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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Parthicus, post: 4787468, member: 81887&quot;]Another of my recent wins from Pars Coins&#039; auction:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1163802[/ATTACH] </p><p>Parthian Kingdom, Mithradatkart mint.&nbsp; AE dichalkoi (2.26 g, 15 mm).&nbsp; Phraates IV (38-2 BC).&nbsp; Obverse: Diademed bust of Phraates IV left, pellet border.&nbsp; Reverse: Uncertain object and Mithradatkart mintmark, badly blundered and meaningless &quot;Greek&quot; text around.&nbsp; Sellwood 51 type.&nbsp; This coin: Pars Coins Auction 7, lot 125 (July 14, 2020).</p><p><br /></p><p>(Note: Historical section below contains reused text from an older post by me.&nbsp; Reduce, reuse, recycle.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Phraates IV had a fair amount of interaction with the Roman world, and thus we know more about him than many other Parthian kings. Phraates was one of the thirty-plus sons of the Parthian king Orodes II (57-38 BC). Orodes had made clear that he considered his favorite son Pakoros his intended successor; however, Pakoros was killed in 38 BC while leading a Parthian incursion into Syria and Asia Minor. Distraught, Orodes now declared that Phraates would be his successor instead. Phraates, unfortunately, proved to be a cruel and power-hungry man. He promptly murdered his own father, then consolidated his power by killing all thirty-or-so of his brothers and their families. Mark Antony launched an ill-fated invasion of Parthia through Media Atropatene (Azerbaijan) in 36 BC; this would ultimately lead to a peace treaty with Rome whose terms were fulfilled in 20 BC. As part of the terms, Rome received the military standards and prisoners who had been captured from Crassus and subsequent Roman commanders. Among the gifts given to Phraates was a beautiful and charming courtesan named Musa. She would soon work her way into Phraates&#039; favor, becoming his wife. Unfortunately, Phraates&#039; seizure of power through parricide had set a bad precedent, and in 2 BC Musa and her son Phraates V or Phraataces (Little Phraates) would murder Phraates IV and take power for themselves.</p><p><br /></p><p>I bought this coin because it is better preserved than usual for Parthian bronzes, but also because of the mysterious reverse type.&nbsp; There are a number of published varieties of Phraates IV dichalkoi with reverses featuring a badly blundered Greek legend,&nbsp; Mithradatkart mintmark at right, and various objects at left, including a pomegranate, a wheel, amphora, small tree or plant, etc.&nbsp; (You can see some of these varieties at <a href="http://www.parthia.com/pdc_ballen_6.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.parthia.com/pdc_ballen_6.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.parthia.com/pdc_ballen_6.htm</a> ).&nbsp; But none of these seem to match this piece, and I can&#039;t figure out what the object is supposed to be.&nbsp; If anyone has any guesses, or knows any similar specimens, I&#039;d love to hear from you.&nbsp; Meanwhile, please post your coins of Phraates IV, or whatever else is relevant.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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