THE COLLECTION
RESOURCES
KINGS of PARTHIA
MITHRADATES I
165-132 BC

                AR Drachm (3.71 g, 16mm, 1).
      Mint: Seleukeia on the Tigris.
      Struck: Circa 141-139/8 BC.
      Obv: [no legend]
                Diademed bust right.
      Rev: [Β]ΑΣΙΛ[ΕΩΣ] ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣ-ΑΚΟΥ
                Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; monogram in exergue.
      Ref: Sellwood 13.6; cf. Shore 38.
      Pedig: Ex Bellaria Collection (Triton VII, 14 January 2004), lot
                405; Spink 96 (31 March 1993), lot 109; Allotte de la Füye
                Collection (Florange & Ciani, 17 February 1925), lot 1202.

Notes: Mithradates I was renowned for prudence and military ability; with his accession, Parthia's true expansion began, and eventually culminated in the formation of one of the most successful oriental monarchies. In a series of campaigns following the death of the Seleukid ruler, Antiochos IV, in November/December 164 B.C., Mithradates extended Parthian frontiers in the east and west. He first took advantage of Bactrian weaknesses, caused by prolonged and violent wars between Eukratides I and Demetrios II, and annexed the two strategically important eparchies of Tapuria and Traxiane sometime after 163 B.C. With the eastern frontiers secured, Mithradates turned west and conquered Media Magna and Atropatene. Then, in June/July 141 B.C., his forces overran Mesopotamia and captured Seleucia on the Tigris and Babylon. We next hear of Mithradates in Hyrcania, perhaps preparing for the defence of Parthia's northern frontiers against steppe invaders. At the same time it appears that his generals extended his campaigns into Elam and ultimately established Parthian suzerainty over the greater part of that province. Mithradates' last known triumph was against the Seleukid king, Demetrios II, whom he captured and sent off to Media (and later married to his daughter Rhodogune). It is generally believed that Mithradates' latest dated coinage (S13.5 and S13.10) marks the end of his reign before October 138 B.C. However, the information in several cuneiform tablets reveals that he was alive until 132 BC. (Dr. G.R.F Assar's comments from Triton VII)

A few years after Mithradates conquered Media and Atropatene, he attacked the Seleukid power base in Mesopotamia. He minted the S13 tetradrachms and drachms in celebration of his victory after the Seleucid royal mint fell to the Parthians in early July 141 BC. This issue was finally terminated in 138 BC when the Seleukid king Demetrios II attempted to recover his losses by invading Mesopotamia. The Syrian king was defeated and captured by the Parthian forces in July or August of that same year. (Dr. Assar) The Seleukeia mint coinage of Mithradates is remarkable for the blatant Greek Hellenistic style of the coinage, both in its portraiture and it's reverse type of Zeus aetophoros. This was the only time the Partian coinage took this character.

MITHRADATES II
121-91 BC

                AR Drachm (3.93 g, 20mm, 12).
      Mint: Rhagai.
      Struck: Struck circa 119-109 BC.
      Obv: [no legend]
                Diademed bust right, neck torque ends in pellet.
      Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣ-ΑΚΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ
                Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow.
      Ref: Sellwood 24.9; Shore 69.

Notes: Mithradates II, the Great and Saviour of the Empire, was probably a son of Artabanos I, and an older half-brother of Artabanos “the Younger.” After the death of his younger brother, and victory over the rebellious southern provinces, he quickly set out for the north to liquidate the nomad menace. His S25 variety with the epithet ΣΩTHP, "the Saviour," from the mints of Ekbatana, Rhagae, and probably one in eastern Parthia (the last two are recent discoveries) and the subsequent S24 drachms, attest to his complete pacification of the northern invaders. An important historical notice from Oct./Nov. 119 BC in a Babylonian cuneiform text reveals that one of Mithradates’ expeditions against the north-eastern warriors was to avenge the death of his brother, Artabanos. This may well be a reference to the young king Artabanos “the Younger” who died while battling the “Guti.”

After a final emission with the title ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΣ, S26, the Great King Mithradates divided his vast empire among his satraps, appointed vassal rulers, and adopted the grandiloquent epithet ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩN ΜΕΓΑΣ, “The Great King of Kings” in Nov./Dec. 109 BC. This appears on his penultimate and final coinages, i.e., S27 and S28 drachms, depicting him diademed and in a tiara of different designs, respectively. In 93/2 BC, however, the King of Kings’ authority was challenged by the next ruler, Sinatruces, who finally prevailed around October 91 BC.

