Still working through a few coins from months ago, trying to catalogue them before my latest auction wins arrive... anyway, hope you enjoy this coin that's outside my usual collecting area. Kingdom of Cilician Armenia. AR takvorin (20 mm). Gosdantin (Constantine) III (1344-1362). Obverse: King on horseback, Armenian legend around. Reverse: Lion with cross on pole, Armenian legend. This coin: Purchased from @Orielensis . Armenia has a very long and distinguished history. Regular readers of the Ancients board are probably familiar with Tigranes II (The Great) who challenged both the Roman Republic and the Parthians, and the many struggles between Rome/Byzantium and Parthia/Sasanians to place their own candidates on the Armenian throne. Armenia proper spent most of the Middle Ages conquered by various other, more powerful neighbors. However, for almost three centuries there was an independent Armenian state in the Cilicia region of what is now southwestern Turkey: (Map courtesy Wikipedia, under a Creative Commons license) The Byzantines had encouraged Armenians to settle in Cilicia, to provide a buffer against the various Muslim states to the east (Armenians had a reputation as fierce warriors, and had been among the first nations to officially adopt Christianity). In about 1080, the Cilician Armenians established an independent Principality, which upgraded to a Kingdom in 1198. The Kingdom was able to remain independent until 1375, when it was finally conquered by the Mamlukes. Cilician Armenia provided aid to the Crusaders, who learned some techniques for castle construction from them. It also served as a repository of Armenian culture during a period when Armenia proper was under foreign domination. Gosdantin III ascended the throne in 1344, and immediately ordered the execution of two potential rival claimants for the throne, who however were able to flee to Cyprus. During Gosdantin's rule the Mamlukes were able to conquer some of the Cilician territory; he died in 1362 of natural causes. The last Cilician Armenian territory was conquered by the Mamlukes in 1375. I rather like this coin- any coin showing the ruler on horseback automatically has added interest, and the artistic style on the lion is crude but somehow appealing. Add in the fact that it's from an "exotic" land, and uses an uncommon script (Armenian is written in its own unique alphabet)- this coin was definitely well worth the $15 I spent on it. Please share your own Armenian (Cilician or otherwise) coins.
@Parthicus, thank you for the interestign write-up, These coins are also outside of my usual areas of interest, and also more evidence of how easily I have been pulled into neighboring areas over the years by an interesting looking coin (or three). Levon I was also known as "Levon the Great": Cilician Armenia, Royal Levon I, AD 1198-1219 AR Tram Obv:+ ԼԵԻՈՆ ԹԱԳԱԻՈՐ ՀԱՅՈՑ 'Levon King of the Armenians' Levon seated facing on throne decorated with lions, holding cross and lis (lily) Rev:+ ԿԱՐՈՂՈՒԹԲՆ ԱՍՏՈԻԾՈՅ 'by the will of God' Two lions flanking patriarchal cross Size: 22.3mm, 2.85g Ref: CCA 123 And here are two different trams of Queen Zabel and King Hetoum I - Queen Zabel or Isabella was the daughter of Levon and declared Queen at the age of 3 when her father died in 1219. And she married Hartoum in 1226 at the age of 10, these coins maintain the artistic connection to byzantine coins. Cilician Armenia, Royal King Hetoum I and Queen Zabel, 1226-1270 AR Tram (Silver, 21 mm, 2.93 g, 10 h) Obv: "By the Will of God", Crowned Queen Zabel and King Hetoum standing facing, holding long cross between them; pellet on cross Rev: "Hetoum king of the Armenians", heraldic lion standing right, head facing, holding patriarchal cross Size: 19.8g, 3.00mm Ref: CCA 1068; AC 339 Cilician Armenia, Royal King Hetoum I and Queen Zabel, 1226-1270 AR Tram (Silver, 21 mm, 2.93 g, 10 h) Obv: Zabel and Hetoum I standing facing, each crowned with head facing and holding long cross between. Rev: Crowned lion advancing right, head facing Size: 21.8mm, 2.96g Ref: Beoudkian 847
