DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45399#0042
32 NUMISMATA ORIENTALIA.
and Western Asia generally. This is possible, but we must not forget that we have here only
the very worthless testimony of Moses for the existence of Valarsaces, and further that this
testimony is contradicted by the language of Strabo. The most probable supposition is that
these coins were issued by some Greek cities, in special honour of Mithradates—some cities
which he had spared after conquering them, or which had voluntarily submitted to him. The
portrait of the King is indeed varied; but the general outlines are not irreconcilable, and
we must make allowance for the superiority os Greek work. There seems to be some reason
for supposing all these pieces to have been issued in or near Babylonia, for I have above shown that
the mint-monograms on them seem to point to a group of cities near Charax. The type os
Herakles is adopted in compliment to the Parthian legend which represented the Greek hero
as the ancestor of their race.
Class £ is composed of coins usually given to a very early Arsaeid. I have one reason for
removing them hither which seems to me of the greatest weight. The type of No. 4 is
closely, even slavishly, copied from the coins of the great Eucratides, King of Bactria. The
resemblance is so close, and it is so certain that a Parthian King would adopt a Greek type,
not a Greek a Parthian type, that I regard it as entirely certain that these coins were issued
while Eucratides was King of Bactria. Now Justin states clearly that Eucratides began his
reign at the same time as Mithradates of Parthia. The coins of class £ then fall within the
reign of Mithradates. The portrait on the first four, Nos. 3-6, does not seem to be that of
Mithradates, although there is a certain distant resemblance ; but I am inclined to think that
the second portrait on No. 7, that in the Scythian head-dress, represents Mithradates. I should
have been inclined to suppose that the first portrait was that of Valarsaces, but that, according
to our accounts, Valarsaces ruled in the western part of Parthia, while these coins have an
unmistakably Bactrian tinge. They may have been issued by Bacasis, whom Mithradates
set over Media, or by some other of his many satraps.
Absaces VII. Phbaates II.
Plate II. 8. Obv. Head of Phraates 1. diademed.
Rev. KMANZT#. AP^AKOY 0EOnATOPO< EYEPTETOY EIHM-
NOY£ dsiAEAAHNOV Arsaces seated r. on throne holding bow; above |^. .
Tetradrachm. B.M. Wt. 240-7.
9. Obv. As last.
Rev. BASIAEQS
METAAOY APSAKOY ©EOnATOPOS EYEPTETOY. Arsaces
seated r.
JDrachm. B.M. Wt. 60-3.
10. Obv. As last.
Rev. Same inscription. Horse trotting r.
B.M. JE -65.
and Western Asia generally. This is possible, but we must not forget that we have here only
the very worthless testimony of Moses for the existence of Valarsaces, and further that this
testimony is contradicted by the language of Strabo. The most probable supposition is that
these coins were issued by some Greek cities, in special honour of Mithradates—some cities
which he had spared after conquering them, or which had voluntarily submitted to him. The
portrait of the King is indeed varied; but the general outlines are not irreconcilable, and
we must make allowance for the superiority os Greek work. There seems to be some reason
for supposing all these pieces to have been issued in or near Babylonia, for I have above shown that
the mint-monograms on them seem to point to a group of cities near Charax. The type os
Herakles is adopted in compliment to the Parthian legend which represented the Greek hero
as the ancestor of their race.
Class £ is composed of coins usually given to a very early Arsaeid. I have one reason for
removing them hither which seems to me of the greatest weight. The type of No. 4 is
closely, even slavishly, copied from the coins of the great Eucratides, King of Bactria. The
resemblance is so close, and it is so certain that a Parthian King would adopt a Greek type,
not a Greek a Parthian type, that I regard it as entirely certain that these coins were issued
while Eucratides was King of Bactria. Now Justin states clearly that Eucratides began his
reign at the same time as Mithradates of Parthia. The coins of class £ then fall within the
reign of Mithradates. The portrait on the first four, Nos. 3-6, does not seem to be that of
Mithradates, although there is a certain distant resemblance ; but I am inclined to think that
the second portrait on No. 7, that in the Scythian head-dress, represents Mithradates. I should
have been inclined to suppose that the first portrait was that of Valarsaces, but that, according
to our accounts, Valarsaces ruled in the western part of Parthia, while these coins have an
unmistakably Bactrian tinge. They may have been issued by Bacasis, whom Mithradates
set over Media, or by some other of his many satraps.
Absaces VII. Phbaates II.
Plate II. 8. Obv. Head of Phraates 1. diademed.
Rev. KMANZT#. AP^AKOY 0EOnATOPO< EYEPTETOY EIHM-
NOY£ dsiAEAAHNOV Arsaces seated r. on throne holding bow; above |^. .
Tetradrachm. B.M. Wt. 240-7.
9. Obv. As last.
Rev. BASIAEQS
METAAOY APSAKOY ©EOnATOPOS EYEPTETOY. Arsaces
seated r.
JDrachm. B.M. Wt. 60-3.
10. Obv. As last.
Rev. Same inscription. Horse trotting r.
B.M. JE -65.