378
Sinatruces (93/2-70/69 BC, intermittently), Silver “mule” Drachm, 4.19g, 12h. Minted at Ecbatana or
Rhagae. Long bearded bust left in diadem bound tiara, decorated with a horn on side and a row of
recumbent stags around the crest, pellet ended spiral torque, dotted border. Rev. Archer enthroned right,
five-line inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩN ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY ΕΠIΦΑNOYΣ
(Mithradates II)
(S 33.1/S 28.1). About very fine.
Unique.
$ 1,200
As the older son of Mithradates I the Great, Sinatruces challenged the reigning Arsaces, Mithradates II the Great, around 93/2 BC
with the aid of his Scythian allies, the Sacaraucae. He successfully annexed the eastern and central Parthian satrapies, including Elymais
with its principle mint at Susa, and began to issue coins, styling himself NIKATOPOΣ “the Victor”. The coin in this lot indicates that
the two Parthian workshops at Ecbatana and Rhagae either concurrently struck Drachms for both Arsacid contenders or that as the
dynastic struggle went on, some dies moved between the two mints. For further reading on the historical implications of this “mule”
drachm see: Assar G.R.F., “A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 B.C.”,
Parthica
8 (2007/8), 55-104 (at 145-149)
and
also
: Assar G.R.F., “A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 B.C.”,
Parthica
8 (2007/8), 55-104 (at 55-62).
379 380
379
Sinatruces (93/2-70/69 BC, intermittently), Silver countermarked Drachm, 3.54g, 12h. Long bearded bust
left in diadem bound tiara, decorated with a horn on side and a row of recumbent stags around the crest,
pellet ended spiral torque, dotted border. Rev. Archer enthroned right, five-line inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ
ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY ΘΕΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ NIKATOPOΣ
(S 91.1 var: host coin = S 33.2 (Gotarzes I, Ecbatana),
countermark = beardless head left, around [TA]NΛHC). Good fine.
Very
rare
.
$ 950
380
Gotarzes I (91-87 BC), Silver Drachm, 4.01g, 12h. Minted at Ecbatana. Long bearded bust left, wearing
diadem bound tiara, decorated on side with a seven-pointed star, griffin ended spiral torque, dotted border.
Rev. Archer enthroned right, six-line inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩN ΑΡΣΑΚΟY ΔΙΚΑΙΟY ΕYΕΡΓΕΤΟY
KAI ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ
(S 29.1 (Mithradates II)). Extremely fine.
Scarce
.
$ 800
On the allocation to Gotarzes I of this issue see: G.R.F. Assar “A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 B.C.”,
Parthica
8 (2007/8), 55-104 (at 62-69).
381
Mithradates III (87-80 BC), Silver Drachm, 3.83g, 12h. Minted at Ecbatana. Medium bearded bust left in
diadem bound tiara, decorated with a six-pointed star on side, pellet ended spiral torque, dotted border.
Rev. Archer enthroned right, seven-line inscription
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY AYTOKPATOPOΣ
ΦΙΛOΠATOPOΣ ΕΠIΦΑNOYΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ
(S 31.5 (Orodes I); Sunrise 308 var, differently disposed
inscription). About extremely fine, good centring on both sides.
$ 450
See the commentary under lot 294 on the attribution to Mithradates III of the S31 coinage.
