Parthian drachm of Pacorus II, ca. 78–110 CE
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 78–110 CE
Issuing entity
Parthian EmpireThis silver drachm was produced under the Parthian king Pacorus II. The obverse depicts the profile of the monarch facing left, wearing a torque around his neck along with a curl-adorned domed tiara wrapped with a Greek victory diadem. His short beard is portrayed using vertical lines, and a dotted circle frames the portrait. Because of stylized facial features, this depiction is likely an image of Pacorus II himself displaying primary Parthian royal insignia.
The reverse displays a seated male archer oriented to the right upon what appears to be a high-backed seat, clutching a bow with its string raised upward. He is dressed in a cloak draped over a sleeved top and trousers, with diadem ribbons dangling behind his head. Surrounding this figure is an obscured Greek text alongside a monogram possibly linking the piece to Ecbatana. The portraiture is softened, implying production from an abraded die.
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
During the first century CE, Parthian coin design shifted away from earlier Seleucid prototypes, such as images patterned after Apollo, embracing a more stylized and schematic visual treatment instead. Obverse portraits adopted schematic renderings for traits like beards and eyes. In addition, the reverse Greek inscriptions on Parthian coinage frequently became unreadable after around 100 CE. When decipherable, these legends continued referring to Arsaces rather than contemporary monarchs, which could honor the empire's initial ruler Arsaces I, denote his royal lineage, portray him directly as the seated archer, or reflect the adoption of his name as a shared imperial title.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Museum specimens
- The Met 99.35.2961: Thickness 0.15 cm, Diameter 2.44 cm The Met 1987.481.2: Thickness: 1/16 in. (0.2 cm) Diameter: 13/16 in. (2 cm)
Design
- Obverse
- Left-facing royal bust showing a short beard formed by vertical strokes, wearing a neck torque or necklace and a curved tiara embellished with curls and bound by a diadem; the entire scene is enclosed within a dotted ring.
- Reverse
- Right-facing seated figure in trousers, sleeves, and a cloak, holding a bow with the cord facing up and wearing a diadem showing trailing ties, positioned on what seems to be a high-backed throne indicated by intersecting lines; accompanied by a monogram perhaps bearing the Greek letters A and T, surrounded by a largely illegible Greek inscription.
- 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
- 99.35.2961, 1987.481.2
- Issuer (museum attribution)
- Pacorus II
- Reign as given by the museum
- ca. A.D. 78–110
- 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.
- This entry combines 2 Met specimens catalogued with the same description; individual specimens may differ in weight and die.