Hemidrachm of Pakor I of Persis, ca. 1st century CE
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 1st century CE
Issuing entity
Kingdom of PersisThis small silver hemidrachm was issued during the first century CE by King Pakor I of Persis, a territory situated in southwestern Iran. Produced during the broader Parthian period, the coin measures approximately 1.4 centimeters in diameter. Persis was governed during this era by local client kings who asserted their identity through distinct coinages while remaining subject to broader imperial rule.
The coin's obverse displays a leftward-facing bust of Pakor I, distinguished by long hair, a long curly beard, and a large nose. The king wears a domed headdress known as a tiara, which is tied with a Greek-style diadem, and a torque or necklace around his neck. Due to wear or poor preservation, the design on the reverse face is almost impossible to identify.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 2
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Persis comprised the historical heartland of the ancient Achaemenid Empire in southwestern Iran. During the eras of Seleucid and Parthian rule, the region was governed by client monarchs such as Pakor I, whose coin designs blended Achaemenid, Parthian, and Seleucid traditions, including the diadem favored by Seleucid rulers. Excavated at Qasr-i Abu Nasr near Shiraz, this coin is among the few artifacts showing occupation during the Parthian era at a site where most recovered material dates to the subsequent Sasanian period.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Museum specimens
- The Met 36.30.330: 9/16 in. (1.4 cm)
Design
- Obverse
- Left-facing royal bust with a large nose, long hair, and a long, curly beard, wearing a torque or necklace and a domed tiara bound with a diadem.
- Reverse
- The design on this face is virtually impossible to discern.
Identification
- Issuing state
- Kingdom of Persis
- Museum accession numbers
- 36.30.330
- Issuer (museum attribution)
- Pakor I
- Reign as given by the museum
- ca. 1st century CE
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research Required: no specialist corpus type number is recorded here; confirm the type, die variety and mint against a published corpus of Kingdom of Persis coinage before citing one.