Parthian drachm of an unidentified king, ca. 78–110 CE
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 78–110 CE
Issuing entity
Parthian EmpireStruck in silver, this drachm was produced under an unidentified Parthian monarch, with scholars suggesting candidates such as Pacorus II, Parthmaspates, or Sanatruces. The obverse presents a left-facing royal bust, probably depicting the issuing king himself. He is shown with a prominent mustache, a short curly beard indicated by dots, and a torque around his neck. Upon his head rests a domed tiara decorated with a dot-ringed star and five crescents, fastened with an athletic diadem.
The reverse displays a seated male archer facing right on a high-backed throne, dressed in striped garments beneath a cloak and grasping a bow with the string oriented upward. This figure may portray an idealized Parthian king or the founder Arsaces I. Accompanied by a monogram that possibly combines Greek characters and suggests an Ecbatana mint, the image is surrounded by a severely degraded Greek inscription that likely attributes royal titles to Arsaces.
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
Parthian coin design shifted visibly during the first century A.D. Earlier issues derived their archer motif from Seleucid depictions of Apollo, but later Parthian mints largely abandoned Seleucid conventions in favor of stylized, schematic forms seen here in the treatment of the ruler's eye, facial hair, and seated figure. Furthermore, Greek legends became largely indecipherable on Parthian coinage after approximately A.D. 100. Rather than naming the ruling monarch, such texts typically referred to the empire's founder, Arsaces I, whose name may have served as an ongoing dynastic title adopted by subsequent kings.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Museum specimens
- The Met 99.35.2960: Thickness 0.23 cm, Diameter 1.98 cm
Design
- Obverse
- Left-facing bust of a king with a thick mustache, a short curly beard rendered with dots, and an eye formed by a dot between eyelid lines, encircled by a dotted border. He wears a torque and a domed tiara with earflaps, over which a diadem is tied. The tiara is adorned with a central star encircled by dots, surrounded by five crescents.
- Reverse
- A seated man facing right on a high-backed throne indicated by horizontal, vertical, and cross lines. He wears a diadem with visible ties, a cloak, and striped trousers and sleeves, holding an upward-strung bow. A monogram, possibly consisting of the Greek letters A and T, stands before him, and an almost illegible Greek inscription surrounds the composition.
- 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
- 99.35.2960
- Mint (as stated by the museum)
- Ecbatana
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.