyal to the central Parthian government and continued to pay taxes and levy troops.&nbsp; Ardashir apparently overthrew the Parthian-supported local ruler and reigned in Persis for a period as Ardashir V.&nbsp; After a few years, however, he began taking over neighboring territory and directly challenging Parthian authority.&nbsp; The Parthian kingdom at this time was weakened by repeated wars with Rome and split between two brothers, Artabanus IV (or V) in the East and Vologases VI in the West.&nbsp; Ardashir was able to defeat the remaining Parthians and in either 224, 226, or 227 AD had himself crowned as Ardashir I.&nbsp; Ardashir was a vigorous and effective ruler, and much like Augustus in Rome he set a solid foundation for the next few centuries of imperial rule.&nbsp; He forced increased centralization of government, promoted the Zoroastrian religion as the official state faith, and fought to enlarge the empire&#039;s borders.&nbsp; He also established the distinctive designs and fabric of Sasanian coins, introducing the broad, thin silver coins that would remain standard throughout the dynasty.&nbsp; He died in about 240 AD, passing on the crown to his son Shapur I.</p><p><br /></p><p>Ardashir&#039;s coinage shows three distinct styles.&nbsp; The earliest, probably struck while he was still Ardashir V the Parthian vassal, show facing portraits, as on this bronze from my collection:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]693010[/ATTACH] </p><p>His earliest coins as Ardashir I show the king in a Parthian-style tiara:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]693011[/ATTACH] </p><p>The final stage shows the king in a Sasanian-style crown, as in the top coin.&nbsp; Also, although Ardashir introduced the Zoroastrian fire-altar reverse that would remain standard for the Sasanians, he did not show any attendants at the fire-altar; that would not happen until his son Shapur I.</p><p><br /></p><p>The OP coin cost me $90 at a recent CNG e-auction, which is a low price for this scarce coin.&nbsp; Please post your Sasanians, or anything else relevant.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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