Lot 324
Arsaces I (247-211 BC), Silver Drachm, 4.23g, 11h. Minted at Mithradatkart. Arsaces I (247-211 BC), Silver Drachm, 4.23g, 11h. Minted at Mithradatkart. Diademed and beardless head right in bashlyk, dotted border. Rev. Archer seated left on backless throne, two-line inscription, ??S???Y (right) / AYTOKPATOROS (left) (S 1.1, Sunrise 234; Abgarians M.T. and Sellwood D.G., "A Hoard of Early Parthian Drachms", The Numismatic Chronicle 7:11 (1971), 103-119 and Plates 20-23 (Pl. 20, 1/3, this coin)). Very fine/good very fine, slight porosity on the obverse. Extremely rare. Having revolted from Seleucid dominion in about 250 BC, Arsaces I defeated an expedition in 247 BC under Seleucus II (probably the ruler of the "Upper Satrapies" under his father Antiochus II) and thus declared independence from about a century of Macedonian suzerainty. Less than a decade later, Arsaces invaded Parthia in 238 BC, defeating and slaying Andragoras, the resident Seleucid satrap. An abortive Seleucid incursion under Seleucus II in 229 BC afforded Arsaces a respite to settle the affairs of Parthia, consolidate his power base and rule independently until his death around 211 BC. The coin in this lot is the inaugural issue of the Arsacid leader as the de facto ruler of Parthia, struck at Mithradatkart-Nisa soon after his annexation of the satrapy. It is both historically and numismatically important, marking the inception of the Arsacid coinage and Parthia’s independence from Seleucid tutelage.
Estimated Value $3,200-UP.
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| Realized $4,095 |
