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#0054
ble element is the crescent which symbolizes Darêv Il s divine patron and is a
frequent motif on Persid coins. Political circumstances of Dârêv IPs reign are
not known and hence it is difficult to explain why he adopted the Arsacid
tiara. It may have had to clo with a temporary crisis in Parthia approx. 87-70
BC. Only later did Napad, who ruled probably in the late first century, wear a
rounded tiara with a crescent.139 A similar tiara was used by most of his succes-
sors all the way down to Ardasir, the founder of the house of Sasanians.14" On
the crowns of Persid kings, the chief symbol was the crescent and the tiara was
embellished with rows of dots. The shape and symbolism of the Persid tiara
do not make a reference to their contemporary headgear of the Younger
Arsacids. Instead, it continued the tradition of Dârêv II.
Hatra statues sometimes wear tall headgear which in some cases bears
resemblance to Arsacid tiaras. The similarity is seen in some decorations,
e.g., diagonal lines or spikes on a central strip running vertically above
the forehead. The main difference is in shape: Hatra crowns are not do-
med but rather paraboloidal in side view while seen from up front they
are flattened and narrow.141
The Indo-Parthian dynasty used crowns that were closely related to tia-
ras of the western Arsacids.14- The dynasty’s founder, Gondophares (20-
-post 46 AD), is shown on coins wearing a tiara identical to those of Sina-
truces and Phraates III.143 This is a clear reference to the Arsacid dynastic
line stemming from Sinatruces and deposed in Iran by Artabanus II (10-
-40 AD).144 Gondophares’ successors used tiaras similar to those of their
contemporary Arsacids, especially Vologases I.145
Another problem is the possible influence of Arsacid tiaras on headge-
ar used in neighboring countries. Pertinent tiaras are found with the Ku-
139 NPIIN 608ff.
140 Unknown King II (NPIIN 618ff.), Vädfradäd IV (NPIIN 623ff.), Mancihr II (NPIIN
634ff.), Unknown King III (NPIIN 641), Mancihr III (NPIIN 642ff.), Śabuhr (NPIIN
653ff.), Ardasir V (NPIIN 656ff.)
141 Ghirshman 1964, Pis 89, 102
142 NPIIN 1142ff.; Alram 1987, p. 130ff.
143 NPIIN 1158
144 A similar hypothesis was made independently by S. Loginov, A. Nikitin, Parthian
Coins from Margiana. Numismatics and History (in the press). On Gondophares, see A. D.
H. Bivar, Gondophares and the Shähnäma, dranica Antiqua 16 (1981), pp. 144-150.
145 Cf. coins of Hybuzanes (NPIIN 1176), Orthagnes (NPIIN 1178ff.), and Sanabares
(NPIIN 1191 ff. ).
frequent motif on Persid coins. Political circumstances of Dârêv IPs reign are
not known and hence it is difficult to explain why he adopted the Arsacid
tiara. It may have had to clo with a temporary crisis in Parthia approx. 87-70
BC. Only later did Napad, who ruled probably in the late first century, wear a
rounded tiara with a crescent.139 A similar tiara was used by most of his succes-
sors all the way down to Ardasir, the founder of the house of Sasanians.14" On
the crowns of Persid kings, the chief symbol was the crescent and the tiara was
embellished with rows of dots. The shape and symbolism of the Persid tiara
do not make a reference to their contemporary headgear of the Younger
Arsacids. Instead, it continued the tradition of Dârêv II.
Hatra statues sometimes wear tall headgear which in some cases bears
resemblance to Arsacid tiaras. The similarity is seen in some decorations,
e.g., diagonal lines or spikes on a central strip running vertically above
the forehead. The main difference is in shape: Hatra crowns are not do-
med but rather paraboloidal in side view while seen from up front they
are flattened and narrow.141
The Indo-Parthian dynasty used crowns that were closely related to tia-
ras of the western Arsacids.14- The dynasty’s founder, Gondophares (20-
-post 46 AD), is shown on coins wearing a tiara identical to those of Sina-
truces and Phraates III.143 This is a clear reference to the Arsacid dynastic
line stemming from Sinatruces and deposed in Iran by Artabanus II (10-
-40 AD).144 Gondophares’ successors used tiaras similar to those of their
contemporary Arsacids, especially Vologases I.145
Another problem is the possible influence of Arsacid tiaras on headge-
ar used in neighboring countries. Pertinent tiaras are found with the Ku-
139 NPIIN 608ff.
140 Unknown King II (NPIIN 618ff.), Vädfradäd IV (NPIIN 623ff.), Mancihr II (NPIIN
634ff.), Unknown King III (NPIIN 641), Mancihr III (NPIIN 642ff.), Śabuhr (NPIIN
653ff.), Ardasir V (NPIIN 656ff.)
141 Ghirshman 1964, Pis 89, 102
142 NPIIN 1142ff.; Alram 1987, p. 130ff.
143 NPIIN 1158
144 A similar hypothesis was made independently by S. Loginov, A. Nikitin, Parthian
Coins from Margiana. Numismatics and History (in the press). On Gondophares, see A. D.
H. Bivar, Gondophares and the Shähnäma, dranica Antiqua 16 (1981), pp. 144-150.
145 Cf. coins of Hybuzanes (NPIIN 1176), Orthagnes (NPIIN 1178ff.), and Sanabares
(NPIIN 1191 ff. ).