Mithradates III AR

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Mammothtooth, Jul 9, 2022.

  1. Mammothtooth

    Mammothtooth Stand up Philosopher, Vodka Taster

    Putting up for viewing since Parthicus post. 1495FA2C-42EB-4BBA-BA1C-788F78AD9BCA.jpeg 8917B711-45B2-4070-BAC2-834FD484E9A5.jpeg 11C95EA2-AB4D-41D2-9857-3A67D0DACA9C.jpeg
     
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  3. Orange Julius

    Orange Julius Well-Known Member

    Oooh nice. You going to break him out?
     
  4. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    Hi @Mammothtooth , In another thread you asked for more information about this coin. I didn't want to crowd that thread, but here's a bit of info:

    Your coin is indeed a Parthian silver drachm. Unfortunately it was struck during what historians have called the "Parthian Dark Ages", which is a period for which we have even less information than usual about Parthian history, making coin attribution even harder. (Most Parthian kings did not include their personal name on their coins, using only the dynastic title Arsakes.) Your coin is Sellwood 31.6- attributing Parthian coins to the correct Sellwood catalog number is crucial, given the often-changing understanding of who issued which coin. (This is one reason I don't like slabbing of Parthians- that crucial info is nowhere on the slab.) This type was formerly attributed to the king Orodes I, with a reign of c. 90-80 BC. However, the most recent work, by G.R.F. Assar, has indicated that there was actually a king Mithradates III, who reigned c. 87-80 BC, and Orodes I reigned instead c. 80- 75 BC. (Note that this new "Mithradates III" forces a renumbering of some later kings- the brother of Orodes II, who briefly co-ruled with his brother c. 57-54 BC, is now Mithradates IV instead of his former designation of Mithradates III. See why we need Sellwood numbers to keep track?)

    So, your coin was (according to the latest ideas) struck by Mithradates III, c. 87-80 BC. This variety, with an 8-pointed star in the tiara, is thought to be from the mint at Rhagae. Rhagae was an important mint city during the Parthian period, and was later known as Rayy; it has since been absorbed as a district of Tehran. As the term "Parthian Dark Ages" implies, little is known about the reign of Mithradates III. He may have been the son of Mithradates II, and he seems to have lost some territory to the Armenian king Tigranes II The Great. The reverse legend is in Greek and reads "Basileos megalou Arsakou autokratoros philopatoros epiphanous philellenos" (Of the great king Arsakes, ruling by his own authority, loving his father, illustrious, lover of the Greeks).

    Hope you found that helpful, let me know if there's anything else you wondered about the coin.
     
    john-charles, 7Calbrey and talerman like this.
  5. Mammothtooth

    Mammothtooth Stand up Philosopher, Vodka Taster

    Thank you so much, I will attach your text to to the coin. I really appreciate your help. Last thought, should I leave it slabbed.?

    Rich, ye old Mammoth tooth
     
  6. Mammothtooth

    Mammothtooth Stand up Philosopher, Vodka Taster

    In my limited knowledge of the subject I seem to remember a Mithradates that fought Rome…..Would that be Mithradates III.?
     
  7. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    Slabbing is definitely a very personal decision. I don't like slabs for ancients and, if this were my coin, I would crack it. However, I can't deny that slabbed ancients are more fungible in the general (i.e., non-ancient-specialist) coin collecting world, so if you leave this coin in its slab it will be easier to eventually resell on the general market.

    The Mithradates who famously fought Rome is Mithradates VI of Pontus, who, as his title implies, was from the Kingdom of Pontus and not from Parthia. He did have Persian ancestry, hence the name Mithradates ("given by Mithra", an ancient Iranian sun god) but that's the closest to a Parthian connection.
     
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