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1/2 Chalkous - Tigranes V Head of Elephant
| Issuer | Armenia, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 6-12 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.84 g |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Tigranes V facing right, bearded, adorned with a bead necklace. The king wears the distinctive Armenian tiara surmounted by three eagles and secured with a diadem, rendered in the Hellenistic portrait tradition. The effigy occupies the central field of the flan, with the irregular hammered edge characteristic of this issue. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΤΙΓΡΑΝΟΥ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ (Translation: King Tigranes the Great.) |
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| Additional information |
Tigranes V ruled Armenia as a client king under Roman patronage, installed by Augustus and later confirmed under Gaius Caesar's eastern mission around 1 AD. His reign was contested and short — he was eventually ousted, possibly killed, with Roman backing withdrawn. Coinage attributed to him is extraordinarily rare in any denomination, and the fractional bronzes in particular survive in tiny numbers, almost certainly reflecting a limited and politically unstable mint operation rather than any sustained civic economy.