Hemidrachm of King Kapat II of Persis, ca. 50–100 CE
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 50–100 CE
Issuing entity
Kingdom of PersisThis small silver coin is a hemidrachm issued under King Kapat II, who was also known as Napad, of Persis. The obverse depicts the left-facing bust of the monarch, rendered with a prominent nose, elongated hair, and a curly, lengthened beard. He is shown wearing a torc or necklace around his neck, and his head is crowned with a domed tiara bound with a diadem.
The design on the reverse of the coin is almost completely indistinguishable due to wear or striking conditions. Despite the loss of the central reverse imagery, a legible Persian legend survives along the surface, documenting the monarch's lineage and royal standing.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 4
- 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
The coin was recovered during excavations at the archaeological site of Qasr-i Abu Nasr, located near Shiraz in southwestern Iran. While the vast majority of artifacts discovered at this settlement date to the subsequent Sasanian era, this silver piece serves as rare physical evidence attesting to human activity and occupation at the location during the Parthian era. Persis, previously the core territory of the Achaemenid Empire, maintained local client kings who incorporated diverse regional iconography under Seleucid and Parthian suzerainty.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Museum specimens
- The Met 36.30.331: 9/16 in. (1.4 cm) · The Met 36.30.334: 3/8 in. (0.9 cm)
Design
- Obverse
- A left-facing bust of the king featuring long hair, a large nose, and a long, curly beard. He wears a torque or necklace around his neck and a domed tiara bound with a diadem.
- Reverse
- The central design is almost impossible to discern, but a Persian legend is visible.
- Inscription (as read by the museum)
- King Kapat, son of King Namupat
Identification
- Issuing state
- Kingdom of Persis
- Museum accession numbers
- 36.30.331, 36.30.334
- Issuer (museum attribution)
- King Kapat II
- Reign as given by the museum
- second half of the first century A.D.
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.
- This entry combines 2 Met specimens catalogued with the same description; individual specimens may differ in weight and die.