254
Kingdom of Elymais, Kamnaskires III, with Anzaze (c.82-72 BC), Silver Tetradrachm, 13.7g. Mint
of Seleukeia on the Hedyphon, SE 247(?). Jugate draped busts of Kamnaskires III, diademed, and
his queen, Anzaze, left, wearing stephane, countermark of Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm
within rectangular incuse over anchor mintmark. Rev.
ΙΛ
CI
ΛΕΩ
[
ΙΚΑ
]
ΜΝΑ
C
Κ
[
ΙΡΟΥ
]
ΚΛΙ ΙΛ
C
ΙΛΙ
CC
Η
C
ΛΝΖΛΖΗ
[C], Belos seated left, holding Nike and sceptre, date (
ΖΜΣ
)(?) in exergue (cf Haaff 7.1; Alram 454;
cf NAP 470). Toned, struck on an uneven flan, extremely fine.
$ 1,750
The date, SE 247, if correctly read on this coin creates a bit of a quandary. The latest dated coin of Kamnaskires III so far known
is dated SE 239 (74/3 BC), a full eight years before the date on this coin. The coin dated SE 239 lacks a mintmark on the obverse,
which Haaff took to suggest the possibility that it was struck at a traveling court mint after the Parthians had taken Seleukeia on the
Hedyphon in 77 BC. Haaff further concludes “[what] is certain is that Kamnaskires III’s reign must have ended shortly thereafter,
as no further dated issues, which had comprised practically all his coinage, are known” (P. A. van’t Haaff,
Catalogue of Elymaean
Coinage
, p.16). The coins of the succeeding king, Kamnaskires IV, only begin in SE 251 or 254 (62/1 or 59/8 BC), and there is no
explanation for the interlude between the two reigns. Although the reading of the date on this coin is not certain, taken at face value
it suggests that the reign of Kamnaskires III extended until at least 66/5 BC, but if so then it presents the further problem in that
it has the mintmark of Seleukeia on the Hedyphon (over which the Nike counterstamp has been applied), which probably was still
under Parthian control in SE 247. The one thing this anomalous coin shows for certain is that our understanding of Elymaian coinage
is far from complete, and that while Haaff and others have made great strides recently in filling in the gaps of our knowledge, there
is still much to learn.
255
Kingdom of Elymais, Kamnaskires IV (c.63-53 BC), Silver Tetradrachm, 14.6g. Mint of Seleukeia on the
Hedyphon, SE 250 (63/2 BC). Diademed and draped bust of Kamnaskires IV left, countermark of Nike
standing left, holding wreath and palm within rectangular incuse over anchor mintmark. Rev.
ΙΛ
C
ΙΛΕΩ
[C
KAMNACKIPOY]
ΤΟΥ ΕΓ
ΙΙΛ
CI
ΛΕ
KAMNAC[KIPOY], Belos seated left, holding Nike and sceptre, PK
monogram in inner left field, date (
Ν
[
Σ
]) in exergue (cf Haaff 8.1.1B; Alram -; cf NAP 474). Struck on an
uneven flan, toned, extremely fine.
$ 1,250
256
Kingdom of Elymais, Kamnaskires IV (c.63-53 BC), Silver Tetradrachm, 14.68g, 12h. Mint of Seleukeia on
the Hedyphon. Dated SE 254 (59/8 BC). Bust of Kamnaskires IV facing left, diademed, countermark of
Nike standing left. Rev.
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΚΑΜΝΑΣΚΙΡΟΥ ΚΑΜΝΑΣΚΙΡΟΥ ΤΟΥΕΓ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΣ
, Zeus enthroned
left, holding Nike in outstretched right hand and sceptre in left, monogram
K
above knee, date
ΔNΣ
in
exergue (Alram 458). Good extremely fine.
Very rare, especially dated.
$ 4,000
