Parthian drachm of Vardanes or Gotarzes II, ca. 40–51 CE
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 40–51 CE
Issuing entity
Parthian EmpireThis silver drachm was produced under the authority of a Parthian monarch, either Vardanes or Gotarzes II. The coin's obverse presents an unusual front-facing bust of the king, who has a mustache and a trimmed beard. He wears a torque around his neck alongside a pointed cap with earflaps encircled by an athletic victory diadem, flanked on either side by stars within a circular dotted border.
The reverse depicts a stylized seated archer turned to the right upon a high-backed throne, wearing trousers, sleeved attire beneath a cloak, and an earflapped hat bound with a diadem. Holding a bow with its string pointing upward, this figure might represent an idealized monarch or Arsaces I. A monogram, potentially containing the Greek letters A and T, sits before him, encircled by a faint Greek royal legend.
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
Front-facing royal portraits were exceptionally rare on ancient coinage before Late Antiquity, and the issuer probably adopted the orientation to differentiate his money from that of a rival or predecessor. The design never achieved wide acceptance, perhaps because the unfamiliar frontal perspective made users uneasy and lowered faith in the coin's worth. Unlike early Parthian types that imitated Seleucid coin images of Apollo, the reverse archer here is heavily stylized. Furthermore, Parthian issues standardly cited the founding king Arsaces I instead of the reigning sovereign, possibly using the name as a general dynastic title.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Museum specimens
- The Met 99.35.2959: Thickness 0.23 cm, Diameter 2 cm
Design
- Obverse
- A front-facing royal bust with a mustache and cropped beard, wearing a neck torque and a pointed cap with earflaps tied with a diadem, positioned between two stars within a dotted border.
- Reverse
- A seated man facing right on a high-backed throne, dressed in trousers, sleeves under a cloak, and an earflapped hat secured by a diadem, holding a bow with the bowstring upward. A monogram, perhaps combining the Greek letters A and T, appears in front of him, surrounded by a Greek legend.
- Inscription (as read by the museum)
- of the king of kings Arsaces the generous, just, renowned and Greek-loving
Identification
- Issuing state
- Parthian Empire
- Museum accession numbers
- 99.35.2959
- Issuer (museum attribution)
- Vardanes or Gotarzes II
- Reign as given by the museum
- c. A.D. 40-45 (Vardanes) or c. A.D. 40-51 (Gortazes II)
- Mint (as stated by the museum)
- Ecbatana (possible)
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 Parthian coinage before citing one.