337
Phraates I (168-164 BC) through to Mithradates I (164-132 BC), Period 165-148 BC, Silver Drachm, 3.81g,
12h. Minted at Hekatompylos(?). Diademed bust left in bashlyk, wearing single turn torque, dotted border. Rev.
Archer seated right on omphalos, four-line inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY ΘΕΟΠΑΤΟΡΟ
[
Σ
]
(S 10.17 (probably an issue of Phraates II); Sunrise 256). About very fine.
Very
rare
.
$ 1,200
Sellwood tentatively assigned this issue to Phraates II. However, given that Phriapatius had already been divinised around 170 BC
(see lot 333 with ΘΕΟY) and that the final beardless and bashlyk type Drachms were minted around 148/7 BC, it is likely that one
of the two sons of Phriapatius, Phraates I or Mithradates I, minted the S 10.17 Drachms with ΘΕΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ, “Son of a Divine
Father”.
338
Mithradates I (164-132 BC), Silver Drachm, 3.89g, 3h. Minted at Ecbatana in 148 BC. Diademed bust left
in bashlyk, wearing single turn torque, dotted border. Rev. Archer seated right on omphalos, three-line
inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY
(S 10.10 (Mithradates I); Sunrise 257). About very fine.
Extremely
rare
.
$ 1,900
Together with the S10.14 Drachms, also minted at Ecbatana about summer – autumn 148 BC, the S 10.10 output constitutes the final
beardless and bashlyk type coinage that began to be issued under Arsaces I about 238 BC.
339
Mithradates I (164-132 BC), Silver Drachm, 3.53g, 12h. Minted at Seleucia on the Tigris. Diademed and
bearded bust right, reel-and-pellet border. Rev. Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre, three-line
inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY
, monogram in exergue (S 13.6; Sunrise 263). Very fine.
Extremely
rare
.
$ 4,000
As the first Arsacid output from the Seleucid royal mint, the S 13.1-5 Tetradrachms and S 13.6-10 Drachms were minted at Seleucia
on the Tigris. This began soon after the summer of 141 BC (S 13.1) when the Parthian forces overran Mesopotamia, and ended not
long after the autumn of 139 BC (S 13.5 and S 13.10). See also the commentary under lot 287.
340
Mithradates I (164-132 BC), Silver Drachm, 3.16g, 12h. Minted at Seleucia on the Tigris. Diademed and
bearded bust right, reel-and-pellet border. Rev. Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre, three-line
inscription [
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕ
]
ΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY
, date
ΓΟΡ
(173 SEM = 138/7 BC) (S 13.3; Sunrise 264).
Very fine.
Extremely
rare
.
$ 3,000
