DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45399#0047
THE PARTHIAN COINAGE.
37
least I am not aware of any previous coins from which it could be copied. The custom is
kept up by the later Parthian monarchs, and adopted on some of the copper pieces of Augustus.
Arsaces XI. Mithradates III.
Plate III. 11.
Obv. Head of Mithradates 1. diad., the neck-ornament of beads with clasp in front.
Rev. BA^IAEOS METAAOY APSAKOY Eni0ANOY< AIKAIOY 0EOY EYI"IA-
TOPO£ KAI 0IAEAAHNCX. Arsaces seated r.; in front [W
Drachm. B.M. AVt. 58.
12.
Obv. As last.
Rev. Same inscr. without KAI. Horse r. standing.
B.M. HE -7.
13.
Obv. Same head; behind, star.
Rev. BAGAEV BA<IAEON APSAKOY METAAOY AIKAIOY Eni0ANOY<
0EOY EYnATOPO£ 0IAEAAH NO£. Elephant r.
B.M. HE '65.
14.
As last, type, elephant’s head r.
B.M. 2E -5.
Varieties :—Of the drachm No. 11 there are numerous varieties, not of type, but of legend. Of these the
principal are, the legend of No. 13, and the remarkable variant BA< I AEYONTO<: BA^IAEON AP^AKOY
EYIdATOPO^ AIKAIOY Eni<t>ANOY£ KAI 01AEAAH NO£, mint (B.M.). The monograms on these
drachms are ZV K, (all B.M.) and others. Varieties of No. 12, type of rev. horse’s head r. (B.M.). Of
13-14 type of rev. Pegasus r. with or without monogram (B.M.).
Is these coins were issued by Greek cities or princes, it would be interesting to inquire
what was the occasion of the introduction of the participle ^aaikevwv, or the force attached
to it. But it seems probable that among the barbarous Parthians it is introduced as a mere
variety in expression, with no meaning different from that contained in /AicrAecos. We have
in the same way the word rvpavvovvTOs on the pieces of the barbarous king Heraiis (Num.
Chron. n.s. vol. xiv. p. 161). Like modern barbarians, those of old liked to add to the
length of words, merely for the sake of having them long. On the pieces of Mithradates
generally, and many of those of Orodes, the legend pursues a devious course all about the
coin, so that it sometimes takes several minutes to discover where words begin and where
they end. It is exceedingly difficult to put into exact form the considerations which have
inssuenced me in my arrangement of the coins of the VIII.—XI. Arsaces, and those which
I give to the early part of the reign of Orodes. The varieties of style and treatment which
lead the eye cannot be fully communicated even by word os mouth, far less by writing.
However the attempt must be made.
37
least I am not aware of any previous coins from which it could be copied. The custom is
kept up by the later Parthian monarchs, and adopted on some of the copper pieces of Augustus.
Arsaces XI. Mithradates III.
Plate III. 11.
Obv. Head of Mithradates 1. diad., the neck-ornament of beads with clasp in front.
Rev. BA^IAEOS METAAOY APSAKOY Eni0ANOY< AIKAIOY 0EOY EYI"IA-
TOPO£ KAI 0IAEAAHNCX. Arsaces seated r.; in front [W
Drachm. B.M. AVt. 58.
12.
Obv. As last.
Rev. Same inscr. without KAI. Horse r. standing.
B.M. HE -7.
13.
Obv. Same head; behind, star.
Rev. BAGAEV BA<IAEON APSAKOY METAAOY AIKAIOY Eni0ANOY<
0EOY EYnATOPO£ 0IAEAAH NO£. Elephant r.
B.M. HE '65.
14.
As last, type, elephant’s head r.
B.M. 2E -5.
Varieties :—Of the drachm No. 11 there are numerous varieties, not of type, but of legend. Of these the
principal are, the legend of No. 13, and the remarkable variant BA< I AEYONTO<: BA^IAEON AP^AKOY
EYIdATOPO^ AIKAIOY Eni<t>ANOY£ KAI 01AEAAH NO£, mint (B.M.). The monograms on these
drachms are ZV K, (all B.M.) and others. Varieties of No. 12, type of rev. horse’s head r. (B.M.). Of
13-14 type of rev. Pegasus r. with or without monogram (B.M.).
Is these coins were issued by Greek cities or princes, it would be interesting to inquire
what was the occasion of the introduction of the participle ^aaikevwv, or the force attached
to it. But it seems probable that among the barbarous Parthians it is introduced as a mere
variety in expression, with no meaning different from that contained in /AicrAecos. We have
in the same way the word rvpavvovvTOs on the pieces of the barbarous king Heraiis (Num.
Chron. n.s. vol. xiv. p. 161). Like modern barbarians, those of old liked to add to the
length of words, merely for the sake of having them long. On the pieces of Mithradates
generally, and many of those of Orodes, the legend pursues a devious course all about the
coin, so that it sometimes takes several minutes to discover where words begin and where
they end. It is exceedingly difficult to put into exact form the considerations which have
inssuenced me in my arrangement of the coins of the VIII.—XI. Arsaces, and those which
I give to the early part of the reign of Orodes. The varieties of style and treatment which
lead the eye cannot be fully communicated even by word os mouth, far less by writing.
However the attempt must be made.