DOI issue:
I. Artykuly
DOI article:Olbrycht, Marek Jan: Parthian king's tiara: Numismatic evidence and some aspects of Arsacid political ideology
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21229#0038
On some reliefs from Tang-i Sarvak, a high tiara is shown. Relief BS’
(right half) shows a male figure wearing a tall tiara.42 On relief BN two
male figures wear what is probably a tiara; between them is a betyl43.
A man fighting a lion on relief AWc seems to be wearing a high tiara.44
Other headdress related to the Arsacid tiara is known from several re-
gions of Parthia. A poorly preserved head from Qaleh-e Now (Persis, late
Parthian period) sports a fairly high tiara tied with a diadem.45 One inte-
resting relic is a ruler’s the head from Hamadan (Media), dated between
the first century BC and the end of the Arsacid period. Partly damaged,
the tiara is hemispherical in shape and is tied with a diadem. Visible below
the diadem are cheekflaps and (probably) a neckflap.4' A terracota figure
discovered near Kerki (in the middle course of the Amu Darya) is wearing
a high tiara with a vertical strip above the forehead; visible behind the
head are the ribbons of a diadem.47
An interpretation of these relics from Persis, Media, and eastern Par-
thia is not free from ambiguity. Although we do not know who are the
people pictured on them, it is possible that their crowns were renditions
of the Arsacid tiara.
The stele of Artabanus IV, the best documented royal depiction from
the end of the Arsacid period, dates to 215 AD. The enthroned king Arta-
banus IV is wearing a forked beard - exactly the same as on his coins - and
a tiara with long side flaps and decorations. Around the tiara is a diadem
the end of which falls along the king’s shoulder. The tiara is very high and
rounded at the apex. An ornamental border strip goes around the tiara
and there is a vertical strip on the crown above the forehead.48 The tiara is
decorated similarly to that on the coins of Artabanus IV. On those issues,
Kawami 1987, p. 191 f., Cat. no 32, PI. 39; Mathiesen 1992, p. 137f., Cat. no 13. To
the left of the tiara is an inscription with the name Orodes. A second figure wea-
ring headgear of indefinite kind is described by Mathiesen 1992, p. 144, Cat. no 22,
Fig. 19
43 Kawami 1987, p. 192f., Cat. no 33, Fig. 16; Mathiesen 1992, p. 138, Cat. no 14
44 Kawami 1987, p. 194f„ Cat. no 35, PI. 41, Fig. 17; Mathiesen 1992, p. 138f., Cat.
no 15
45 Kawami 1987, p. 138f., Cat. no 63, Fig. 32; Mathiesen 1992, p. 170, Cat. no 90
46 Kawami 1987, p. 51 ff., Cat. no 6, Pis 8-9, Figs 4—5
47 G. A. Koshelenko (ed.), Drevneyshe gosudarstva Kavkaza i Srednei Azii, Moscow 1985,
PI. CVI, p. 394
48 Kawami 1987, pp. 48-51, Cat. no 5, PI. 7; Mathiesen 1992, Cat. no 87, p. 168ff.
36
(right half) shows a male figure wearing a tall tiara.42 On relief BN two
male figures wear what is probably a tiara; between them is a betyl43.
A man fighting a lion on relief AWc seems to be wearing a high tiara.44
Other headdress related to the Arsacid tiara is known from several re-
gions of Parthia. A poorly preserved head from Qaleh-e Now (Persis, late
Parthian period) sports a fairly high tiara tied with a diadem.45 One inte-
resting relic is a ruler’s the head from Hamadan (Media), dated between
the first century BC and the end of the Arsacid period. Partly damaged,
the tiara is hemispherical in shape and is tied with a diadem. Visible below
the diadem are cheekflaps and (probably) a neckflap.4' A terracota figure
discovered near Kerki (in the middle course of the Amu Darya) is wearing
a high tiara with a vertical strip above the forehead; visible behind the
head are the ribbons of a diadem.47
An interpretation of these relics from Persis, Media, and eastern Par-
thia is not free from ambiguity. Although we do not know who are the
people pictured on them, it is possible that their crowns were renditions
of the Arsacid tiara.
The stele of Artabanus IV, the best documented royal depiction from
the end of the Arsacid period, dates to 215 AD. The enthroned king Arta-
banus IV is wearing a forked beard - exactly the same as on his coins - and
a tiara with long side flaps and decorations. Around the tiara is a diadem
the end of which falls along the king’s shoulder. The tiara is very high and
rounded at the apex. An ornamental border strip goes around the tiara
and there is a vertical strip on the crown above the forehead.48 The tiara is
decorated similarly to that on the coins of Artabanus IV. On those issues,
Kawami 1987, p. 191 f., Cat. no 32, PI. 39; Mathiesen 1992, p. 137f., Cat. no 13. To
the left of the tiara is an inscription with the name Orodes. A second figure wea-
ring headgear of indefinite kind is described by Mathiesen 1992, p. 144, Cat. no 22,
Fig. 19
43 Kawami 1987, p. 192f., Cat. no 33, Fig. 16; Mathiesen 1992, p. 138, Cat. no 14
44 Kawami 1987, p. 194f„ Cat. no 35, PI. 41, Fig. 17; Mathiesen 1992, p. 138f., Cat.
no 15
45 Kawami 1987, p. 138f., Cat. no 63, Fig. 32; Mathiesen 1992, p. 170, Cat. no 90
46 Kawami 1987, p. 51 ff., Cat. no 6, Pis 8-9, Figs 4—5
47 G. A. Koshelenko (ed.), Drevneyshe gosudarstva Kavkaza i Srednei Azii, Moscow 1985,
PI. CVI, p. 394
48 Kawami 1987, pp. 48-51, Cat. no 5, PI. 7; Mathiesen 1992, Cat. no 87, p. 168ff.
36