Parthian drachm of Osroes, ca. 110–129 CE
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
ca. 110–129 CE
Issuing entity
Parthian EmpireThis silver drachm was minted during the rule of Osroes, a Parthian king. The obverse of the coin displays a left-facing bust of the ruler, likely representing Osroes himself, wearing an athletic diadem as a mark of victory. He also wears a torque or necklace around his neck. His portrait is executed with schematic details, displaying curly hair structured into two circular groupings of dots on top and at the back of his head, a long vertically lined beard, and an eye indicated by a raised central dot bordered by thick eyelids. A dotted border frames the entire obverse design.
The reverse features an unidentified seated male figure facing to the right on a throne, with linear markings including a cross indicating a high back. Dressed in a cloak over striped sleeves and trousers, the figure wears a diadem whose ends hang behind his head and holds an upward-strung bow in his hand. Positioned before him is a monogram that may incorporate the Greek letters A and T, while a degraded Greek inscription encircles the scene. Scholars suggest this stylized archer may depict an idealized Parthian king or the dynasty's founder, Arsaces I.
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
By the first century A.D., Parthian coin design had largely abandoned earlier Seleucid stylistic conventions, which had modeled the reverse archer on Apollo, adopting instead more schematic representations for both the king's portrait and the seated archer. Inscriptions on Parthian issues after approximately A.D. 100 are mostly illegible. When readable, the reverse legend traditionally names Arsaces I, who reigned ca. 247–217 B.C., rather than the contemporary monarch. This formula may celebrate the dynasty Arsaces founded, portray the seated archer as Arsaces himself, or indicate that successive Parthian sovereigns adopted his name as an official title.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Museum specimens
- The Met 99.35.2962: Thickness 0.23 cm, Diameter 1.95 cm
Design
- Obverse
- A left-facing bust of the king, probably Osroes, wearing a diadem and a necklace or torque. He has a long beard of vertical lines, an eye formed by a raised dot between thick eyelid lines, and curly hair rendered as two circular groups of dots at the crown and back of his head, all within a border of dots.
- Reverse
- A seated man facing right on a high-backed throne indicated by a cross, a horizontal line, and a quadrisected vertical line. He wears a cloak over striped sleeves and trousers, along with a diadem showing visible ends at the back of his head, and holds a bow with the string facing upward. A monogram, perhaps containing the Greek letters A and T, appears before him, surrounded by an almost 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
- 99.35.2962
- Issuer (museum attribution)
- Osroes
- Reign as given by the museum
- ca. A.D. 110-129?
- Mint (as stated by the museum)
- Ecbatana (perhaps)
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.