DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45399#0071
THE PARTHIAN COINAGE.
61
supposition is raised to the rank of a certainty by the evidence of the tetradrachms Nos. 25,
26. It is possible that these may have been issued by the same King, one in his youth,
the other in his old age, but it is more probable that they were minted by different princes.
Of No. 25, the type, the inscription, and the border all indicate the period of the Kings
Antiochus IV.—V. of Syria, and Mithradates I. of Parthia. As to its place of issue, we have
no clue.
No. 26 is supposed to have been struck in Susiana, chiessy because the piece is usually
brought from that region. It seems to bear the date 231 ; and if this date be by the
Seleucicl era, the coin will have been issued in the year b.c. 82—1 ; a date by no means im¬
possible, although we should have been inclined to prefer an earlier one.
There can be little doubt that one or other of these pieces was issued by the prince whom
Lucian mentions.
P.S. It is probable, considering the extent of numismatic literature, that in many cases
published coins have been omitted or overlooked in the preceding monograph. I have certainly
overlooked a very important tetradrachm, published by Dr. von Sallet in the first volume
of the Zeitschrift fur Numismatik, plate viii. 3, p. 307.
Obv. Head of a Parthian King r. diademed; border of reels and beads.
Rev. BA^IAEQS AP^AKOY. Demeter seated 1. on throne supported by winged female monster;
in her r. she holds Nike, who places a wreath on her head; in her 1. cornucopise; in ex. two
monograms A A- Tetradrachm. Berlin. Wt. 225-3.
The head on the obverse of this piece is not exactly like that on the Parthian tetradrachms
of Mithradates I., nor yet exactly like that on his coins of Greek work. But there is a general
likeness to both; and there can be small doubt that the head is meant for Mithradates. The
reverse-type is taken from the coins of Demetrius I., King of Syria, who reigned b.c. 162-150,
a period which falls well into the reign of Mithradates.
61
supposition is raised to the rank of a certainty by the evidence of the tetradrachms Nos. 25,
26. It is possible that these may have been issued by the same King, one in his youth,
the other in his old age, but it is more probable that they were minted by different princes.
Of No. 25, the type, the inscription, and the border all indicate the period of the Kings
Antiochus IV.—V. of Syria, and Mithradates I. of Parthia. As to its place of issue, we have
no clue.
No. 26 is supposed to have been struck in Susiana, chiessy because the piece is usually
brought from that region. It seems to bear the date 231 ; and if this date be by the
Seleucicl era, the coin will have been issued in the year b.c. 82—1 ; a date by no means im¬
possible, although we should have been inclined to prefer an earlier one.
There can be little doubt that one or other of these pieces was issued by the prince whom
Lucian mentions.
P.S. It is probable, considering the extent of numismatic literature, that in many cases
published coins have been omitted or overlooked in the preceding monograph. I have certainly
overlooked a very important tetradrachm, published by Dr. von Sallet in the first volume
of the Zeitschrift fur Numismatik, plate viii. 3, p. 307.
Obv. Head of a Parthian King r. diademed; border of reels and beads.
Rev. BA^IAEQS AP^AKOY. Demeter seated 1. on throne supported by winged female monster;
in her r. she holds Nike, who places a wreath on her head; in her 1. cornucopise; in ex. two
monograms A A- Tetradrachm. Berlin. Wt. 225-3.
The head on the obverse of this piece is not exactly like that on the Parthian tetradrachms
of Mithradates I., nor yet exactly like that on his coins of Greek work. But there is a general
likeness to both; and there can be small doubt that the head is meant for Mithradates. The
reverse-type is taken from the coins of Demetrius I., King of Syria, who reigned b.c. 162-150,
a period which falls well into the reign of Mithradates.