The erroneous interpretation of a passage in Josephus (Ant. Jud. XIII.384-6), citing a Parthian “King Mithradates” whose forces defeated and captured the Seleukid ruler Demetrius III (96-87 BC), had led to the extension of the reign of Mithradates II to about 88/7 BC. But a cuneiform text places the death of the latter in about Oct. 91 BC and confirms that Josephus’ citation relates to a later Mithradates (Mithradates III).

ORODES II
Circa 57-38 BC

                AR Drachm (3.95 g, 21mm, 1).
      Mint: Court mint at Ekbatana.
      Struck: Uncertain.
      Obv: [no legend]
                Diademed bust left; star before, crescent behind.
      Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ Α-ΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ
                ΔIKAIOY ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝOΣ
                Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow;
                monogram below bow.
      Ref: Sellwood 47.6; Shore 240 var. (monogram).

Notes: Orodes and his brother, Mithradates III, murdered their father, Phraates III, setting an unfortunate precedent for future successions, which aided in destabilizing the empire. Almost immediately, the empire fell into a civil war between the brothers. As part of their respective propaganda, each claimed the title 'king of kings', which now reappears on the Parthian coinage, 31 years after last appearing on the coins of Mithradates II. His long reign proved a watershed in relations with Rome. It was during his rule, in 53 BC, that Parthia achieved one of its greatest military triumphs against the Romans. The nature of the expedition of the Roman senator Crassus is not certain; most likely he set out in support of Mithradates IV who had appealed to Rome for help, but upon arriving too late, decided upon an expedition of conquest or plunder. Neverthelss, Crassus, the wealthiest Roman citizen, set out with a massive expedition of seven legions and was met upon the plains near Carrhae by an army of mounted Parthian archers under the command of Orodes' illustruous general, Surena. Although outnumbered four to one, the Parthians' tactics overwhelmed the Romans, and they were ultimately routed. Crassus and his son both lost their lives, over half of his total force was decimated, and their legionary standards were captured (to be returned by Phraates IV; see lot 457). Orodes was so fearful of Surena's personal power and prestige following this victory, that Surena's reward was arrest and execution!

Around 44/5 BC, the Roman general Quintus Labienus was sent to Parthia by Caesar's assassins Brutus and Cassius to appeal for assistance in their struggle against the forces of Octavian and Antony. The Battle of Philippi came too quick for any sizable Parthian force to be sent. In 40 BC, though, Orodes agreed to give Labienus an invasion force of about 20 thousand horsemen under his son, Pakoros, to attack the Romans. Syria and Asia Minor were quickly occupied, but in 38 BC, both Labienus and Pakoros were killed and their forces defeated in an attempt to take Antioch. Orodes was said to have gone insane in grief over the loss of his favorite son, and he was shortly thereafter murdered by his son Phraates IV, his next designated heir. Regardless of his unfortunate end, his reign had a lasting effect: the projection of great military strength into Roman territory combined with the previous defeat of Crassus, forced the Romans to thereafter view the Parthians as the primary threat to their own power. It was the dawn of a constant state of hostility between the two, and influenced East-West relations for generations to come.

It is commonly believed that the obverse symbols refer to the Parthian myth that their kings were brothers of the sun and moon. It is difficult to accept this theory, as moon appears as a lone symbol on many of the issues of the brothers, and only Orodes places the sun on any of his issues. If it is true, there must be far more meaning behind their appearance on the coinage. This particular example is highly exceptional among all parthian issues, especially during this time, as typically the bust is struck quite low on the flan to ensure the full head of the king is always visible, resulting in the bust being trunicated on almost every coin. Here, though, the coin was apparently struck dead center with such force that the silver was allowed to expand to fill the entire die, which resulted in the full bust of the king being visible.

VOLOGASES I
Circa AD 51-78

                AR Drachm (3.71 g, 20mm, 12).
      Obv: [no legend]
                Diademed bust right, with tapering square-cut beard,
                wart on forehead, earring, and hair in five waves.
      Rev: ΒΑCΙΛCΛ[C] ΒΑCΙΛCΛIH H-CΛXO ΔININΓCΓOV
                ΛIXΛIOV I+ΛNOV [+]ΙΛIΛΛΗΝOC
                Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow;
                monogram below bow.
      Ref: Sellwood 70.13 var. (legend); Shore 373 var. (same).