249
Sasanian Kingdom, Varhran II (AD 276-293), Silver Drachm, 4.38g. Bust of Varhran II right, wearing winged
crown with korymbos, facing bust of prince 3 left, wearing kolah with boar’s head. Rev. Fire altar flanked by
two attendants, flanking flames, fravahr and crescent (SNS type III(1)/1(1a), style A, pl. 15, 7 (this obverse
die, but no crescent); Göbl type I/1a; NAP -). Attractively toned, superb extremely fine.
Very rare
.
$ 3,000
250
Sasanian Kingdom, Peroz I (AD 457/9-484), Gold Dinar, 4.0g.
ART
(Ardashirkvarrah). Bust of Peroz I right,
wearing crown with two wings, frontal crescent, and korymbos set on crescent, ribbon over each shoulder.
Rev. Fire altar with ribbons, flanked by two attendants, flanking flames, star and crescent (SNS type Iiib/1c;
Göbl type III/1; NAP 937). Well struck on a full flan, some light marks about the rims, about extremely fine.
Very
rare
.
$ 3,000
251
Sasanian Kingdom, Khusru II (AD 591-628), Silver Drachm, 4.0g. Uncertain mint. Facing bust of Khusru
II, wearing winged mural crown with star-in-crescent, ribbons on shoulders, monogram to upper left, star-
in-crescents flanking. Rev. Facing bust of Anahita with flaming nimbus, four star-in-crescents at the cardinal
points between single outer border and double inner border (Göbl type IV/5; NAP 988). Some areas of dark
deposit, extremely fine.
$ 5,000
The goddess Anahita, along with Ahura-Mazda and Mithra, formed the great Zoroastrian triad, and was originally worshipped as
a goddess of healing and fertility, but later worshipped as a martial divinity. Khusru II, who was tolerant of the worship of other
religions and whose wife was a follower of Christianity, was particularly devoted to the goddess. Notwithstanding the Sasanian
iconoclastic movement that had developed by the reign of Varhran I, images of deities still appeared in association with the Sasanian
rulers: the investiture scene of Khusru II engraved at Taq-e Bostan, large rock reliefs in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran, where
one of the figures is thought to be Anahita, as well as the occasional appearance on Sasanian coins, such as on this extremely rare
and beautiful Drachm.
